bass leader question

[cklenske]

Fairly new to bass fishing, but really enjoy it so far. Right now I am using a 1X leader on my fly rods, but am thinking about tying up my own leaders. I was wondering what people find the most effective lengths and sizes.
I have an 8-weight with floating line, and a 7-weight with a floating line and a sink-tip line. I do most of my bass fishing from a kick boat at this point.
Based on personal experience, what would you recommend that I tie up as leaders?
Thanks in advance for the input. It's always appreciated.
CJ

[tlerm]

For bass fishing I usually keep it simple. I usually use just a straight piece of 10lb test about 7 to 8 feet in length (for a floating line). I don't have a sink tip yet, but if I did I would shorten that to 4 to 5 feet.

[cycler68]

I especially like Fireline when surface fishing for bass. It doesn't curl and has no stretch so it's easier to get good hooksets. I don't like that it's kinda expensive but if you can bum a few yards off your baitcasting buddies you'd have enough for a couple of seasons.
The way I have used it is I have about 5 feet of 30 lb. test at the front and then tie about 2 feet of 10 lb. test mono tippet to that and you're set.

[namekagon]

I was a fanatical bass fisherman with conventional gear for 25 years, but I'm fairly new at fly fishing for them.
.... been using 6-7 1/2' (sinktip-floating) 0x knotless tapered leaders on a 8wt and don't have any complaints.
However, I have a leader tying kit that's been gathering dust since I started focusing on warmwater and have been thinking a bout tying a variation of John Likakis' formula.
http://www.midcurrent.com/flyfishing/bass_leaders.aspx

[CoachBob]

You always want a stout butt section, maybe 3 feet of 30# - 50# test. It will help big kite-ish flies lay out.
To this attache 6 feet of 10# test -- I like a thin mono.
For subsurface flies I use 8-10# test Vanish.
No need for tapered lines.

[Curtis Fry]

I use a 12 inch butt section of 30# mono and then 20# or 30# braid for the rest. That's for both topwater and sub-surface stuff. I don't mess around with mono leaders any more. Oh and I use swivel clips to attach flies when I can, so I don't have to tie the braid to the eye of the hook. I love braid.

[ROR-EYE]

A number of years back, our club had Paul Sodaman and Craig Phillips in town for a club meeting. They showed us how to make these leaders and I've used nothing else ever since. I love the versatility of this system and by changing lb tests in line, I make leaders for everything from trout to bass and bigger game fish. I hope this helps.
http://www.flatslander.com/leaderbuilding.html

[aged_sage]

If you fish moss-infested waters, I highly recommend staying away from knotted leaders of any kind! All they do is collect moss, making landing a fish a daunting task. Not unusual to collect a gallon can full of moss, or more, on a single knot! I do as tlerm does except that I use 12# test mono and 6-8 feet as a leader-tippet all-in-one. I also use Fast-Snaps to facilitate quick bug changes. The bass don't object.

One well known flyfishing guide on Texas' famed Lake Fork, which is full of moss, uses Spider Wire and swears by it. Some of his photos of 'moss balls' on knotted leaders are mind-boggling! Some appear to be as much as a 5 gallon bucket full.

aged sage