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Leader Advice please


wilx2000

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Hi all, Im another newbie to fly fishing and need some questions answered if you can help.

 

Ive got my rod ( 9-6 #6-7 ) and reel to suit and it came loaded with the line, what i need to ask is would i be better buying ready made leaders to start with or tie my own? If i tie my own do i use the same strength all the way or split it up to different breaking strains, and what lenghs would you recomend.

 

I aim to start of on small to medium stillwaters.

 

Any advice welcome, thanks.

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Hi all, Im another newbie to fly fishing and need some questions answered if you can help.

 

Ive got my rod ( 9-6 #6-7 ) and reel to suit and it came loaded with the line, what i need to ask is would i be better buying ready made leaders to start with or tie my own? If i tie my own do i use the same strength all the way or split it up to different breaking strains, and what lenghs would you recomend.

 

I aim to start of on small to medium stillwaters.

 

Any advice welcome, thanks.

 

Hi

To start off with you can do what most of the fly fishers that I know do and just use a length of the same strength all the way through. My personal preference is for 4-6lb flurocarbon, but many prefer mono.

Later, when you start to get obsessive about presentation you can start to knot together tapered leaders of different strengths which supposedly turn the fly over better, but if you just want to catch fish, particularly on stocked stillwaters |I feel that is not really necessary. I prefer one piece rather than lots of knots, but given the way I cast I don't suppose it makes much difference.

Either way, enjoy you sport :thumbs:

Let's agree to respect each others views, no matter how wrong yours may be.

 

 

Never attribute to malice that which can be adequately explained by stupidity

 

 

 

http://www.safetypublishing.co.uk/
http://www.safetypublishing.ie/

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Hi

To start off with you can do what most of the fly fishers that I know do and just use a length of the same strength all the way through. My personal preference is for 4-6lb flurocarbon, but many prefer mono.

Later, when you start to get obsessive about presentation you can start to knot together tapered leaders of different strengths which supposedly turn the fly over better, but if you just want to catch fish, particularly on stocked stillwaters |I feel that is not really necessary. I prefer one piece rather than lots of knots, but given the way I cast I don't suppose it makes much difference.

Either way, enjoy you sport :thumbs:

 

 

Hi Sportsman, Thanks for the info i will try that first and see how i progress.

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Hi all, Im another newbie to fly fishing and need some questions answered if you can help.

 

Ive got my rod ( 9-6 #6-7 ) and reel to suit and it came loaded with the line, what i need to ask is would i be better buying ready made leaders to start with or tie my own? If i tie my own do i use the same strength all the way or split it up to different breaking strains, and what lenghs would you recomend.

 

I aim to start of on small to medium stillwaters.

 

Any advice welcome, thanks.

 

Hi Wil,

It's not difficult to tie a leader made up of three x three foot lengths, and I do find that it reduces wind knots in the leader. You'll have to learn to tie a double surgeons knot which is not at all difficult...follow the link below:-

 

http://www.flymartonline.com/article211.html

 

 

Tie a three foot length of the heaviest line to your fly line using a nail knot,if you don't have a leader loop attached. This is "permanent"; then tie yourself half a dozen, 2 x 3 foot lengths using the Double Surgeon. Trim the knots very closely and smooth over with a rubber based cement. This will stop the tippet section from getting caught up whilst casting.

 

It sounds like a lot of work but in fact isn't once you've learned the knots involved, and it means that you can change your leader very quickly if it gets frayed or knotted.

 

A further cautionary note; if your tippet does get wind knots in it CHANGE IT! These will reduce its B.S. considerably...bit of a bummer to lose a good fish as a result!

 

Tight Lines...Moggy

Edited by Moggy
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Hi Wil,

It's not difficult to tie a leader made up of three x three foot lengths, and I do find that it reduces wind knots in the leader. You'll have to learn to tie a double surgeons knot which is not at all difficult...follow the link below:-

 

http://www.flymartonline.com/article211.html

Tie a three foot length of the heaviest line to your fly line using a nail knot,if you don't have a leader loop attached. This is "permanent"; then tie yourself half a dozen, 2 x 3 foot lengths using the Double Surgeon. Trim the knots very closely and smooth over with a rubber based cement. This will stop the tippet section from getting caught up whilst casting.

 

It sounds like a lot of work but in fact isn't once you've learned the knots involved, and it means that you can change your leader very quickly if it gets frayed or knotted.

 

A further cautionary note; if your tippet does get wind knots in it CHANGE IT! These will reduce its B.S. considerably...bit of a bummer to lose a good fish as a result!

 

Tight Lines...Moggy

 

 

Hi Moggy,,

 

Thanks for your input all as been noted and i will certainly give it a go. I went fishing today and blanked when everyone else were catching so it looks like aive alot to learn.

 

Cheers wilx2000

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  • 2 weeks later...

I like the tapered leaders and just tie on a length of 3 or 6lb double strength of flouro when its got shorter due to fly changes, all my leaders start as a tapered 'butt' and then may have upto a rods length of 'tippit' on the end.

PS for a quick and dirty tippit knot just take both lines and lay them parallel, take 5 twists and stick the ends thro the loop, not full strength like bloods but V quick when you want to get a fly out.

Jealousy: totally irrational anger directed at people who happen to be richer, prettier, thinner, cleverer and more successful than you are.
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Not really a lot to add to the above,except as already stated,no real need for tapered leaders.However i do use them but just add a tippet of fouro to the ends.

You can make your own.Take say,three feet of 10/12lb,three feet of 8lb and three feet of 6lb.Water knot em together-hey presto a tapered leader of 9 feet :clap2:

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