Commercial Leaders - Do You Use Them?

[dgames]

I can never get them to completely unfurl,

Do you straighten your leaders before you use them? You probably already know to do this, but If not, try stretching the entire length of the leader a foot or two at a time by pulling on it. Do this at the start of each fishing day or whenever putting on a new leader.

[Feathers and Fins]

Always make my own leaders from flyfishing to shark fishing, I love doing it and I trust my abilities. My favorite leader to make was a Ballyhoo rig, I think because of the preperation of the bait and leader and always did it Friday nights with a great friend while we had Snow Crab and Steak with all the trimmings.

[BredMan]

I watched a YouTube video on how to make a simple furled leader and since I have used them most of the time. Very simple to make and only one knot in the leader other than a knot at the end loop where I tie on tippet material for the last segment. Basic concept of this leader is like that of a regular leader that has been shorten to the point where you start adding tippet material. Butt section has a loop (no knot) to attach to main line and four twisted strands down to the mid-section (knot at this point) where it continues as two twisted strands with a loop at the end (no knot). Tippet is then added to the end loop.

Favorite is made from 15lb Cajun Red Advantage co-polymer, 4' to 5' in length. I then add whatever size and length of tippet material for the remaining section. Sounds beefy and maybe barbaric but it works real well and very flexible. Fished Taney with this leader on a 9' 4wt last week for four days.

[Jack Jones]

I straighten them. I just got the feeling that most leaders are longer than I need for the places I am fishing.

[Brian K. Shaffer]

I use leaders... Rio... and I never cut the ends off like I used to do with orvis leaders.

Sci-ang are kinda so-so and umpqua leaders are too specialized for my tastes...

I stick to straight up Rio 9ft 5X and add 2 foot almost every time..

[jdmidwest]

I straighten them. I just got the feeling that most leaders are longer than I need for the places I am fishing.

There is no set law on how long a leader needs to be. If you feel the leader is too long, then it probably is.

When I fish with nymphs, I tend to use a shorter braided leader of my own design with a longer tippet section. I fish nymphs with an indicator so there will not be any pretty casts.

When I fish dry to trout, I use a longer tapered leader with a shorter tippet section, again, balanced to the size of the fly to get it to cast well.

When I fish for warmwater fish, I tend to use mono leaders, usually 7.5 feet.

[Wayne SW/MO]

I straighten them. I just got the feeling that most leaders are longer than I need for the places I am fishing.

[Wayne SW/MO]

It's feasible to buy 7'5" leaders in a lighter X, shorten it a foot or so and do perfection loops to extend it when you need to. The drawback is that the connections will pick up crap in garden water.

If you're having trouble with leaders not straightening the way you like, buy good ones, I think Rio is the current leader, remove your leader when you finish put it in a gallon ziplock and rubber band it to the tube. You might want to buy or make a rubber pad straightening pad. Just remember they straighten using heat and too much will eventually degrade the leader.

[fishinwrench]

Boil them. Machine tapered leaders will behave for quite a while (a week or two) after a minute or so in a pan of hot water, and it won't effect the strength noticeably if at all.

Leave them in the steaming/slightly boiling water until bubbles form over the entire length, then take it out and give it a stretch. Good to go.

[Pflugradt]

Haven't bought a leader in many years. I use my own furled leaders. Both the east hand twisted (big streamers, warm water) and also my jig furled leaders in all sorts of lengths and material constructions depending on the kind of fly, siruation, water clarity, depth desired.... ect.

Steve