What is the purpose or reason for a leader and then tippet?
My 8wt furled leaders looks just as visible as the fly line…with a 2’ tippet?
Why don’t I just tie 2’ tippet to my fly line?
Sorry…the older I get the more I realize I do not understand all the things I know already…
jim
I would cite two reasons: For dry flies, it’s for presentation and visibility. For wets and nymphs, it’s visibility. I think 
Mark
Another one of those “can-of-worms”, i.e., everybody has their own pet answers!
As for me, I do a of of fresh warm water fishing here in the Carolina low country for crappy, bream and L/M bass. If I’m doing big poppers on the surface, especially for larger bass, I’ll do a straight mono leader, 6 or 8lb test, and it’ll do the trick - L/M bass are not finicky. Even if I get into some coastal saltwater fishing for red drum (spot tails), and going underwater using a clouser minnow or a lefty deceiver, I’ll stick to a straight leader, only I’ll bump it up to an 8 or 10lb mono - the lengths of these leaders is usually the length of the rod that I’m using, for openers. If windy, I’ll shorten the leader. For the little bit more wary crappy/bream, I’ll use a 5-6’ mono 15 or17lb leader and tie on a 3 or 4’ mono 4 or 6lb tippet. Works good for me.
When I get up into the mountains for trout, that’s another matter. If I’m going after native wild trout, and I’m using dries, I’ll go with a store bought tapered leader (they’re expensive!). If I’m going underwater, say with a nymph or a streamer, I’ll use that straight 5’ mono leader only I’ll tie on 3’ of 3X fluorocarbon tippet (it’s thinner then mono).
Hey, seems to work for the girls I go with!
I have gone to shorter furled leaders. They are 5 ft long. Than way I can use a longer piece of mono for the leader.
Rick
Thank you all for your posting opinions. I expected to get some harsh comments…this is good so far.
Appreciate DaleW taking the time to post all his knowledge icw leaders and such. Good info for me as I just discovered PumpkinSeed sunfish. Wow do they put up a fight!
Going after some of them tomorrow morning. Not sure what flies to use…sink or wet…what leader…etc…
But thank you Dale for the great info.
BTW the fly that I discovered them with is the Yeagerburger. Easy to tie. Quite effective. The one I put on was just in frustration of not getting anything…fishing for bass…and just threw on that all beat up…hackle almost gone…Yeagerburger. The sunfish loved it. I just dangled it on the surface with my rod tip up high and they would take it. Now will try to fish the traditional way…from a distance…witih a float line and fly…then perhaps a wet fly…
I have now read that PumpkinSeeds are very good tasting.
oh…I am going to just tie on some mono at the end of my fly line…for the sunfishies…
jim