I bought a couple of Kathy’s Furled Leader DVDs (one for me and one as a raffle prize for our local fly fishing club) and this weekend I finally got around to building the jig that is needed to make them.
I made 3 of them and only messed up one. I cut off my old tapered leader and tied a new furled leader on with a nail not and then tied on another 5 feet of 6x tippet. Once that was done I headed out to eh pool to try some practice cast.
OH MY GOSH!
The furled leader turns over LIKE BUTTER. I just give the line a little flip and the furled leader just lays out nice and smooth with hardly a splash. The tippet just follows along for the ride.
I was going to take it fishing on Sunday evening and I even went to the river. When I got there I started suiting up. Waders, Check! Fishing rod and reel, Check! Safety belt on the waders, Check! Fishing vest, Check Wading boots . . . . Wading boots . . . . Where the hell? . . .
Ah Crap! I forgot my wading boots.
So tonight I promised to take the dog out for a walk and a swim at the river and I can’t watch him and fish at the same time. But tomorrow I’m going fishing after work For Sure! And I’ll be fishing with furled leaders.
Furled leaders are for sure kewl!! One of our members here ( I won’t mention names but his initials are WarrenP :roll: ) sent a couple to me. I’m totally sold!! They do turn over smoothly, and land on the water, and pick up from the water, like silk, with no splashing. A whole new experience in fishing.
SPLIT SHOT ARGH! I hate those things :lol: They work great cause you put your split shot on the tippet. I guess you could put them on the furled part, but that could sure tear it up.
I made some out of Kevlar. They sink pretty good. Like a sink tip.
Kathy Scott is my hero! or was it my nightmare, cause now I am making them all the time for myself and others.
SPLIT SHOT ARGH! I hate those things :lol: They work great cause you put your split shot on the tippet. I guess you could put them on the furled part, but that could sure tear it up.
I made some out of Kevlar. They sink pretty good. Like a sink tip.
Kathy Scott is my hero! or was it my nightmare, cause now I am making them all the time for myself and others.[/quote]
I thought the were primarily for fishing dries and just below the surface. Thanks.
I thought the were primarily for fishing dries and just below the surface. Thanks.[/quote]
You should know by know…anything goes in Fly Fishing. I mean we are afterall, the ones that insist that a BOBBER is a STRIKE INDICATOR LOL :lol: :lol: :lol:
I thought the were primarily for fishing dries and just below the surface. Thanks.[/quote]
You should know by know…anything goes in Fly Fishing. I mean we are afterall, the ones that insist that a BOBBER is a STRIKE INDICATOR LOL :lol: :lol: :lol:[/quote]
I bought a furled leader from Feathercraft and thought it would be useless to ruin it with split shot. I was wondering if they were all made of braided material, etc…
I thought the were primarily for fishing dries and just below the surface. Thanks.[/quote]
You should know by know…anything goes in Fly Fishing. I mean we are afterall, the ones that insist that a BOBBER is a STRIKE INDICATOR LOL :lol: :lol: :lol:[/quote]
I bought a furled leader from Feathercraft and thought it would be useless to ruin it with split shot. I was wondering if they were all made of braided material, etc…
Thanks[/quote]
It is not braided, there is a big difference. It is furled like a rope. You make a big “U” with pegs at different spots and subtract material the closer to the middle, the repeat in reverse up the other side. Twist both sides in the same direction while clamping the middle. When both sides have shrunk up equal lengths (depending on overall length of leader, but 10% maybe). You combine both sides and let it twist in the opposit direction. There is a FURLED. I like a 5’ like Kathy Scott and I will add regular flourocarbon fishing line (I like P-Line brand) in 3’ to 5’ to the furled. If I use split shot, it is usually within 18" of the fly so, it would not be on the furled leader anyway. But by using KEVLAR thread, it will become a sinking leader.
thats a braided tapered leader Aftershaft, these are made from braid, but I have tried a furled leader kindly sent to me by a member here and they are worlds apart :shock:
Some tips for making/fishing furled leaders
WarrenP and I have tried many, many materials for furling our leaders and have a large box full of so-so materials to prove it!!
I suggest a begginer pick up a spool of Coats & Clark sewing thread to start with. You can fish the ones that turn out ok.
Uni tying thread is one of the easiest to work with, especially the Shorb loops. Treated with floatant it makes a great dry fly leader.
Of all the flourocarbons we’ve tried Berkley “Transition” is very forgiving when furling and sinks the best. It is also one of the most expensive!
If you fish dropers, indicators or small hoppers use a floating leaders as the flourocarbon will drag them under. (I had this problem yesterday)
A furled leader will turn over a very long tippet so color does not seem to matter. (I use Fire Orange Uni)
Using the Castwell knot or loop to loop connection will let you change leaders to fit the conditions quickly. (I carry spare spools. One lined for drys and one for wets).
P.S. I have 4 extra Knit pickers and if anyone can’t find them at their local fabric shop pm me with your mailing address and I’ll send you one.
This is going to be hard to discribe! A Knit Picker is a hook and latch tool used to pull knits/snags back through a sweater. It is pushed through the material from the back, the hook grabs the snag and the latch is closed so it does not create another when being drawn back through. They are invaluable when forming Shorb Loops in furled leaders. You push it through the center of the furled leader pick up the small loop close the latch and pull the small loop back through the leader. You then slide the small loop down the knit picker grap the larger loop, close the latch and pull in back through the small loop. You now have a Shorb Loop!
been there, done that! Check out the photo below and notice the lack of proper wading boots on my feet…