What size tippet and leader do you guys use for redfish?
Do you tie your own or just use a tapered leader?
If you tie your own could you share your formula with me?
Thanks
I usually use the pre manufactured tapered leaders and tip them with 18inches of fourocarbon with a blood knot. The flouro is usally 15-25 lb depending on the fish and the structure I am fishing. I use the pre manufactured leader because I like the taper and the loop to loop easy connection to the fly line.
02 Pathfinder 1806
Yamaha
I just use a 9’ section of 15lb. flouro. Tie a perfection loop in one end for connection to the fly line, then tie the fly directly to the other end.
50% butt section of 50 then a foot of 40,30,20 and then tippet. All blood knots.
Thanks for the info and formulas.
Chattahoochee
Does the fly turn over with the non-tapered leader?
Dang, I just throw on pretty much any mono I think can handle the fish.
Chunkin’ these big streamers, poppers and such it seems fine. That’s one of the things I really dig about inshore.
Also I change (and lose) flies pretty often. When it’s just mono you don’t hesitate to trim it and switch when you know its nothing to add a few feet or simply switch the whole thing altogether. Could be I am not serious enough about it, or that my form is so hopeless that it makes no difference, but that stuff just doesn’t seem as important to me as it once did.
Did I mention it was WAY cheaper.
Rio has some really good premade stuff that’s very reasonable, you should check them out.
Homemade 40, 30, 25, and 17 for the tippet. I’m not too exact about it, just so long as it averages out in between 9 and 10 feet. The 40 pound butt section is definitely the longest. I have used 12 pound tippet but it shreds alot easier on oysters. Flouro is great looking in the water (really hard to see) but once it gets even slightly scraped it will definitely show up.
12lb fluro. reigns supreme for me b/t 9and 14’ I like the turnover of knotted leaders but in the thicket, they sometimes hang. I ususally am in a hurry and use the double surgeons knot. it is super fast and can be tied in total darkness.
Okay, this may be an incredible stupid question, but I’m fairly new to fly-fishing and never figured this out…
What is the point in a tapered leader? Especially having one that starts with as much as 50 lb. test that is tapered down? I feel that the more knots in the leader, the more chances of a knot failure…
quote:
FishinFrenzy Posted - 07/17/2008 : 3:26:31 PM
FishinFrenzy Posted - 07/17/2008 : 3:26:31 PM
Okay, this may be an incredible stupid question, but I’m fairly new to fly-fishing and never figured this out…
What is the point in a tapered leader? Especially having one that starts with as much as 50 lb. test that is tapered down? I feel that the more knots in the leader, the more chances of a knot failure…
Having a tapered leader assists in forming proper loops as well as turning the fly over in on long casts. Having more knots is not a problem due to the fact that if you tie these knots properly they hold more than 90% of the weaker of the two lines. This means if any knot fails, it is more likely the knot holding the fly to the leader or the last blood knot tied as this is the weakest line. I personally tie all my leaders and it is cheap, allows for easy custom sized leaders and very effective.
“Fishing is alot like sex…when its good,it’s really good, and when its bad, its still pretty good.”
Appreciate the info, Chad. Do you use mono for your leader and tip with fluoro, or use fluoro all the way through? I read your reply in the other post.
You need the weight and progression in the leader system to help you control and deliver the fly. The taper really helps you turn the fly over. Basically when the water is really clear and fish are spooky you need a longer and lighter weight leader and tippet, on the flip side I’ve seen times when I’m fishing a intermediate or sinking line in dirty water that you can tie your tippet directly to your main line. It really depends on the mood of the fish and the depth your fishing. Personally I’d opp for a shorter leader with fewer knots more often than not in fact I really like the pre made stuff 10 to 1 over the do it yourself stuff. They come thier the weeds much much better than a homemade leader. The reason you see the formulars is that back in the good ole days it was very diffcult to get a good pre manufactured leader in a variety of lenghts and sizes so the ole schools guys had to come up with a system to make their own. Today you can find just about anything you want in a variety of lenghts, styles and sizes that range in price anywhere form a couple of bucks to several dollars particularly if you go with the higher end FCs. it’s been my personal experience that for most of fishereis in the south east when and where your fishing dirty water you don’t need to waste yor money on the top end stuff, however if you’re heading down to the Keys or plan to fish once things cools downa and the water clears up you’re catch rate will definaely increase with longer and lighter higher quality FC leaders. Just don’t get hung up on all of the technical crap and marketing BS, the main thing is to be able to put your fly in front of the fish consistently, accurately and guietly. If you can consistentily pull this off, you’re going to get bit more often than not and catch a lot of fish.
Skiff, I use the tapered pre manufactured stuff then tip it with 16-20 inches of flouro tippet so ya it does turn over well sorry if i was not clear about the taper earlier
02 Pathfinder 1806
Yamaha
quote:
Originally posted by chattahoocheeSkiff, I use the tapered pre manufactured stuff then tip it with 16-20 inches of flouro tippet so ya it does turn over well sorry if i was not clear about the taper earlier
02 Pathfinder 1806
Yamaha
No problem Thanks for the help. What knot are you using to connect the flouro carbon. I have had some blood knots and double surgeons slip when I have tried mono to flouro.
SS
Check out the Slim Beauty, you can look it up on the web. You can tie it with anything.
I have never heard of a well tied blood know slipping/ But if you are having trouble with your then a nail knot works very well takes some practice to tie, or you can do a UNI to UNI connection. Here is a good website with a bunch of knots with easy animated directions
http://www.animatedknots.com/indexfishing.php
02 Pathfinder 1806
Yamaha
quote:
Originally posted by shallowskiff What knot are you using to connect the flouro carbon.
I use a uni-knot splice. Its pretty simple and I get near 95% line strength when I tie it right. Here is the best illustration I could find online, but I learned it from Vic Dunaway’s book Baits, Rigs, and Tackle. http://www.powerpro.com/using/uniuni.asp