leaders

[zzdruid]

i keep up pretty well here and I can't remember too much conversation about leaders for gill, crappie, bass fishn'

i normally use a 9' 8# if it is windy or I'm using large poppers/patterns and a 8'6" 4# the rest of the time. In the past I have used 4# mono and 6# mono singly and in combination as a leader. I am having trouble getting the leader to lay out well and some tunover probs.

What do ya"ll recommend.. i can be taught so put it on me.

thanks up-front, Michael Aldridge

[WarrenP]

Just my opinions:

I make my own furled leaders from fluorocarbon mono and on my 4 weight I would use a 7' furled leader made from 4 pound fluorocarbon and attach at least 5 foot of 4 pound fluorocarbon for tippet.

On an 8 weight rod I would use a 7' furled leader made from 6 pound test fluorocarbon and attach at least 5 foot of 6 pound fluorocarbon for tippet.

The above is just what I would do.

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Warren

[DaleW]

For the most part, when gil & bass fishing and using poppers, I use just a straight mono leader. Usually a 6# mono will do the trick, decreasing to 4# with the smaller poppers and the getting wise to me gils. Do the 8# for known bass lunker waters. The 8# mono works better when using my big bass 8 wt rod.

Go by the old rule of thumb of using a leader about the length of the rod. Shorten for windy days or heavier lures. Have extented the length for a little more gentle presentation with the smaller poppers.

You might want to experiment with the length of your leader, make sure it's a quiet day wind wise, and maybe you might discover something there as to the performance.


Dale

[Buddy Sanders]

Michael,

It really depends on what you are throwing and to which species.

It may be my casting, but I can't get straight mono to turn overworth a darn.

For 'topwater' bugs for bass, I prefer a heavy, short, hand tied tapered leader made from stiff mono. 50-40-30-20-15-10 (about one foot of each) with a two foot length of appropriate tippet, usually 6 to 8 pound test. This will 'turn over' wind resistant bugs. Bass aren't leadershy if they are hitting on top, and the heavy stiff stuff turns over like a dream and lets you hit your spot much easier.

I do the same thing for 'gills and topwater, just lighter, usually buy a ready made tapered 9' 2-3X trout leader and cut the last three to four feet off.

I Don't use flourocarbon for topwater, it sinks and will pull your bugs down (unless you WANT that action...).

For anything subsurface, it's not as critical and straight mono or flourocarbon will work fine.

I've just started playing with furled leaders, and the ones I've made with mono and then treated with floatant seem stiff enough to turn over the big nasty stuff, but it's still in the testing stages...promising though.

Good Luck!

Buddy

I used furled leaders with varying tippet, or mono tapered leaders, knotless storebought. I was never happy with straight mono, don't know why, just didn't lay over like I wanted.


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[Greg F]

I use a 7 1/2 foot 0X tapered leader and 2x tippet on the 8 wt and 7 1/2 foot 4X tapered leader with 5X tippet on the 4 wt. I just think it works out well with the line weights and fly sizes.

[beadleech]

My leaders are based mainly on the SA 9' and 7 1/2' 4X tapered leaders. If I need a finer tippet I'll build out to it. Rarely need it. I'll more often extend the length of the 4X tippet instead. Which length I use depends on whether I'm using an 8' rod or longer. I try to stay close to rod length with them.

The leaders are tapered for the same reason your flyline is - to aid in turning over your fly. If you're using a heavly weighted sub-surface fly it's less important. The weight will often "flop" over the leader if you open up your loops. However, if the fly isn't too heavely weighted a tapered leader will still help. If you're using really large hairbugs the short stiff leader referenced above will help. The 4X tippet will turn over most poppers up to a size 4 easily in the 7 1/2' length.

Just my opionions of course....

Donald

[rrhyne56]

Straight mono is just not going to do the job in many instances. There is no gradation to the energy dissipation. I can't quote all the physics but it works out in casting.

May I suggest buying an el cheapo extruded leader or making your own [url=http://www.texasflyreport.com/articles/leaders1.asp:cec3b](here is an article on the subject, read it all or simply scroll to the formulae)[/url:cec3b] and then cast a fly on straight mono and then switch to the leader. That ought to make for an educated choice one way or another.

And of course I personally enjoy furled leaders.

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RRhyne56
[url=http://www.robinscustomleadersandflies.com:cec3b]Sweetness On The Water[/url:cec3b]
[url=http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/huntwild/wild/species/bgl/:cec3b]Good Ol? Lepomis Macrochirus[/url:cec3b]

[anglerdave]

The only time I use straight mono is on a sink tip line. Will straight mono work on floating line? Yes. Will it turn over a fly as efficently as a tapered leader? No. The exception might be if you are using a short 6' heavy mono for bass bugs. But then again I use tapered leaders.

Of course these are just a couple of my "unfounded opinions".

[billknepp]

Tried many types/kinds...And still can't find anything better than Ian James leader method's....