Leaders?
- Thread starter osprey
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Acristickid
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Use a nail knot with tapered (blood knot) sections of maxima. I typically use 4x if I can most of the year for tippet.
Although- I do use 5x on dries a decent amount of the time..
I usually don't go below 5x.
6x on really small flies- had success with the Harvey slack line for tricos on Spring Creek.
Since this is really my 5th or 6th year of being serious about fly fishing I am still experimenting.
Leader calc is a good guide.
Although- I do use 5x on dries a decent amount of the time..
I usually don't go below 5x.
6x on really small flies- had success with the Harvey slack line for tricos on Spring Creek.
Since this is really my 5th or 6th year of being serious about fly fishing I am still experimenting.
Leader calc is a good guide.
dryflyguy
Well-known member
I tied and used the George Harvey leaders for years. 4-5 years ago now, however, I switched to a new one. It uses 36" of .019 Orvis Hy-flote for the butt section, then tapered sections of stren lo-vis monofilament the rest of the way, finishing up with a 30" section of 5x tippet
sundrunk
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Might have to start a new topic but, any one use a leader wallet..Right now, I simply use left over zip-lock leader bags..This works ok, but I kind of like the idea storing them in the same place; wallets make for easier access while on the water...Maybe some of the old school guys could chime in on this..
Heritage-Angler
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Old school - these things last for decades - there's no zip lock to wear out.
Cortland leader wallet
I cut a piece of index card, and write the leader formula on it, and slide it in behind the coiled leader. This allows me to keep track of what the leader is at a glance. I carry three of these wallets in my vest, and the leaders within cover most anything I'd come across. Been doing this , well, since I was in school, and I'm OLD. :roll:
troutslammer
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you ask 100 people who make their own leaders and they all use something different , some use stiff butts , some use fine supple butts , some fluor some not , me i just use store bought because they work and a friend of mine told me their was no money saving in tying your own but its probably fun for some people kinda like tying flies
Bruno
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I tie my own so I have them when i need them and do not have to make a trip to a flyshop. I also think that they turn over better than extruded leaders. The other bonus is that you know right where you need to start rebuilding your leader.
I used to tie leaders to/from formula. The last 10 years or so though, I've been buying Bass Pro Shop knotless tapered leaders in 7 1/2' 3X and 9' 4X and then adding sections of material up to .013 (2 mils up from 0X) PRN as I use it up.
My leader formula these days is to adjust the damn thing until it casts the way I want it to...
My leader formula these days is to adjust the damn thing until it casts the way I want it to...
troutslammer
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turning over better than store bought is merely opinion , tippet gauges tell u what tippet to tie on or use a surgeons knot when in doubt on diameter , there are times when i make a certain leader up but for the most part i buy em. everybody uses what works for them
flipnfly
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i use both and truly dont notice a difference when i tie my own i use 54 inches of 8.8 lb maxima for butt then ill go 20" of 6lb maxima then ill do another 20 inches of 5x frog hair or maxima for a tip leader tying is somehitng i have not really begun to pay that much attention to another feature that extruded leaders have is they dont have knots to collect trash
BelAirSteve
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I agree with Bruno...I think my hand tied leaders turn over better, but that's just my humble (but correct) opinion! I use leader calc.
troutslammer
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one advantage to tying your own leader is adaptation to water conditions , example , if you fish alot of fast deep runs , you can tie a say 5x butt tippet , then 2x , then back to 5x , the thinner softer 5x butt acts like a hinge with the heavier 2x below it , pulls the nymph down deeper quicker
For nymphs I typically use 2-3 ft of 25lb maxima 2-3 ft of 12lb mono and a length of tippet. I use blood knots and sometimes a small swivel to connect the mono to the tippet.
Ideally I'll use a hand tied leader for dries or a length of 10lb for streamers but I'm usually lazy and just use whatever I have on at the time.
A good tip on using blood knots for lines that have very different diameters is to just double over the smaller line before tying.
Ideally I'll use a hand tied leader for dries or a length of 10lb for streamers but I'm usually lazy and just use whatever I have on at the time.
A good tip on using blood knots for lines that have very different diameters is to just double over the smaller line before tying.
ryguyfi
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How do you guys coil your leaders for storage, like in your leader wallet. I started tying some leaders this year and putting them in left over zip locks and occasionally have issues uncoiling them. I just wrap either end around the whole coil. Just wonder if there's a better way. I have tried to uncoil one and just made a mess of it and didn't bother undoing it.
Coils are the reason I rarely use hand-tied leaders. I can never get them straight. I typically use just a couple lengths of "fresh" leader material straight from the spool. Seems like once you take the material off the spool the first time, it gets worse and worse the more times you coil it up yourself.
Start at the tippet end and wrap over your fingers until there's a foot of butt end left. Wrap the stiff but end around the leader a few times and there you have it.
Start at the tippet end and wrap over your fingers until there's a foot of butt end left. Wrap the stiff but end around the leader a few times and there you have it.
dryflyguy
Well-known member
Ry,
I wrap my leaders around four fingers - then use 2 small pieces of a bread wrapper tie to hold the coils in place. One on each side of the loop.
Then I put them in a leader wallet pouch with a small index card marked with the size.
When I go to use one, I unwrap the coils - very carefully, so that it doesn't tangle. Then run a leader straightener over the sections to remove the coils
One of my buddies stores his leaders on used tippet spools. That way would definitely make things easier, but also take up a little more room in your vest
I wrap my leaders around four fingers - then use 2 small pieces of a bread wrapper tie to hold the coils in place. One on each side of the loop.
Then I put them in a leader wallet pouch with a small index card marked with the size.
When I go to use one, I unwrap the coils - very carefully, so that it doesn't tangle. Then run a leader straightener over the sections to remove the coils
One of my buddies stores his leaders on used tippet spools. That way would definitely make things easier, but also take up a little more room in your vest
