furled leader

rtc

Hi lads.does anyone use furled leaders for dry fly fishing? I have a 7ft 3wt rod on order, mostly for fishing the dodder, and want to try one out but dont know what length to get.The leader length including tippet is going to be about the 7ft to 9ft mark.Do they need to be treated with floatant and if so is there a particular type.I was thinking a 31/2 foot furled leader attached to 4ft of tippet.Any advise would be appreciated..

whelzer

I'd go longer say 5ft.

I fish a 8ft 4wt and use a 5ft 8/0 Uni thread furled leader (home made) for most of my dry fly fishing. I rub some flotant (Dily Wax) on maybe once every other trip. To the furled leader I knot anwhere from 5ft to 10ft Stroft, either 2.2/1.8kgs. As time goes by I'm fishing a longer tippet and reckon it definitily makes a difference.

Some downsides - they are prone to knotting and can be almost impossible to detangle, go easy on them if caught in trees/snagged. Also being thread (I hate mono FLs) they soak up a fair drop of water and this has to go somewhere when false casting, the spray can in theory spook fish and is a bit annoying imho.

Good luck with them.

rtc

whelzer wrote: »

I'd go longer say 5ft.

I fish a 8ft 4wt and use a 5ft 8/0 Uni thread furled leader (home made) for most of my dry fly fishing. I rub some flotant (Dily Wax) on maybe once every other trip. To the furled leader I knot anwhere from 5ft to 10ft Stroft, either 2.2/1.8kgs. As time goes by I'm fishing a longer tippet and reckon it definitily makes a difference.

Some downsides - they are prone to knotting and can be almost impossible to detangle, go easy on them if caught in trees/snagged. Also being thread (I hate mono FLs) they soak up a fair drop of water and this has to go somewhere when false casting, the spray can in theory spook fish and is a bit annoying imho.

Good luck with them.

Thanks for the reply whelzer.Where did you learn to make your own? I definitely would give that a go.Also, would mucilin line floatant do the job?

whelzer

rtc wrote: »

Thanks for the reply whelzer.Where did you learn to make your own? I definitely would give that a go.Also, would mucilin line floatant do the job?

Its an awkward business but much fun when you get it, (if your that way inclined) - I also tie my own flies and have "built"/assemebled 2 fly rods.

Start here http://www.hatchesmagazine.com/page/may2006/185, there are at least 5 or 6 similar sites which show details on making them.

It took me 2 years or tryng /thinking to get a tippet ring in the end of a FL during contruction but have it nailed nicely now. If you can get a proper piece of wood (4*1) or similar as I used a piece of mdf orginally and it got wrecked in the shed - moldy and it started splitting.

This is also very good: http://www.furledleaders.co.uk/pdf/how-to-make-a-furled-leader.pdf and this http://globalflyfisher.com/fishbetter/henk/henk1.htm

rtc

whelzer wrote: »

Its an awkward business but much fun when you get it, (if your that way inclined) - I also tie my own flies and have "built"/assemebled 2 fly rods.

Start here http://www.hatchesmagazine.com/page/may2006/185, there are at least 5 or 6 similar sites which show details on making them.

It took me 2 years or tryng /thinking to get a tippet ring in the end of a FL during contruction but have it nailed nicely now. If you can get a proper piece of wood (4*1) or similar as I used a piece of mdf orginally and it got wrecked in the shed - moldy and it started splitting.

This is also very good: http://www.furledleaders.co.uk/pdf/how-to-make-a-furled-leader.pdf and this http://globalflyfisher.com/fishbetter/henk/henk1.htm

I tie my own flies also whelzer so I look at this as a project to have some fun with.like flytying, it has nothing to do with saving money(i have spent a small fortune on tying stuff), its just more satisfying catching fish on gear you have made yourself.Anway, I,m gonna give www.furledleaders.co.uk a lash and see how it goes.Thanks again!