Blue water leaders

[singy]

Might have a chance to go out big game fishing mid september and will be packing the 10wt just in case we happen upon a load of dorado, I'm stacked up on lots of flies in the 2/0 - 4/0 size and have got a spool of 30lb rio hard saltwater, and some orvis mirage 18lb flourocarbon. Was thinking of using the Rio as a leader and the flouro as a tippet. Would this be suitable? Or would I need a shock tippet of a higher breaking strain?

 

Any tips would be most appreciated.

 

BTW I have a floating line and an intermediate, would getting hold of a fast sinking line be reccomended?

 

Cheers Singy

[Fin-S]

You need to be a bit more specific mate. Where will you be going, target species, shore, reef or deep water etc. In general however I fish a decent 10wt for up to 40lb tuna. The reel is pretty critical for big fish as you will need plenty of backing and a good drag. Personally I use a Shilton and it is superb. For the leader on a 10wt, I use 3ft 50lb hard mono looped via a bimini to a whipped loop on the end of the flyline, 3ft 30lb joined by a uniknot, then a short 18" bite leader of about 80lb on a surgeons loop. If you are fishing IGFA rules however, you need to add a rated tippet of no more than 20lb. Remember that most flylines will break between 20-30lb, so do not go too heavy on the leader or you may lose a line! 90% of my work is done with a DI7, so I reckon a good fast sinker is key! If there are surface feeders though, you cannot beat a surface take on a popper!

[singy]

Like I said in the original post, I will be mainly targeting dorado. Not 100% sure what else will be around. Small skipjack tuna maybe.

 

Maybe the odd blue Marlin LOL

Edited July 28, 2006 by singy

[steve pitts]

Hi Paul

 

A bit of a coincedence this, but you could use a Singapore leader.

 

Have a look at - http://flyforums.proboards53.com/index.cgi...4822&page=1

 

It looks a bit complicated (like most offshore rigs), but once you've done a couple, they are a piece of cake to tie up.

 

In light lines of 8lb, these make good tapered leaders for uk swffing

 

I have found that using 20lb mono makes a good heavy-duty leader and using the single loop to connect this to the end of a fly line (so you use the leader in reverse) you then have a double twist of 20lb, below the fly line (weakest link as suggested by Fin-S) to the four twists of 20lb to which you loop your fly/lure (this doesn't give 80lb breaking strain), but makes a stiff, yet shock absorbing, abrasion resistant leader. This will make much more sense when you tie one up.

 

Start off using 2.5 metres of line - this should make a leader of around than 1 metre in length. You don't need long leaders for dorado.

 

Best of luck

Steve

Edited July 29, 2006 by steve pitts

[singy]

Excellent, I'm off to the shed to try one