I know the topic has been discussed to death here at FAOL, but I was just wondering how many FAOLers are now using furled and/or twisted type leaders for their fishing. Along with that I’d like to hear how you feel about them. I am not wanting to start a debate over furled versus regular leaders, or furled versus twisted leaders. I’m just curious as to how many on this board now use those types of leaders and what you think of them, as well as what applications work the best for you.
I’ve been twisting my own leaders now for about five years and have been extremely happy with them and wouldn’t trade them. I have also participated in a furled leader swap and was pleasantly surprised at the variety of furled leaders out there with some real standouts as to quality and performance. I have made leaders from four feet long to 18-feet long (spring creek and spooky fish) for everything from small trout to silver salmon.
Me!! I love 'em! I usually fish with a 5 foot furled, tippet ringed, leader, and they serve their purpose beautifully. For me, they make a gentle presentation to spooky trouts in small stream.
For my money you can’t beat a furled leader especially if its made by Mr. Hise. Turns over very nice. They also have tippet rings which make for nice fast connections.
Been fishing furled leaders almost exclusively. 2 leaders for every rod. One untreated with a green perfection loop of PowerPro on the end. One treated with watershed and mucilin, with a red perfection loop of powerpro on the end. Wets and dries.
Only exception is great lakes steel fishing, where a flawless drift along the bottom is 90% of the game, and abrasion resistance is the other 10. Then i go with a heavy 2X tapered fluoro leader.
I love them I mainly fish warm water and have several made out of red “cajin line” and the show up great on the water. They are also very strong for going throught weeds and brush while trying to pull slab out of the water.
I’ve been using furled leaders for about 4 years now and think they’re great. Not the perfect leader in all situations, but for 99% of my fishing they are the ticket. I’ve been using the same leader (made from mono) on my 5 wgt since I started. No signs of wear yet.
I am also a huge fan of furled leaders. I prefer them over any other leaders I’ve ever used. I don’t furl my own (yet) as I already have so many “hobbies” that friend suggested that my hobby was collecting hobbies. I usually swap for a couple a year from one of the kind folks here on FAOL.
I picked up some Blue Sky leaders last year for the 1st time. Not bad. But not completely sold on them yet. I love the casting attributes, but not always happy with the drift. May just take some getting used to.
Furled w/ tippet rings 1.5 to 2 mm- 100% ( I don’t get around as much as REE.) - small to medium streams - trout and SMB - ponds and small lakes for
LMB and ‘gills. They turn over well, do what I need and don’t much put anything on them to float (Thanks, John Scott.) 2 wt to 5 wt - 5’ to 7 1/2’ lengths.
mcsteff
For the last couple of years thats all I have used. I just got some Tippet rings that I put in my last one I made and I really like the ease of changing the tippet material. They turn over nice and are fun to make. I bought one from Kaboom at the Mid West Show and I am waiting for our Bass season to open to try out the heavier flourescent orange one I got from him.
The extra plus side is I have been told that those dastardly wind knots don’t cause leader failure as much as a regular leader , maybe somebody can confirm or refute this.
I have been making my own Furled Leaders and using them for a few years now and will not use anything else. They are very durable and turn over great. For my style of fly fishing (which is nymphs, streamers, flymphs, buggers, wet flies) I make my leaders from Berkley Vanish Transition fluorocarbon 4 pound test and love the way they sink fast and assist me with fishing my flies deeper.
I have built them in many lengths from 32" (For John Scott) to 7’. My “goto” leader length is 5’ 8". To this I attach 5 to 6 feet of 6 pound test fluorocarbon and to that I attach my fly. If I want to drift/swing wet flies, I will triple surgeon knot about 2 feet of 4 pound test fluorocarbon to the end of the 6 pound test fluorocarbon.
I owe a big “thank you” to Kathy Scott for her DVD which got me started several years ago.
many years ago there was this gent named jim hatch, i think, that made furled stuff and he generously gave me a number of them. they were made from uni-thread and worked beautifully for dry flies, but not so good with deep running nymphs, soft hackle streamers, etc. etc. never did try them in the lakes i used to fish but then that was mostly with sinking lines and there was no need to “turn over” a fly. cast as far as possible, count down and strip.
Excellent call Warren! I agree FG! Kathy’s video on making furled leaders is a must have. It was a lot of fun building the board and making my first furled leader.
I’ve been making and using furled leaders for the last two years, and I love them for the type of streams I fish. They also make very nice presentations of my flies. ( I’m not the best at casting, yet !!! )