Leader Help Please

[TerryB]

Thanks for the links Christopher!

Fry Flyer,

I started out with a #12 wooly bugger and was doing okay. I changed to a #12 wooly worm fishing on top and it started dying halfway through the leader.

BTW, I did manage to catch my first fish that day on a fly I tied myself, 14 inch rainbow! Caught it on the bugger I mentioned before.

Thanks again!
Terry

[fcch]

Terry, ... even on my "light" rod I use pretty stiff butt sections, ... taper slowly and steeply to the tippet section ...

My leaders taper. On a 5 wt XP 8.5ft long, I start with 30lb maxima about 3 ft long, 25lb x 2 ft, 20lb x 2 ft, 15lb 18", 12lb 18", 10lb 18", 8lb 1 ft then tippet of 6, 4 or 2 lb. (18").

That makes about 13ft of leader + tippet.

That's about standard for me I like to string up with a minimum 1.5 - 2x the lenght of the rod (so my 10ft has 22ft of leader+tippet).

Stiff butt, yes, but I cast lots of big bushy flies.

Have fun testing leaders out if you like, ... or find a cmbo you like for your style and conditions and just have fun!


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Christopher Chin, Jonquiere Quebec
[url=http://flyanglersonline.com/travel/quebec06fishin/:c6251]2006 FishIn Ste-Marguerite River[/url:c6251]
[url=http://pages.videotron.com/fcch/:c6251]Fishing the Ste-Marguerite[/url:c6251]

[This message has been edited by fcch (edited 13 June 2006).]

[ducksterman]

This is from Clarki's link....


Table 1
Recommended Leader Butt Diameters

Line Weight (mm's)
Butt Diameter (inches)
Butt Diameter
3 .45-.50 .017"-.020"
4 .45-.55 .019"-.021"
5 .50-.55 .020"-.022"
6 .55-.60 .021"-.023"
7 .60-.65 .022"-.024"
8 .60-.65 .023"-.026"
9 .60-.70 .024"-.027"


It's something I don't we pay much attention to....when you buy a tapered leader how often are you selecting according to butt diameter?

His link discusses stiffness too...

Dave Ulmer (slicfoot) did the "Big Leader Formula, that I have been using for many years for knoted leaders, and for furled leaders. It is a fully balance progressive taper, that lays down like a fly carpet on the water.

You can find in in James Castwell's Weekly Archives or by clicking [url=http://www.flyanglersonline.com/cst/cst122198.html:c8eb7]"Big Leader Formula"[/url:c8eb7]

[Humber Brad]

hmmm....this sounds like a plausible explanation for why I was having so much trouble casting with a nymph dropper this weekend.....too much fly, not a stiff enough leader/tippet.

[BSwan]

You might try pinching the line with your non-casting hand when the loop reaches the leader. Very often that's enough to make sure that enough energy travels down the line and all the way through the leader.

Bob

[rrhyne56]

Terry

Am I correct in reading that you are connecting the sections of the leader using loops? If that is indeed the case then that could be the issue. Loops might not allow the energy to transfer fully from section to section and would possibly cause the "dying" cast that you describe.

If I misread then please disregard.

best

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RRhyne56
[url=http://www.robinscustomleadersandflies.com:68366]Sweetness On The Water[/url:68366]
[url=http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/huntwild/wild/species/bgl/:68366]Good Ol? Lepomis Macrochirus[/url:68366]

[TerryB]

Thanks for the tip Bob! I'll give that a try.

Yes Robin I have been using loops to connect the leader sections. I'm going to break that down now and use blood knots instead. I'm also going to add a thicker piece as the leader butt to see if that does a better job transferring the energy.

I'm going down below Tenkiller tomorrow to give it a try and see how she does with the loops out.

Thanks again to everyone for your input and advice!

Regards,
Terry

[TerryB]

Bob,

Did you by chance used to work for Williams in Tulsa?

I knew a Bob Swan that worked there at one time.

Terry

[BSwan]

TerryB,

Nope. I grew up in Connecticut, went to college in Indiana, and have spent my working life here in Chicago. I have a colleague who grew up in NE OK - Cardin, right near Pitcher, right outside of Miami.

Bob