Strike Indicators and Furled Leaders?

I am curious about furled leaders but don't know much about them. I know folks that use a lot of dry flies like them. 99.5% of my fly fishing is nymphing with strike indicators. I normally use a 9-10 ft mono leader with flouro tippet. I use a couple different types of strike indicators as I can't decide which I like best. I set the depth anywhere from 1 ft to 7-8 ft for my indicator depending water speed/depth etc, where I fish. Most of my flies are size 16-20 and usually use 6X tippet and I use 4-5 wt rods. This is trout fishing of course . . . Not talking about bass fishing yet. . . . maybe bring that up later as that's a whole 'nother topic maybe.

Do you any of you use furled leaders for this type fishing? Any types of strike indicators work better that others on furled leaders? What type of material would be best?

wayne

... I have used several different furled leaders, largely based on circumstances, for nymphing.

My usual furled leader is a thread furled leader that submerges. It is intended for dry fly fishing, but sometimes I'll just add an indicator and go with nymphs. My preferred indicator the past couple years has been a thingamabobber, and the smaller ones when using a thread leader, which is fine, because I'll normally be fishing smaller nymphs in this situation. If I need fresh tippet, I'll change out from mono to fluoro for the nymphing.

If I plan to nymph fish only with smaller nymphs, I'll go with a furled fluoro ( 2# Berkley Vanish ) leader, which is just like my thread leaders - finished length about 68", a 10-8-6 configuration, with 40%-30%-30% proportions and a tip ring incorporated. Add an appropriate length of fluoro tippet and an indicator and it's good to go. The preferred indicator will be one or two of the smaller thingamabobbers.

For larger nymphs ( think heavily weighted size 2-4 or thereabouts stonefly nymphs ), I've been using the same basic leader but furled out of 4X Rio Extreme Tippet, tipped with either 2-3X mono or fluoro. This set up, either single nymphs or a tandem, takes either two of the smaller thingamabobbers or a large one.

John

P.S. When using an indicator with a "loop" like the thingamabobber, the best way I've found to attach the indicator is a simple overhand knot. This works okay with mono leaders, but does tend to leave a kink where the overhand knot is made. With the furled leaders, the overhand knot does not leave its mark. Simply thread the leader through the "loop", slide it up the leader to the desired positon, and form the overhand knot. The overhand knot keeps the indicator in place, and it is quite easy to reposition the indicator by loosening the knot and moving the indicator up or down the leader.

Most of my fishing is wet fly's and like John I use a Fluorocarbon furled leader and tippet. I prefer Berkley "Transition Gold" 4 lb. test line as it has proven to be very fast sinking and a 7' leader lets me turn over a least 6' of tippet. However if you are using a strike indicator the fluorocarbon leader may sink it. Go with a thread or mono leader instead.

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Originally Posted by Jack Hise

...However if you are using a strike indicator the fluorocarbon leader may sink it. ....

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This depends on the capacity of the indicator used and where it is placed on the leader.

If you put the indicator out near the tip end of the leader and the indicator has little "carrying capacity" the leader may well sink the indicator.

However, if you have an indicator with adequate capacity placed at or near the butt of the leader, the leader will not sink the indicator. This is the approach I use with whatever kind ( thread / Extreme tippet / fluoro ) of furled leader I am using while nymphing - indicator as close to the leader butt as possible for the conditions being fished. In shallower or slower water, oftentimes I'll only have a foot or so of tippet from the tip ring to the lead nymph.

My preference for the Rio Extreme tippet for fishing larger nymphs under an indicator is based on the relative ease of using the overhand knot method to attach the indicator to the leader. The fluoro leaders I've used don't furl as tightly and smoothly as the Extreme tippet, and while they will generally hold the overhand knot just fine, there is some potential for problems with the knot.

John