Making your own leaders

[StaggerLee]

Thanks, Sweet leader formulas. Will try them out soon!!

 

[pcray1231]

Yeah, Sas, if you're starting with 2x, you had no butt section, and really not much taper either. Rather, were using basically all tippet, which makes it a VERY long tippet! 2x is .009" in diameter. Have a look at gfen's chart and visualize how those leaders are made compared to yours!

Such a set up probably was a good high stick nymphing set up, it'd get deep quick. Also good for drag free presentations, plenty of slack. But terrible for accuracy, throwing tight loops in brushy situations, and getting decent turnover at any sort of distance. Also, I'd imagine you get a ton of wind knots!

Like anything else, life is full of trade-offs, for one benefit you lose another. Just have to choose the right balance for where you're fishing. But understanding your choices is always a positive.

 

[pcray1231]

This is not really a helpful post, butI have to mention it. I was once in fly shop ans some random dude was arguing w/ the shop owner over whether or not the leaders were actually tapered. The dude insisted that they were not, and the labeling was just a gimmick. One of the funniest things I've ever seen or heard in a fly shop.

guess no one happend to have a micrometer handy?

Or eyes or fingers.

 

[The_Sasquatch]

pcray1231 wrote:
Yeah, Sas, if you're starting with 2x, you had no butt section, and really not much taper either. Rather, were using basically all tippet, which makes it a VERY long tippet! 2x is .009" in diameter. Have a look at gfen's chart and visualize how those leaders are made compared to yours!

Such a set up probably was a good high stick nymphing set up, it'd get deep quick. Also good for drag free presentations, plenty of slack. But terrible for accuracy, throwing tight loops in brushy situations, and getting decent turnover at any sort of distance. Also, I'd imagine you get a ton of wind knots!

Like anything else, life is full of trade-offs, for one benefit you lose another. Just have to choose the right balance for where you're fishing. But understanding your choices is always a positive.

Up until this year, most of my fishing was based around Kettle and Pine Creek, the Tully, and Lititz Run. Mostly in the spring and fall. Kettle isn't huge water, so no long casts. I usually fished Pine in the fall and did a lot of nymphing in deep waters. LR is a lot of nymphing and the Tully, while "bigger" water, I wasn't exactly bombing casts out. I probably just didn't even realize the limitations.

This year, especially since joining this board, I've done a lot more fishing in a lot more different scenarios. I also started using pre made leaders as opposed to the "VERY long tippet" approach. I've been using them all year.

It's just one of those things I guess where someone shows you (and they were learning too) the "wrong" way of doing something and you just never questioned it 'cause you didn't know better. I just did it this way for a LONG time. Oh well. Now I know!

 

[ryguyfi]

Here's a few tips...

Get some old zip lock bags from your tying materials. (I never throw a bag away because I always use them for something) Label them accordingly; brookie, dry, nymph, streamer, etc. Make your leaders and put a few in each bag. Take some twisty ties and tie them around the leader so they don't get tangled.

Make sure you do loop to loop connections on all leaders (perfection loop). Just go from your butt section though, no need to tie a butt on every leader. The loop to loop will help in interchanging leaders for different purposes. Takes about as much time to put on as a new fly, so no big deal.

http://www.animatedknots.com/perfection/index.php?LogoImage=LogoGrog.jpg&Website=www.animatedknots.com

I just started tying my own leaders last year and it def helps.


Ryan

 

[PennKev]

pcray1231 wrote:

This is not really a helpful post, but I have to mention it. I was once in fly shop ans some random dude was arguing w/ the shop owner over whether or not the leaders were actually tapered. The dude insisted that they were not, and the labeling was just a gimmick. One of the funniest things I've ever seen or heard in a fly shop.

guess no one happend to have a micrometer handy?

Or eyes or fingers.

Well, that is what it eventually came down to. A brand new leader was pulled out and the customer was asked if both ends were the same diameter. He was pretty quiet after that. Especially since there were a few people standing around when it all wnet down.

Kev

 

[blackandgold4ever05]

This is an interesting topic for me lately. I started ff'ing about 2 years ago and always bought 7'6" tapered leaders and then added 4x and 5x tippet (if needed). I recently bought Humphreys book "Trout Tactics" and started to really think more about leaders. My friend who has taught me about everything I know in this sport decided that today he was gonna make me a leader instead. What a difference. I'm going to get my own mono asap so I can make some different ones and play with Humphreys formulas. I know that leader shouldn't be talked about in lb test but that's how I wrote down what to buy. He told me to get Maxima, 15 lb, 12 lb, 10 lb and 3x orvis superstrong tippet. I already have the 4x, 5x, and 6x. I'm also not exactly sure how long my buddy made all my sections today and all we did was nymph but I could tell a real difference!

Side note: We have had this running joke since I started learning ff'ing that someday I would catch more trout than him and up until last week, never came close. Earlier in the week, we tied with 1 each in a couple quick hours on Penns. Today, I managed 1 on Big Fishing Creek and he got skunked which almost never happens!!! So, he wasn't thrilled to get out fished by the student but I think he wS happy to know that he taught me everything I know to this point for the most part!!!

 

[jdaddy]

blackandgold4ever05 wrote:
I'm also not exactly sure how long my buddy made all my sections today and all we did was nymph but I could tell a real difference.

I would propose that a tapered leader is quite unnecessary for most nymphing applications and is a detriment in most.

 

[PACOFRANSICO]

I was nymphing fri and my leader consisted of a 4 ft section of tapered leader with a 4ft section of 8 pound flouro allbrighted to a 3 ft section of 5 pound flouro. You can turn over any level section of leader or tippet as long as it 4 ft or shorter.

The only leaders I tye are my short streamer leaders and the 1's I ferrule on a jig. I perfer ferruled because strike indicators dont kink them and the better turn over. But in low clear water They are easy to see for me and the fish.