making knotted leaders.

[dead fly]

Hey guys I have been making my own leaders for a season now. I find it fun, and feel that it gives me much more choices than buying tapperd leaders.
Still I am constantly reading up on idea's on leader design, and trying to leard how others make theirs. So I thought I'd ask here for anyone's input on leaders as well as leader formula's.
Thank you, Duane

[J Castwell]

http://www.flyanglersonline.com/ligh...man/jack41.php

[Normand]

http://www.google.com/search?q=hand+...ient=firefox-a

[dudley]

Even though there was a thread about Maxima couple of weeks ago that touched on this subject, after the recent passing of George Harvey it's good to bring it up again.
Mr Harvey's leader design was, and is, the best there is for fishing the dry fly.
Stiff in the butt and taper and supple in the tip, it turns over well and still lets the fly float drag free through the drift.
Mr Harvey was big on the elimination of drag.
I believe George Harvey never fished lighter than 5x either.

I've tied leaders my own for years and I feel knowing and understanding leader design helps your general knowledge of the sport in much the same way as tying your own flies.
For more complicated compound leaders, I generally follow the formulas that came with my first tie kit 20 years ago, but for more simple designs I'll build my own to order.
For example;
Short nymphing leaders work well with a 50/25/25 (%) design
Long (12') dry fly leaders... 40/20/40
For bass bugs... 70/10/20

You can't get that out of a package

[dead fly]

Thank you all for the great info. I love having more ideas to play with.
Last night I made two leaders wich I hope to try out latter today, if time allows.

[Clay]

I found this link very helpful when I was considering making my own leaders. You would think that building your own would save you money, but when it came down to it, I found a great deal on Dai-riki leaders at Sierra Trading post and ended up just buying them instead of all of the spools of line to make them. It probably still is cheaper in the long run to build them, but when I found tapered leaders with no knots for 52 cents, I bought those.

My other concern is that I use an bobber, I mean float, oh I really mean indicator on my leader and was concerned about all of the blood knots and slidding that pegged indicator up and down the leader. I just don't have the knack of fishing nymphs without an indicator and that was another concern of mine with knotted leaders. Once the indicator is pegged it would be a pita to slide and repeg.

Anyhow, here is the link with some great info for your consideration:

http://www.flyfishusa.com/tackle-tip...t-leaders.html

Rick

[Fly Goddess]

I can't go that simple. My leaders have go to be at LEAST a 6 parter
That site Normand posted is a great starting place.


For a simple 7 1/2' 5X DRY FLY "short" mine goes like this:

7" of 26 lb
14" of 20 lb
14" of 15 lb 0X
9" of 11.1 lb 2X
10" of 8.5 lb 3X
13" of 6.2 lb 4X
24" of 4.9 lb 5X (this is usually substituted for 5X Fluorocarbon)


For a 9' 4X unweighted NYMPH leader:

16" of 52.9 lb
16" of 42 lb
16" of 35 lb
16" of 26 lb
10" of 20 lb
9" of 15 lb 0X
6" of 11.1lb 2X
19" of 6.2 lb 4X (again I substitute this for Fluorocarbon)

These weights may vary from different co. I us Frog Hair.

[bonefishwhisperer]

heres one to choke on...for permit I go 12ft of 50lb hard mason straight into 6ft of 15lb flourocarbon..

[dead fly]

I like your leadesrs fly goddess. I tyed a few 7 1/2(4x) here my idea was to tie a leader that might work well in mildly windy conditions. One place I fish often has 5 to 10 mph winds. Sometimes worst. This was for a 4/5 wt.

24" .21
10" .19
10" .17
10" .15
6" .13
6" .10
6" .009
18" .007(4x)

It cast pretty well, with good turn over. However I think I might try one starting(butt side) at .19(25ibs) for the 4wt and see how it does.
I'm also thinking about a 5 footer for windy days.

Oh BFW that sounds crazzy... bet it works well for permit though. Never fished them, but always wanted to try. I'm more of a trout/smalli, and crappy kind of guy.... lol

[dead fly]

Fly Goddess, I have yet to try using fluorocarbon yet. How do you like it??