Leader length?

[fishinwrench]

When do you think you need a 9-12' leader, and why?

Personally I can't manage a leader that's over 7.5' for my style of fishing, and I prefer one that's about 80" for everything from tiny dry flys to monster bass bugs, and nymphs to streamers.    So what's the alleged purpose of longer leaders?

[snagged in outlet 3]

5 weight for tail water trout I run a 7' Luck Dog tapered leader from Feathercraft with 2.5-4' of tippet material.  Whatever looks right when I'm pulling it off the spool.

For hybrids I use a 9 weight with a 4' section of 14 pound and a 3' section of 10 pound.  I can turn over anything with that setup.

https://www.feather-craft.com/feather-craft-lucky-dog-leader

[fishinwrench]

I twist my own up at 55" using Trilene XL green.

Depending on the use it is either 12#, 8#, or 6# Trilene    Good enough for tippets ranging from 12# to 6x flouro. (7x in a pinch).

What got me fired up about this was a guy at Bennett last weekend throwing drys on a 12' leader.  He was doing ok but it got me wondering why so many guys put themselves through the fuss of dickin' with so much leader.  Casting, mending, and strike detection just flat sucks with all that excess leader, so there has to be a reason.

 

[snagged in outlet 3]

A lot of books and mags talk about real long leaders.  I've been using the same setup for years with no problems.  I had the same hybrid setup on my 9 weight in Cozumel for bones a few years ago and the guide laughed and said "okay, we'll try it".  Due to language barrier I couldn't find out why he was dogging it.  I had caught 100's of fish with it.  Turns out they use 20 pound minimum for tippet due to the scraggly rocks.  Had the first one on and off in 10 seconds.  He laughed at me while putting on the heavy tippet. 

[fishinwrench]

20# ??? 😳

How big are the dam flys ?

[snagged in outlet 3]

It wasn't the fly size it's the rocks.  After I would fight a fish the leader would be so beat up we had to put a new on.  Literally chewed up. 

[fishinwrench]

36 minutes ago, snagged in outlet 3 said:

It wasn't the fly size it's the rocks.  After I would fight a fish the leader would be so beat up we had to put a new on.  Literally chewed up. 

I got that, but surely you're not tying a size 6 fly to 20# tippet ?

[Gavin]

Saltwater is different. The fish are not leader shy. Barnackles, oyster bars, coral, and fish teeth will shred anything under 20lb. Usually use a  25lb flouro bite tippet for snook & redfish. 60lb for tarpon. The flies are usually in the 4-1/0 range. Sometimes smaller, some bigger. 

[snagged in outlet 3]

Gavin is correct.  This box has caught bones, tarpon redfish and snook morning n Louisiana Florida Bahamas Mexico and Cozumel. All on the same loom is 9 weight.   

Most people don’t realize the flats are not just sand but lava rock covered in muck with sticky monkey dodo all over. 

[snagged in outlet 3]

Please note the great state of Missouri quarter. 😎