Furled Tapered Leaders

[catman]

Anybody tried or used any of them, good or bad. Looks like a good (old) idea that has been around a while.

[Ralph]

catman,

I had purchased a couple of furled leaders on ebay and tried one out last fall. Rigged the second one up this past spring on another rod. I liked them so much I now have my own furling jig and make my own furled leaders. I have fished them for trout and smallmouth throwing tiny flies to poppers for smallmouth and don't have the first complaint. I can't believe I waited so long to try the first ones I had. The kool thing about making the leaders yourself, is that you can change the tapers or the size and type of material used to make the leaders to suit your prefernece.

I have given a few to friends and they have asked for more leaders too. I am currently making mine out of 6/0 and 8/0 tying thread and .004 and .005 invisible sewing thread.

Give em a try...nothing to loose and you might be surprised like I was.

Ralph

[WebFreeman]

Pardon my ignorance, but was are they? Is it a braid? What's it take to make one?

[Terry Beeson]

Web,

Furled leaders are not really braided, but are twisted. Google "furled leader jigs" to learn more about how to make them. They are what you make them... They can be stiff, or supple. You control it with the material, wraps, and twisting. I've tried several and like most of them for sure.

There was a guy at Conclave last year who had his jig there and was making them right there on the spot. I bought one of his and really liked it.

Click here and read this article from "Hatches" magazine on making them. There is a lot of information on several websites on the jigs, materials, and how to make these leaders.

[snkrohn]

Orvis sells a furled leader but the one that Feather-Craft (St. Louis, Mo.) sells is the better of the two. It's a personal choice but I really like them.

[WebFreeman]

Thanks Terry. I've seen the ads and they seemed interesting. So how do you add tippet? Do you have furled tippet for your furled leaders?

[Terry Beeson]

Most furled leaders have a loop end on both ends. Some have a metal ring at the tippet end. Just add your tippet to the leader by loop-to-loop or Davy knot or other knot.

[Danoinark]

I use both furled leaders made from thread and those made with mono.

I actually prefer the mono furled leaders the best. It appears to me those made with thread soak water quicker thereby making you have to put mucilin on it more often. I like the fact that furled leaders have virutally no memory and are ready to fish right off the reel. The feathercraft furled one are some of the best I have seen.

Dano

[damselfly]

there is a good article in the current American Angler by Craig Phillips -- he and Capt Sodie make them. They demonstrated this a couple of years ago @the Conclave and it is explained very well in the article.

[Greg]

Has anyone tried furled leaders on our sometimes overly selective MO trout? Specifically Taneycomo? A couple of years ago I bought a couple of them off of ebay. I tried them at Taney and it seemed like I was getting far fewer strikes. And then I somehow developed a horrible tangle and had to cut it off. When I put on a regular knotless tapered mono leader - I immediately started getting into fish. Coincidence? Maybe - I just don't know?

But with a furled leader - you attach a mono or fluoro tippet to the end of it and it seems as if the furled portion of the leader would be more visible to the trout than a clear mono or fluoro leader.

But my experience was just a one time thing. I may be way off base.

I would be interested in others experiences though.

Greg