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What's your recipe for the best leader ?

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  • 25-08-2010 4:22pm
    #1
    BoarHunter
    Registered Users Posts: 1,200 ✭✭✭


    I use myself a few diameters to fish in streams for dry fly. Makes a lot of a difference for presentation.

    typically :
    Diameter (1/100 mm)45 40 35 30 25 20 16
    Lenght (cm) 80 60 50 40 30 20 20

    and then the final bit which is usually 2 feet of 14/100. For most of the streams you have no worries if you play the fish correctly.

    What's your method ?


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    #2
    ironbluedun
    Registered Users Posts: 1,498 ✭✭✭ironbluedun


    is that 8 different diameters of line you use in making the leader?


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    #3
    Octopus
    Closed Accounts Posts: 200 ✭✭Octopus


    Hardly all those together??
    Lenght (cm) 80 60 50 40 30 20 20 = 3 meter leader, thats 10 foot. Could be right but a lot of knots and tying.

    I normally use 2 foot of 18lb nail knotted onto my fly line, then 2 foot of 12/10lb line then about 3-4 foot of what ever breaking strain i'm using. Usually 4lb for trout.
    Salmon I'll go straight from 18lb to 12/10lb.

    I don't use or understand diameters, I only fish mono and have never had a problem.
    I've tried flurocarbon but dumped it due to its crap knot strenght.


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    #4
    BoarHunter
    Registered Users Posts: 1,200 ✭✭✭BoarHunter


    ironbluedun wrote: »
    is that 8 different diameters of line you use in making the leader?


    Yes i make them in advance but the goal is to have an easy opening of the leader on end of cast and a very soft landing. you don't struggle when you are in a very open place and you can cast freely. The only advantage there is that you cast effortless with a maximum accuracy in presentation. It also helps you in these odd long casts.
    when you are casting in difficult streams and very clear waters it helps IMO.


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    #5
    Octopus
    Closed Accounts Posts: 200 ✭✭Octopus


    For the amount of effort involved would in not pay to invest in manufactured tapered leaders.

    Do you reuse sections of the flyline. I'll get two or three trips out of the heavier sections of mine i.e. the 18lb starts at 3 foot after tying on the 10lb a few times it shortens to 2 foot then I change, saves too much tying.


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    #6
    BoarHunter
    Registered Users Posts: 1,200 ✭✭✭BoarHunter


    maybe would be easier but i have a phsychologic problem with premade stuff :D


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    #7
    ironbluedun
    Registered Users Posts: 1,498 ✭✭✭ironbluedun


    8 different diameters!!! all those knots would drive me crazy.....


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    #8
    coolwings
    Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators Posts: 3,455 Mod ✭✭✭✭coolwings


    I use three diameters, and one of those is the wear collar at end of flyline.

    For trout in clear water that might be 10 - 12lbs, 6 - 8lbs, 3 - 4lbs.

    I also use mono, and believe that fluorocarbon is the biggest con embraced by angling fashionistas in recent years. Mind you in the US where bass anglers seem to have no qualms about putting 15 - 50lbs line for fish weighing 2 - 6 lbs I suppose a see through material has greater value. I never had the need to use cable or worry about it's high visibility.
    If my river trouting tippet was to be fluorocarbon, it would have to be 4-5lbs to match the impact strength of 3 - 4lbs mono.
    The high strength thin copolymer tippets like Frog Hair seem to be an interesting half way between the mono and fluoro.


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    #9
    ironbluedun
    Registered Users Posts: 1,498 ✭✭✭ironbluedun


    three diameters is plenty....not a huge fan of mono for trout fishing...i have grown to accept flouro for wets or sunk methods, it is good in clear water, better than maxima ultragreen in very clear water. it also it cuts through surface film and sinks quickly...as stated many times well formed good knots are vital, this year i have been using riverge flouro and i think it is better than most if not all other brands of flouro that are out there..... copolymer is good but twisty, i like it for dries only....


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    #10
    BoarHunter
    Registered Users Posts: 1,200 ✭✭✭BoarHunter


    Very hard to find less than 4 Lbs in the shops anyway ... that's funny in France we talk about the diameter of the line as opposed to here we talk about breaking strain.

    The 2 data are really relevant for me.


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    #11
    ironbluedun
    Registered Users Posts: 1,498 ✭✭✭ironbluedun


    to be honest i tend to think more about the diameter of the line rather than the breaking stain, but of course you also have to have a consideration of the breaking strain....its a matter of achieving a balance between the two to suit the particular type of fishing you do….


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    #12
    coolwings
    Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators Posts: 3,455 Mod ✭✭✭✭coolwings


    ironbluedun wrote: »
    ...i have grown to accept flouro for wets or sunk methods ... . it also it cuts through surface film and sinks quickly....

    I agree with you there bigtime. The big advantage of fluoro is it's ability to sink better. Good for sunk work without weighted flies.

    I don't really rate the "invisibility" because I found that thinner alternatives exist with similar impact strength. It's impact robustness I value actually - much more than absolute breaking strain..


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    #13
    DryFlyFishing
    Closed Accounts Posts: 321 ✭✭DryFlyFishing


    Dry Fly - 12 foot 12lb tip tapered mono leader (Hardy) + 4 feet 3x fluro Orvis Mirage + 7x or 6x or 5x tip 3 feet Orvis Mirage

    mono holds the fluro from sinking fast ... 3x pulls the light 7x or 6x or 5x under slow ...

    Wet Fly - leader is all the same (X) 4 droppers ( 3x or 4x or 5x or 6x) all orvis mirage fluro -but i shoot the line so it kicks back on the real just as i need the leader to turn over - giving a double power on - for leader role out....

    fluro is more abrasive resistant than mono and it does not streach - better contact from rod tip to mouth of fish ....

    i would use 30lb fluro rather than 30lb wire on a pike - wire will break faster than the fluro...... i know it sounds hard to believe... but you cast a big popper over head for a while and you will find your wire is damaged and your fluro is perfect.

    most fish breaking is due to damaged line or your mistake... not that you broak in a fish due to it was "that big"...

    7x tippet got the trout in, in the vids below.. the large salmon was got on 5x

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GCVJn08LJ8M


    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jdXyjDVwSmw&feature=related


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