Leaders Fly fishing

kennyw

Hi all,

Quick question for those in the Know, Im just wanting to make up my own tapered Leaders for fly fishing.

Using a 4/5 weight line,WF4 F or WF5 Sinktip.

Im curious as to what way you guys make up your own leaders.?


Its a 8 foot 4-5 weight rod.

Any suggestions or help would be great.

Thanks

Fuseman

I would start with a 30lb, and then 15lb and then my 4lb leader

Compton

I'd use 3lb tippet. ideal for 8ft 4/5wt

experimenter

My dry fly setup ...

Dry Fly Leader, needle knot to attach the butt, which I make out of a yard or so of 22lbs nylon mono maxima.
Use the four turn water knot to tie on one or two yards of 15lbs BS nylon mono maxima.
Tie on a tippet of a yard or two of 3x (5lb) co-polymer, that’s made a leader of three to five yards suitable for attaching big flies.


For smaller flies, halve the 3x (5lb) and tie on a two yard tippet of co-polymer of 5x (4lb) , 6x (3lb) or 7x (1.5lb).

kennyw

Cheers for the replies. All gud options to try. Keep the suggestions coming in.


And

experimenter wrote: »

My dry fly setup ...

Dry Fly Leader, needle knot to attach the butt, which I make out of a yard or so of 22lbs nylon mono maxima.
Use the four turn water knot to tie on one or two yards of 15lbs BS nylon mono maxima.
Tie on a tippet of a yard or two of 3x (5lb) co-polymer, that’s made a leader of three to five yards suitable for attaching big flies.


For smaller flies, halve the 3x (5lb) and tie on a two yard tippet of co-polymer of 5x (4lb) , 6x (3lb) or 7x (1.5lb).

That sounds the Job. Thanks very much.

What do you think of the Frog hair tippet or line.?

I seem to find that the knot hold is unreliable at times. Thats even using the best of knots. Improved clinch knot or blood knot.

Have you any suggestions that may differ if fishing still water stockies.?


Edit: Question, Would you need to have the BS at 22lb or could you work down from a lower breaking strain. Say for example start off at 16lb mono or is that affecting the casting ability and presentation.?

experimenter

I use either 22 or 20lb to start taper for better turn over..
but sure why not play with different breaking strains, a spool of maxima is only €4

BoarHunter

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=67660958

good reading

kennyw

thats it.. trial an error is suppose.. thanks for the heads up on the set up.. seems like a good way to get it set up.

im up for all sorts of techniques. you have been helpful. thanks experimenter.


Thanks aswell BoarHunter.. Im going to read this now.

experimenter

Happy to help..


Let us know how you get on.

kennyw

Will do, Im going to throw me hand at a few this evening when get home from work. Seen as the weather has turned sour on us..

Il have a cuppa T an sit done an get to work..

Aiming to get out on carrigavantry or knockaderry soon enugh, and im heading up to the river tar next weekend.

So should be intresting to test alternative stuff on different types of water..

ironbluedun

really when talking about leader you should divide between rivers and loughs, because i feel in lough fishing a taper leader is less necessary (probably a disadvantage on a clear lough) than on a river some people love them for the river, me not so bothered with them on the river, turnover is not a problem for me with a leader made from one diameter straight through.
I always feel de-greasing the line, getting the front section of the leader to sink, avoiding drag, getting the fly to sit properly are more important things to do. too much emphasis on tapered leaders, me thinks. but 90% of the battle is about confidence, so if a tapered leader makes you more confidant, well bash away.

slowburner

ironbluedun wrote: »

really when talking about leader you should divide between rivers and loughs, because i feel in lough fishing a taper leader is less necessary (probably a disadvantage on a clear lough) than on a river some people love them for the river, me not so bothered with them on the river, turnover is not a problem for me with a leader made from one diameter straight through.
I always feel de-greasing the line, getting the front section of the leader to sink, avoiding drag, getting the fly to sit properly are more important things to do. too much emphasis on tapered leaders, me thinks. but 90% of the battle is about confidence, so if a tapered leader makes you more confidant, well bash away.

+ 1 in agreement.
And if you are fishing a team of three flies, you will get perfect turnover of the leader by having the heaviest fly on the point, next heaviest on the middle dropper and the lightest fly on the top dropper.
Good turnover of the leader is a result of good casting technique.

kennyw

And if you are fishing a team of three flies, you will get perfect turnover of the leader by having the heaviest fly on the point, next heaviest on the middle dropper and the lightest fly on the top dropper.

What length leader would you use for an 8 ft rod, team of 3 flies..

what length apart would you place the 3 flies..? and how long would each dropper be, to save the majority of tangles.. I hear a 2.5 - 3 inch dropper length should stop the majoirty of issues while casting.

Whats your take on this info, or your own experience.?

slowburner

kennyw wrote: »

What length leader would you use for an 8 ft rod, team of 3 flies..

what length apart would you place the 3 flies..? and how long would each dropper be, to save the majority of tangles.. I hear a 2.5 - 3 inch dropper length should stop the majoirty of issues while casting.

Whats your take on this info, or your own experience.?

I definitely wouldn't use dropper lengths greater than 4 inches - any more and there will be trouble ahead!
I find that the most important part of the leader is the length between the fly line and the top dropper. The longer this length, the better your chances of catching fish.
I would normally fish with a 12 foot length here and about 4 feet between droppers. But a 24 foot leader might be too much for an 8 foot rod. Imagine you have a fish on the tail fly; there would be 12 feet of leader between the fish and the top dropper which could jam in the top ring of the rod. It is possible to play a fish and net it with this much line on a 8' rod but it is awkward and takes a bit of getting used to. A longer rod allows you to use a longer leader.
Hope this helps:)

kennyw

Sound..

Yea i was thinking that the 24 foot leader would be defo to long for the ol mini 8 footer. The rivers i would be fishing would be streams really.. only about 15 -20 foot in width.

Hence the shorter leader.. I would only use 2 flys. Heavier on tail and lighter on the dropper.

I have a 10 foot rod aswell 8# aswell as the 8 foot rod 4-5#.

Use the bigger setup for still water stockie bashing and going to use the smaller 8 ft for the more finchy wild brownies.

il defo try the 4 foot between dropper and tail, with the 10 - 12 foot leader.

Would you think the tapperd leader with frog hair/suffix 0.22mil for the smaller dry flies would work.

hard to tie small dries on think mono at times.. Specially in fading light.

I would fish nymphs and wets most of the time up and across, and the dries upstream.

with the fish been picky/wise or line shy on the rivers its easier to get them to take on the presentation with the frog hair.

Or am i jus not fishing it right.. haha