As I posted earlier, I now own a 5’ 9" glass rod. I’m wondering what to use as a leader for it and seek advice from you experts.
I normally use Rio leaders in 7’ or 9’ lengths. I’m worrying that even the 7’ leaders will be too long to use in the small stream dry fly situations where I intend to use this rod.
Good advice, most gratefully accepted. But please do not tell me to create my own furled leader as that is beyond me.
Many thanks!@
OK … so I won’t tell you to furl your own … BUT … on my short glass rod I use either a 3 foot or a 5 ft furled leader.
Having a few rods less than 5’6", first had to adjust George Harvey trout leader formulas to make them shorter so they could be cast on small streams. Found a < 5’ rod a few years ago & sent it out to Colorado so it could be cast in the living room during the winter; or for fishing El Dorado Springs, Boulder Creek, the St Vrain, Big T & some of the streams off the Continental. Try Harvey’s or get the half dozen + short leader formulas for dries & nymphs found in Joe Humphrey’s book Trout Tactics .
I use Orvis 6’ leaders (knotless, tapered to 4X) or all my rods 6’6" and shorter. Not that I’m a big fan of their stuff, but it suits my needs well and the 2-packs are $4 (or less at the local store). For rods shorter than 6’, I’ll generally take about 6 - 12" of leader off before tying on tippet. This is almost exclusively for small brookie streams where long leaders and casts are never required. Your mileage may vary, blah blah blah.
oldfart,
I cannot answer your question, but, if you would like, I will make you up a 5’ furled leader out of 6/0 tying thread for you to try or use and it will be at no charge to you. I will need your home mailing address to send it and you can do that as a PM to me.
Just let me know…
Changed my mind - I have already made you up 2 Furled Leaders if you want them. One is made from 6/0 Gudebrod tying thread and one is made from Coats & Clarke 100% Nylon in the .005 dia. With the thread one you will need to make sure, after fishing with it, that you allow it time to dry completely before storing the rod in a case. With the 100% Nylon one, this will not be a problem.
If you want them, send me your mailing address by PM…
I use Orvis 6’ leaders (knotless, tapered to 4X) or all my rods 6’6" and shorter.
Marty, I can never find the 6 footers, in the shop up here. The 7.5’s are the shortest they sell.
Thanks for the advice and, Warren, thanks much for the kind offer. Since folks seem to be pointing me to a short furled leader, I went on e-Bay and found a couple that should do fine.
I have another friend who is converting my reel to left hand retrieve. Given the month, I suspect I won’t get to fish this rod until next year, but shold be able to do some practice pond casting with it.
If you don’t want to bother with the whole furling thing, results quite similar can be easily acheived by hand twisting some via the singapore twist method: http://youtu.be/pbcVaEe3RIs
i do this with multiple lengths and loop to loop sectiosn to make it easier. mono looped to 2 strand to 4 strand loop to 4 strand to 8 strand. less PITA with it twisting onto itself, easy to build or repair on the stream. i should really sit down and explain this technique, because while its not as subtle as a thread furled leader, it requires no tools.
4ft furled with 3ft of tippet. Contact Furl Girl 
Philberto,
Want me to bring up a few for you during the November excursion this year? I’ll clean out the Whorvis store!