So for the last year or so, ive made my own leaders, but recently i just got tired of all my surgeons knots not being silky smooth through my guides. plus the thought of a fish having that last ditch effort of running when ive got leader inside my rod, i can hear the snake guides popping as we speak. So the other night, went to bass pro and bough a 13.5 1x leader, Orvis, knotless, the whole deal. Well I have since lost 4 flie’s. toss on a clouser with a decent wind in your face, get a good double haul, and snap. Line seems pretty small almost too small to be a 13.5# test. question is, what knots do you use when making your leaders? im contemplating using a heavy tarpon type leader and adding a 12# flouro tippet… so, what do yall think. there is a number of things i could do, and most of them would work, but just wanna get some idea’s flowing… Thanks.
Berkley big game. If knots get in way, straight piece of 15#. Good luck.
17’ McKee Craft
90 Yamaha
Beagle
What knot are you using to tie your fly onto your tippet? Sounds to me like you might be having a problem there. I like to use the non slip loop knot; it’s easy to tie and close to 100% of your line strength. I use it for spin fishing as well. You also might want to try using a furled leader and adding the appropriate amount of tippet. Try slowing your tempo a bit as well, just my 2 cents worth.
oyster cracker
thanks oyster… well i use the same knot i have used since my ol man taught me to tie a hook to a line way back when i was a little fella… the ol trusty clinch knot… That was my first thought as well but, there is no slippage of the knot… its a clean break every time… guess my size 1 deceivers are just to heavy for a 1x. I’ve been thinkin about those furled… they sound like a pretty good concept… now… just to get my hands on one…
TFO signature edit.9ft 9Wt.
I have always had problems with store bought (extruded)leaders.
Here is what I recommend. Tie your own using the following formula. 50% 40 lb, 25% 30 lb., and 25% 20 lb. I use either Maxima or Rio leader material, mono not flourocarbon. I use bloodknots trimmed tightly, and a loop knot at the top for a loop to loop connection.
If you need a lighter tippet, say for bonefish, just add 18" to the end.
BTW, I have broken off more fish in the grass with 16 lb flourocarbon than I care to remember.
Best tides.
Just shoot me the specs you need and I’ll make you a furled leader. The heaviest I currently make tapers from 80# to 40# 5 step.
He lightest tapers from 10# to 4# 3 step.
Shorb loops at each end.
there are a couple of guys on here using my leaders.
There is nothing - absolutely nothing- half so much worth doing as simply messing about in boats. Kenneth Grahame
yall are getting way too complicated… the extracted ones work just fine with about 18" of Fluorocarbon tippet… I build my own, but thats not really necissary if you don’t know how, or don’t care to waste the time… if your busting off fish with #16 fluoro your doin’ something wrong, or tying bad knots… furled are nice, but also not really needed ( I make them too for offshore stuff, and like them, but I really don’t think for grass fish you need em’)… just my two cents, don’t read into it so much… just get to fishing…
Mad Mike
"to hell with insane… I’m OUTsane!!! "
Here is a simple leader that last ages and is easy to change tippet sections
- buy a 9ft 20lb tapered leader.
- cut it back to 6ft
- put a small loop into thin end
- add 3-4 ft of 20 lb fluoro. tippet via loop to loop
this allows the repeated use of the same “butt and belly”, check tippet after every fish, or errant cast, and replace if stressed, nicked etc… if loops are kept small the knots wont hang in grass, like knotted leader… in winter add a few feet of 12lb fluoro to end of 20lb if fish are super spooky
Newman
www.gtownkingfisher.com
I’m going to double down on what oyster cracker said: the knot choice. I have been catching reds on lighter leaders than yours. If you are tearing off flies, especially with #13, I believe it’s the knot. I use a variation of the non slip loop knot mentioned above- the benefits are that you are less likely to break at the knot, and as important in my opinion- the end loop allows free movement of the fly in the water which is kind on the line and good for presentation.
thanks for the words of wisdom… good to hear from you newman, You may remember this but we talked a bit at the winyah bay festival early this year, that you were tyin and some wierd old codger kept comin up askin you the craziest questions… haha. I think maybe i just got ahold of bum leader, its the same knot that i’ve tied a million times since i was 3 and first picked up the mickey mouse rod…
TFO signature edit.9ft 9Wt.
I like knotless tapered leaders in most situations, esp in the weeds. Knotted leaders are a pain in the grass, always getting lil bits of junk on the knots. I use a surg knot as well as long as the leader and tippet are from the same manufacturer. A uni to uni if they are different. I love Frog Hair 12lb fluro for tippet, but for a leader it is a lil too springy for a solid hookup and use SciAngler.
straight 16 lb flouro, always does the trick, not hard to cast, don’t make it too complicated
I’ve always had a problem turning over some of the bigger heavier flies with commercial leaders. I have found that a three foot section of 30lb mason hard nylon looped to a three foot section of 20lb mason hard nylon and finish with a three foot section of 15lb flouro seems to do best for me. These are cheap and mimic the stiffness of the fly line for a seemless turnover on the cast.
I too prefer the knotless tapered leaders, and like Newman end up cutting some off and adding 15-20# flouro. If you’re breaking off a bunch, you may just have got a rotten leader or tippet spool, throw it out and start over, or cut it up a ways and tie on some new flouro. I use a triple surgeons or blood knot for line to line.
Straight peice of 15lb Flouro… only problems I have had is horsing the fish other wise it’s prefect… you’re not talking about bow and brookies that get leadershy… BTW… TooBusy’s fulred leaders are pretty awesome…
“Paddle faster boys… I hear banjo music!”
Charleston Director- SCKayakfishing.com
Tarpon 160os
I agree, straight piece of 15 lb fluoro.
you’ll be more accurate with a tapered leader… just sayin’
Mad Mike
"to hell with insane… I’m OUTsane!!! "
[quote]Originally posted by Mad_Mike
you’ll be more accurate with a tapered leader… just sayin’
MM, I agree 200% with that one… i tried it a few times and just didnt like it… felt like everything, especially something with a little weight to it , just kinda flopped… Nikon, speaking of leadershy brookies, went with a buddie that i go to school with, up on the cullasaja in NC, chased some native brookie’s with some 1.5# flouro… thats almost a little much to swallow for me… but man they are fun to catch. especailly on flie’s you tied yourself…
TFO signature edit.9ft 9Wt.
In the grass I always use straight 8-9 foot length of 16 or 20 pound mono. No issues casting or turning over the fly.