Furling lessons learned

[Fly Goddess]

I've tried them. First the mono and then the thread. Didn't like the mono. And won't ever use one again.

Several folks here sent me some (Betty Hiner for one) thread leaders to try. And I bought one from Kathy Scott.

For most dry fly applications and soft hackle, I think they are okay. My only hang up is having to dry them every so often and grease them to keep them floating. Also, I don't like the fact that the big loop that attaches to the loop on the fly line will eventually twist and is a p.i.t.a to try and straighten and loop back on. I should mention that I have gotten to the point where I primarily use them on my 7' 4wt boo. On my longer graphites I still mostly use mono leaders.

I do not like them nor will ever use them again when nymphing. Unless I was fishing very shallow water upstream and without an indicator. But then again I probably would stick with mono for that as well.

Just my 2 cents.

I guess no sense in offering you one of my "special" mono leaders. More supple. I do a little different loop on them.....

[ducksterman]

anglerdave....see the last line in my original post....they don't have to twist if they are"laid in" properly.

I suspect certain monos tend to coil.

For nymphing I think you might like fluoro.....right Warren & Jack

[Jack Hise]

Tigh on Dduckster!! 4# Test Berkley Vanish Transition Gold!! Sinks like a rock and lasts forever. I've even started putting a #14 swivel in the tipet end to reduce line twist.

[WarrenP]

ducksterman,

Right on!! Berkley Transition Gold in 4# test is all I use for my furled leaders. 32" butt section, 24" mid section and 24" tippet section. Makes about a 6 foot furled leader and I always add at least 5 to6 feet of 4 pound test fluorocarbon for tippett material and sometimes, depending on conditions, I will use 6 pound test fluorocarbon tippet. The whole thing turns over as smooth as butter!!

[JohnScott]

... you can put a homebrew bright orange thread furled 12' 6" line / leader on a Tenkara rod, add 4' of 5X tippet, tie on a heavily weighted size 6 4XL stonefly nymph, and throw it in here ...



... it may not be pretty when you are casting that rig, but the fishy isn't all that bad ...



... so it ain't really a big deal what the cast looks like.

Just saying.

[JohnScott]

... but on a couple of the most recent thread furled leaders I made, the thread around the incorporated tip ring seems to be fraying prematurely. In the past, I've fished the same leaders for 20-30-40 or more days with no evidence of fraying so this development is rather surprising. It may be that I got some bad thread, or that the new tip rings are not quite as smooth as the older ones, or maybe I used more weight when twisting / furling that I have in the past.

In any event, to ensure that I did not lose a tip ring, fly, and fish while fishing, I removed the incorporated ring from a fraying leader and then tied it back on using a simple clinch knot, and applied a liberal amount of head cement. There is a question how durable this attachment will prove. Another question is how the size of the clinch knot at the tip ring might affect those rare instances of a wind knot or some leader / tippet tangling.

If the clinch knot method of adding the tip ring proves durable and trouble free, I might just go to using it as a matter of course. It would be simpler than the way I have been finishing leaders, and undoubtedly provides a stronger connection.

Hmmmmm ....

John

[ducksterman]

Has anyone found the the Coats & Clark .005" nylon threads tend to twist/coil?

Anyone use them and quit?

[Fly Goddess]

I have and it makes nice leaders. PM me Duck about my special mono

[tlerm]

I have and it makes nice leaders. PM me Duck about my special mono

Uh, oh. Are you sure you are ready for the firestorm of PM's that you are going to get?

[ducksterman]

I guess no sense in offering you one of my "special" mono leaders. More supple. I do a little different loop on them.....

Are you going to share the details with us, Joni?