Furled leaders on creeks?

[Chuck441]

I like to fish smallish streams, where I usually have to cast straight upstream, or only a modest angle from there. I'm concerned that, because I like to use slack line casts a lot, the end of the furled section might bop a trout on the head (because the tippet section would be effectively shortened by the slack waves). Since I've always used mono leaders, I'm thinking that the thicker and opaque furled section would be a lot more visible to a fish under these circumstances. I can't stand 30 feet away, and throw a nice quartering cast with a curve; it's upstream, with the fly a little up from the fish. Does a furled leader also give me an advantage here, or should I stick with mono?

Chuck

[Gramps]

I don't think a furled leader is thicker (thread), and much more supple than mono. Try one. You'll like it.

[Lotech]

I'm thinking that because you are using a mono tippet you don't have anything to worry about. If you're using a dry fly like and EHC, try using caribou hair instead of elk hair. It's hollow and lands like cottonwood fluff on the water. The only caveat I can think of is that caribou is very fragile. So take lots of flies.
My thoughts...

[Bamboozle]

Chuck:

I fish small to minuscule streams all the time. I also fish furled leaders or braided butt leaders all the time. 98% of ALL of my dry fly casts are directly upstream; over the fish.

I have no problems what so ever with ANY leader because the fish never see my leader; just my tippet & fly. Accuracy is the most important thing. Yesterday I was fishing a couple of super clear wild trout streams with a 32" furled leader with two feet of 6X tippet.

The fish couldn't care less!

[Chuck441]

Thanks, everyone. Come next spring, I'm going to give them a go. I bought some from a gentleman on eBay, whose name I found on this Forum a while back. Nice guy to deal with, and the leaders appear to be well made.

Bamboozle- is there a reason or situation you would pick a furled over a braided, or vice versa?

Chuck

[Bamboozle]

Chuck:

Simple answer: Not really; I like both but...

I was a dyed in the wool braided butt leader fan but I only like one brand; Beartooth. I had trouble finding them so I experimented with furled leaders in the mean time. I tried the mono Blue Sky and while I liked them; I wasn't overwhelmed.

Then I got some furled leaders twisted up by some FAOL'ers that were made of UNI thread and ZOWIE; I was in LOVE!

I have no time or interest at the moment to furl my own so once I get my supply of thread furled leaders from an anonymous source; I'll never go back to braided butt leaders although they served me well for years.

All I can tell you about furled leaders is; if I didn't try the THREAD version; I would have given up on them. IMHO thread is 1000X better than mono for the type of fishing I do which is stream fishing for trout; 75% on the surface.

[Chuck441]

Thanks. The furled leaders I have are thread.

Chuck

[Jack Hise]

Chuck;
I'd like to respond to Bamboozle but not Hi Jack the thread.
Bam, what you have said about furled leaders is one of the best testimonials I have ever heard!

[EdD]

Jack, what size and color of Uni-thread do you prefer for furled leaders? on small streams?

Ed, who is drifting periously close to a hijack

[Jack Hise]

For small streams using short rods I would suggest a 5' furled leader. Mine are made from Orange or Fire Orange Uni 6/0 tying thread. This could be because the first furled leader I tried was a Kathy Scott leader in orange.