For surface and near surface fishing I use a 7.5 tapered leader. For subsurface I use a 5 to 7 foot level leader.
To the end of the class tippet I attach a small, black, high quality barrel swivel with a palomar knot. I then attach a wire bite tippet of 6 to 12 inches of Tyger Leader, Surflon, Toothy Critter wire or other knotable coated multi strand wire with a figure eight knot. I attach the fly to the wire with a figure eight knot or a two turn non slip mono loop knot. I didn't invent this method. I learned it from the writings of Dan Blanton and Lefty Kreh.
The swivel does not affect casting. It also helps prevent leader twist that can develop from casting flies that might spin during the cast.
I do not need to mess with flame. I don't smoke so I never have a lighter anyway.
I do not need to fuss with connecting wire or braided line directly to the leader. It only takes a few seconds to replace the wire tippet since the figure eight and non slip mono loop knots are very quick and easy to tie.
I do not need to shorten the leader to replace the wire. On a week long pike fishing trip to Canada, I did not need to change a leader on any of my three rods over 7 long days of fishing. Just the wire. I did re-tie the class tippet to swivel connection at the end of every day, just in case the knot had been worn.
I have used the same setup for saltwater toothy critters also. I have caught saltwater fish in excess of 35lbs with this leader setup - fish that fight much harder than pike.
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