What leader-tippit combination are you using with small flies?

[deepcreek]

I know some of you tie your own leaders but most probably do what I do and buy them. I have been using 12ft. 7X Rio but would like to find one that is a little stiffer in the butt but very soft and pliable in the bottom couple of feet, any ideas or suggestions. I should mention this is for larger fish(Silver Creek) thus strength is also a consideration so accurate labeling is important. Watched a 32 inch Brown caught last year by a Mrs.

[NJTroutbum]

I use a 5ft Furled Clear mono leader by "Furlgirl"....and about 4ft of Orvis MaxKnot 7x flourocarbon. It's actually the ONLY combo I used all last summer, from trico's to Caddis....worked excellent. 5x-7x is the only changes I made.

[Bamboozle]

Even though I use soft thread furled leaders from Jack Hise for all of my tiny fly fishing, you know what you want.

Try contacting Beartooth. I know they make custom leaders as well as offering a leader with a Maxima Chameleon butt which is about as stiff as it gets. Before I went the furled route I was a huge fan of their braided butt leaders. They make great stuff!

Good luck!

[Steven]

I don't think I've ever gone below 6X, even with tricos. I'm not sure I went past 5X last year, including trikes.

[Mato Kuwapi]

I'm with you Steven. I try to keep the tippet as large as possible. 6x has been my minimum even if I'm digging out the 28s. I have a spool of 7x but I don't recall ever using it.

[kimshew]

I tie my own for Silver and ... well, almost everywhere <G> I spend about 30days/year on Silver, mainly the S-Bends and Pond. I change leader construction to fit the fly and water being fished

but

This will sound way too simple, but, Maxima 0.17 8ft, Maxima 0.12 1 foot, 2X soft 3feet, 5 or 6X about a foot, tailor to fly, add 7X to some 5 if you really feel the need. This produces a (IMHO) good leader to use on specific fish ( bank feeders especially ) where excellent accuracy and a short good drift will do the job ... it is NOT a good leader for LONG drifts over "he might be there, somewhere" water, or pod fishing You'll either love it or hate it and you'll know quickly.

I fish 5X a lot and 6X some there ........ although I've taken to 5.5 and 6.5 X just to be silly ( I tie on odd sized hooks, same reason )

I see you are in Ketchum .... the fancy shop ( used to be a fly shop, years ago ) in Ketchum carries Rene's flies and might have the new TroutHunter materials and leaders ... they are pretty nice

[bobbyg]

I would suggest buying a couple of Maxima hand-tied leaders from the Wanigas Rod Company.
They are tapered out to 2X and 3X. You finish them down to 7X per the instructions provided using Rio or whatever brand you prefer.

After that buy your own Maxima spools and tie up your own. It's fun trying new leader forumlae!

[billyspey]

I know some of you tie your own leaders but most probably do what I do and buy them. I have been using 12ft. 7X Rio but would like to find one that is a little stiffer in the butt but very soft and pliable in the bottom couple of feet, any ideas or suggestions. I should mention this is for larger fish(Silver Creek) thus strength is also a consideration so accurate labeling is important. Watched a 32 inch Brown caught last year by a Mrs.

check label on rio leader on the back it gives the butt size plus tippet, for my use i buy 3x and step down with my tippet of choice, the stiff butt will give better turn over. i buy regular mono leaders and use flo tippet, it works

[NJTroutbum]

I very rarely used 7x tippet myself until last season. The switch to MaxKnot changed that. It fished very well in 7X.