Bass Leader Formula

[lastchance]

Anyone have a simple bass leader formula for a 6 or 7 wt. line?

[crappiecrazy]

Anyone have a simple bass leader formula for a 6 or 7 wt. line?

I was wondering the same thing.

[okflyfisher]

60% of toal desired leader is butt section (30lbtest) 20% of total leader lenght is mid section(20Lb test) 20% of total leader length is tippet( 12lb test)

For a 7.5 foot leader: butt would be 4.5 feet,mid section 1.5 feet & tippet 1.5 feet

For a 9 foot leader: butt would be 5.4 feet mid section would be 1.8 feet and tippet would be 1.8 feet

We fish with floating lines and fish crayfish or streamers on the bottom so we fished 9 foot leaders to help get down to the bottom .

If you are fishing on top a 7.5 leader is appropriate

Tie your flies on with a non slip mono loop to give your fly more movement

For a 4 or 5wt taper from 20lb to 12 lb to 6 or 8 lb test

[crappiecrazy]

60% of toal desired leader is butt section (30lbtest) 20% of total leader lenght is mid section(20Lb test) 20% of total leader length is tippet( 12lb test)

For a 7.5 foot leader: butt would be 4.5 feet,mid section 1.5 feet & tippet 1.5 feet

For a 9 foot leader: butt would be 5.4 feet mid section would be 1.8 feet and tippet would be 1.8 feet

We fish with floating lines and fish crayfish or streamers on the bottom so we fished 9 foot leaders to help get down to the bottom .

If you are fishing on top a 7.5 leader is appropriate

Tie your flies on with a non slip mono loop to give your fly more movement

For a 4 or 5wt taper from 20lb to 12 lb to 6 or 8 lb test

Hope I am not "buttin in" on the thread too bad but what brand of line would you reccommend?

[appalachian angler]

Good advice OK on the leader formula. I do something very similar using cheap Cajun mono only using 30#-20#-10#. The Cajun just seems to be abrasion resistent and stiff enough to turn over the heavy weighted stuff and popping bugs. Alot of bass fishermen I know tie leaders using various versions of P-line. It is alittle expensive but is a very good product...tough stuff!

aa

[DarrinG]

App Angler and others gave good advice. I use something similiar.
I use Berkley "Big Game" mono for tying my own bass leaders. It's fairly stiff mono and turns over very well.
I keep my bassin leaders pretty simple and they work well for both topwater and subsurface.
3ft of 30#, 3ft or 12# and 3ft of 2X or 1X Rio tippet. Very simple and it works.

[okflyfisher]

Leader material is whatever is your cup of tea. I use berkley big game because it is cheap. I bought in bulk spools and keep them in a bag in the dark in a closet in the house. It is now 4 or 5 years old with no apparent deterioration. It has already made many many leaders and caught lots of big bass and catfish

[lastchance]

Thanks for the help, all. I've fly fished for trout for over 25 years, but never fished flies for smallmouth bass. This is all new to me.

[tailingloop]

I also use Berkeley Big Game mono in 10 ,12,15,20 and 30 lb test for leader sections I make myself for 6 or 7wt line. It is not too stiff and not too soft. I use the same line on my saltwater conventional reels and freshwater baitcasting reels. It is very good and inexpensive (about 1500 yards of 10 lb is around $. For a lighter tippet section I will use Trilene XT or regular Stren clear in 6 or 8 lb test. My leaders are constructed similar to the formula already listed. Coating the knots with Loon Knot Sense can help reduce the tendency of the leader section connections to pick up debris in the water.


Most of the time though, I just use off the shelf tapered leaders. Once the built in tippet section is worn off, I tie a loop at the end of the leader and put a loop in the end of the new tippet sections and connect them loop to loop. I am still using the leaders I put on my four bass and panfish rods a year ago. They have lasted for about 50 days of fishing each and are still going strong.

[appalachian angler]

Thanks for the help, all. I've fly fished for trout for over 25 years, but never fished flies for smallmouth bass. This is all new to me.

Hard to believe with all that great smallie water in PA. I lived in PA for 3 yrs. When the freestone streams/rivers warmed up too much for trout, I would fish smallies almost exclusively with the long rod. You have been missing out for many a year my good man.

aa