Color of Furled Leaders

[Plain Old Jim]

There has been a lot of words written about color...and looooong leaders and tippets to not scare trout. I have seen two furled leaders.....one red and one blue? I don't have a suggestion what a furled leader color should be.....but it seems odd to talk so much about not startling fish, color, shade, etc.....and then tie on a red furled leader. Any thoughts?

Gem

[WarrenP]

Gem,

Good question and I have no answer to it. I make my own furled leaders and my standard furled leader is:

7 foot long

I usually make most of them out of either green or brown kevlar tying thread. Also make some out of green 4 pound test mono or flurocarbon.

I attach a 5 foot long tippet which is 4 pound test flurocarbon.

I fish nymphs and wet flies and green and brown furled leaders do not seem to bother the fish I fish for. Of course, there is 4 to 5 foot of flurocarbon between the furled leaders and the flies. I have fished very clear water and have not seen any problems as far as my style of fishing goes.

------------------
Warren

[Jim Cramer]

OK, let me have go at this.

Here is an excerpt from an article I had in Fly Fisherman magazine a while back.

"One of the greatest advantages of thread furled leaders is also the one thing that causes the greatest concern among those seeing a furled leader for the first time. Anglers who have never used anything but monofilament are often concerned with the leader?s high visibility. A leader?s primary function is to provide the most natural presentation possible of the fly and a colored leader has little adverse effect on the fish. Trout and other fish are continually exposed to flotsam and inert objects and are not spooked unless such objects move, cast sudden shadows, or act threating manner. When a trout rises to a dry fly its window of vision is diminished to the point that the furled section of the leader is never seen. From the anglers point of view, however, a chartruese and light Cahill leader is a huge asset when tracking small dry flies in adverse conditions."

I might add that if trout spooked at every strange thing that came floating down the river they would soon starve.

For nymph fishing the colored leader is a great asset not only as an extended strike indicator but as a drag indicator helping theangler achieve a drag free drift.

regards,
Jim Cramer

[Plain Old Jim]

Mr. Warren and Mr. Cramer.
Thanks for the replies. Boaf hit homeruns for me. I am very far behind in the learning curve on fly fishing. I do not yet know what rod/line/reel/leader I even want to favor yet. Lengths, weights, etc. That's the fun of it all, trying to find your favorite rod length, weight, color of fly line......etc. I have a very long way to go.

I happen to be in possession of a couple of Mr. Cramer's furled leaders but have not had the time or courage to try them yet. They look excellent. I wish I could remember how to reference his business for him but I don't. He makes and sells furled leaders and I know so do others. But for anyone interested they should get in touch with Mr. Jim Cramer.

Thanks again. I sorta feel like now wanting to tie one on and go give them a try out. Funny how a few words can boost someone's thoughts and spur them on. It's amazing to me how other people's replies and words can have so much effect on other people...and they usually don't even know how much they influenced someone else.

Again I thank you.

Gem

[Better Loops]

Don't know if the fish can see the colored furled leader or not, but I saw an ad for red colored monofilament in which it was stated that under water the color disappears. I don't know at what depth that would be> I do seem to remember reading that fish can't distinguish red at the shallowest of depths in comparison to other colors. Whether that means it turns invisible to them -- well I doubt it.

------------------
Lee - Better Loops and Singing Reels

[Plain Old Jim]

Tyflier...yeah....I saw your post....that is what got me going I think.

Hey, Better Loops....your post gives lots of yellow flags to me. Example an AD...ie salesman is telling you the red disappears....? Yea...they are selling something. Furthermore what is the point of them going to the expense of coloring it a red that becomes invisible? Amazing what marketing will sell. Fish can't see red? Red is the best color to catch trout on.
Not knocking your post. It sure makes the mind whirl....and I like it. I dig different opinions and love to read them...because they are always something I didn't think about. But.....seems like most times now a days I just don't understand everything I know.......?

Happy New Year

Gem