No Jig Furled leaders

[Silver Creek]

Interesting way to make furled leaders using only your hands.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pbcVaEe3RIs

[kglissmeyer]

Silver, thanks for the link. This is nothing new to me as I've been twisting my leaders this way for the past five years or so and I use nothing else. They work great. The video is a great tutorial for those interested in this type of leader and not getting into the full-blown furling process. I've made and used these leaders for fishing for Silvers in Alaska and Browns on my favorite spring creek. I usually use 2x mono or flouro depending on the application and then attach about a 30-inch 2x tippet to the leader. I am sold on these for how well they work for all the types of my fishing, but more because they are so simple and inexpensive to make. Thanks again for posting this.

Kelly.

[Ray Kunz]

Sounds lik something I must try. What would be recommended for the mono test for a typical trout leader that would match
a 4X tippet setup?

[Normand]

i twisted (these cant be called furled leaders ) using 6 pound test stren line. i think it might be a bit flimsy so maybe 8 or 10 pound might be better.

[kglissmeyer]

Ray, for all of my trout applications I start with 2x mono ( I use Maxima for most applications) or flouro (for nymph leaders I use the flourocarbon material). The end result gives you a single 2x loop to which I add about 30-inches or so of 2x with a loop-to-loop connection. I then add my 4x material to the single 2x strand with a double surgeons. I've experimented with other materials and 'x' sizes and have settled on the 2x material for all of my dry fly and nymph leaders for all of my rods from 3wt to 5wt. For the larger 8wt I start with 0x and make a short (4-foot max) twisted butt to which I will loop a short section of 0x tippet. These are the best leaders I've found and very, very simple to make, and very inexpensive. They turn over very smoothly and you can vary the amount of material you start with to affect your end result leader length. Good luck!

Kelly.

[Joel D. Popham]

Please explain to me, the difference between this twisted leader and a furled leader. What makes them "better" than a standard tapered leader? Thanks in advance and Best Regards......

[kglissmeyer]

Joel, the 'furling' process is similar to the jigs and multiple strand twisting/braiding process we used to use to make ropes as a Boy Scout. The process I use and the one shown in the video is a simple twisting process by hand. I'm sure I'll get some type of debate started as to the pros and cons of furled over twisted, but I have tried both types and have settled on the twisted leaders due to their simplicity, no jig required and minimal cost. Not to mention the fact that they turn over as well as any furled mono leader I've tried and they last almost forever. The big difference I can see though is that for dry fly applications the furled leaders are usually not made out of mono, rather thread or other similar materials making them very supple and light. I use the twisted leaders I make for dries and nymphs and still catch an awful lot of fish. Another benefit to both furled and twisted leaders is the amount of stretch they have when hooking and fighting fish. Light tippets are protected on the hook-set and the stretch protects tippets against possible breakage. In the overall I think the twisted leaders look almost identical in construction to the furled, just a whole lot easier to construct in my opinion. I don't discount the use or construction of true 'furled' leaders, I think it is an art and those who make and use them feel as strongly as I do about their superiority over typical mono leaders, and I don't think to many of us would ever go back to those types of leaders. I guess I look at twisted and furled as close cousins that essentially achieve the similar results on the water.

Kelly.

[Joel D. Popham]

Kelly,

Is it their ability to turn over and to "stretch" that makes them popular? I've used tapered, fluorocarbon leaders for a long time and never had a problem. As you know, fishing in our part of the country can be tough if the fish know you are there. I often fish with a 5x or 6x, 9'-12' tapered leader and then 5'-6' of tippet. I'd be concerned that a mono or even a thread leader like this would be too visible to the fish....Thanks for your input and Best Regards....

[kglissmeyer]

Joel, you hit it on both counts - both smooth turnover as well as stretch make these my go-to leaders anytime and anywhere. I fish a small spring creek quite often during the year and I use nothing but my twisted leaders on this water. The water is very, very slow-moving and crystal clear. The wiley Browns that inhabit this water have seen a lot of offerings and they are pretty particular about every aspect of my presentation - from whether my fly line is floating over them, to my leader and down to my fly offering. They have all the time in the world to look and if it doesn't feel right they move on. Nevertheless, we catch a lot of fish out of this spring and I and my sons as well as others that visit the water with me usually, if not always, use a twisted leader as has been discussed. I am so sold on these types of leaders that I don't see any reason that I will go back to using anything else, anywhere else in the future. Go take a look at my Dad & The Kid 2009 Fishing Report thread, as well as this year's 2010 thread and you will see a lot of fish pictured in those reports and with very few exceptions, and those by others who don't fish with me regularly, all of the fish pictured were caught while we used a twisted leader. In my mind the "proof is in the puddin'" so to speak. I believe those that furl their own and use these are also as passionate about their success. Hope this helps and I hope you will try some soon. In fact, PM me with your address and I'll be glas to send you a couple to try out.

Best wishes,

Kelly.

[Lotech]

That looks really easy and quite affordable. Can you use fly tying thread in that process?