LEADERS
Most
saltwater applications except for tarpon and big game
One of the most over-complicated
aspect of saltwater flyfishing is the leader system. My leader system is
the
simplest and most effective
one I have seen. I have read all the articles, tried all the theories,
but I have found
one that works the
best for me. You can really simplify your leaders by purchasing tapered
leaders but make sure the
mono is not to soft.
There are a few made for saltwater that are tough enough. If the mono is
too soft you will have
trouble turning larger
saltwater flies over, as well as they, will not stand up to the nicks and
cuts you will come up with
in this harsh environment.
If you fly fish a lot, the price of these leaders will gobble up your money
fast. The biggest
problem with the prepared
leaders is; if you have a break off, or if you change your fly a few times,
you will begin to
lose the finer tapered
end. The leader will get to short, and you will lose the balanced taper
needed the turn the fly over.
I myself fish with a
12 foot leader most of the time. I had no trouble turning this leader over
during most fishing situations.
When the wind blows
too hard I go down to 9 feet. 9 feet is still a good amount of leader.
I use 12 feet whenever I can to
get the fly line as
far from the fish as I can.
The leader system I
use is as follows. I use a 10 weight fly rod for most of my fishing. This
is the leader I use. I tie 5 feet of
30lb Mason Hard mono
directly to the fly line with a nail knot or with a splice. This is the
first part of my permanent butt section.
The next part of my
leader is 30 inches of 20lb Mason Hard mono tied to the 30lb with a blood
knot. At the end of my 20lb
part of my leader I
tie a double surgeons loop knot. The final length of my permanent butt
section is around 7 1/2 feet.
You don't have to change
this butt section unless it gets frayed up. I usually can get a whole season
of fishing out of one
butt section, before
I have to change it, and I do a lot of Snook fishing under the docks at
night.
By tying a loop knot
to the end of my butt section I can change Tippets ( the lightest part
of you leader ) anytime
I need to. The beauty
of this system is If I get a break off, it is in the tippet section, and
I only have to change a small
amount of leader. You
also can change tippets to different strengths during an outing for any
other fishing condition you face.
The length of my tippet
is usually 4 1/2 feet. To make this system really work for you is to tie
up several of the tippet sections
long before you hit
the water. Cut off a 5 foot piece of mono for you tippet, tie a surgeons
loop knot on one end. After you make
a few, loosely roll
each into a circle around your fingers and put them into a small zip lock
bag. Mark on the bag the weight
of the tippet. Make
some in 8, 10, 12, 15, 16, 20lb. When you are out fishing and you get a
break off, all you have to do is
take a pre measured
tippet out of a bag, loop it on, tie on your ( Dan's Custom fly ), and
your fishing again!
Be sure and make up
some tippets with a shock- bite tippet. This a heavier piece of mono tied
to the fly, to protect from cut
offs ,and fishes mouths,
from wearing through the lighter tippet. To do this cut off a 3 to 4 foot
piece of mono (lets say 15lb test) for
your tippet. Tie a
surgeons loop knot on one end, and then tie on a short piece of heavier
mono (30lb test) to the other end with
a blood knot, uni knot,
or an albright knot. Then you tie your fly to the heavier end of the leader.
I mark these bags with
the weight of the tippet followed by the weight of the shock tippet such
as 15-30 or 12-20.
Please be sure and test
the way your fly swims with a loop knot and a jam knot, it can really effect
the action of your fly.
Most flies work best
with a loop knot but some crab and shrimp patterns I have found swim better
with a jam or cinch knot.
Example of the leader system I use
For Diagrams of these knots CLICK HERE