Can you furled-leaders maniacs give me some recipies? I need one for dry fly for a 3WT and for a 6wt line; one for nymph (also 3wt and 6wt fly line).
Thanks.
I don’t know if I will reach heaven, but if so, please God, let my heaven be a trout-filled stream…
Are you twisting your own? Do you have a set up that allows different lengths?
basically I use 6/0 unithread, make them with three steps and five feet long, top section is 10 strands, middle is 8 strands and tip 6 strands. These seems to work well with 3-5 wt lines and tippet up to 3’ long.
Feel free to Email me for more info.
Pete
I agree with CT on the 10-8-6 for you 3wt but would recommend going to something like an 18-12-6 or even 22-14-6 for the 6wt, depending on the size and weight of fly you normally use with the 6 weight.
I don’t as a rule change the thread count of the leader when going from wet to dry but might change the segment lengths. For example I would extend the tippet portion on nymphing lines making that portion longer. The logic being I want a thinner section to help get the fly down.
Since there are no specific rules regarding Furled Leaders we’re pretty much on our own to design and develop leaders that fit our particular fishing. Perhaps someday one of the Furlers will publish some guidelines for materials and tapers to suit the different fishing we all do.
Al
10-7-3 that is what I was making mine with for a 0-4 wt and was selling them as.
To each there own !
Hi,
I think this is all great advice, and would just add that personal experimentation is the best way to discover your own preferences, should you decide to vary. 3/0 and 8/0 thread have appeal for some uses, as does switching to different materials such as nymo, mono, or gelspun.
For 3wt to 6wt fishing, in most cases, I, too, like 10-8-6 tapers.
Kat
Hi,
There are a few web sites out there, but they mostly say things like this:
“Drilling the extra holes in the board for the 8 foot leader and the 12 foot leader will allow you to move the dowels as necessary for making longer or shorter leaders.” (Claude Freaner)
“Varying the number of threads or the diamter of threads changes the weight.”
There are a couple of commercial concerns which tout the possibilities for their own construction, but don’t really share formulas for others. A google search bracketing the words with quote marks finds a lot of furling scoop these days, most of it just the basics. As in:
“furled leaders”
I’ll confess that even in the article I have coming out in Art Of Angling Journal, I stuck to the basics as far as tapers go.
The 10-8-6 taper works great for me in the conditions described, and I start with 18 and go to 9 in the tippet end for stiped bass/ larger flies. Maybe there’s a need for an growing/expandable taper archive 
If I find anything in print, I’ll post the link (after school - grin).
Kat
BTW, I think THIS web site is one of the most helpful furled leader web sites around!
K
Seek and find a copy of “Leader-Calc” with a few minutes work you can have a tool to adjust your designs.
A bit more searching will get you the Orvis specs, etc.
Tuning to your needs is part of the fun.
Kat has a DVD and a videotape that tell you exactly how to make your own furled leader.
I can do it and my family doesn’t allow me to screw in light bulbs at home, without permission.
Swing hard, in case they throw the ball where you’re swinging. Duke Snider
After a little bit of planning, I came up with the following formulas, please correct me if necessary:
For 0-4wt line:
lenght: 114" (289 centimeters)
peg distances: 32" 48" 62" 74" 88" 100" 114"
Strands: 18-12-6-3
lenght: 88" (220 cm)
peg distances: 32" 48" 62" 74" 88"
Strands: 11-6-3
lenght: 66" (167 cm)
peg distances: 24" 36" 46.5" 55.5" 66"
strands: 11-6-3
for leaders ment for 4-8 wt lines, I chosed the following numbers of strands:
lenght: 114" (289 centimeters)
22-14-6-3 strands
lenght: 88" (220 cm)
18-12-5
lenght: 66" (167 cm)
18-12-5
Please advise me. Thanks
I don’t know if I will reach heaven, but if so, please God, let my heaven be a trout-filled stream…
Are most of you using the continuous winding board (i.e., both legs of the leader are continuous rather than two separate legs)? I have never built one with the two separate legs, and wondered if there are any overpowering advantages to one style versus the other. Also, I’ve only made leaders from .004 clear mono. Would appreciate comments regarding other type materials. Thanks.
I like the 2 piece furled leaders better then the one piece ones it’s just something you have to try out and see which one works for you I make both but the 2 piece ones you can make a 2 tone leader out of and I think they furled better then the one piece one do. Again just my opinion. Later Matt
To each there own !
How do you do the two piece leaders? Anyplace with instructions on how to make them? Someone should just do the dirty work and write and research a book on this. Sort of a cottage industry item, so it probably won’t sell many copies, but… May be a website instead…
I’ve done both and prefer making one piece (one leg) leaders. It may just be the that I used to make my own yoyo strings before I started furling leaders. It requires more space to make them with one piece, but I like them because I can be sure both halfs are twisted equally. The only other disadvantage I can think of is that you are limited to one color using typical furling techniques.
I believe that two piece and two leg leader are actually two different things. You can make two piece leaders using dis-similar materials, say Uni-Thread for the butt and mid section and then a bit of mono for the tippet end. This is done by being clever about inter-twining the materials. The Two leg leaders are made on a jig with side by side peg layouts. The legs are twisted separately and then furled together to make one leader. One leg leaders are made as the name implies.
Actually you can make 3 and even 4 piece leaders if you’re so inclined and have the patience.
Hope this is understandable.
Al
I have ordered Kathy’s DVD, (Kathy, you should get it in another day or so) but I am confused now. The reading I have done uses 2 legs with 3 loops in each leg. Then as I understand it both legs are twisted and the the 2 twisted legs are further twisted together, is this correct? If so what is a single leg leader?
I am also confused about the peg spacing and the relationship of one leg verse the other. Is there some magic ratio?
Boy, I can’t wait to get the DVD.
Dan