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 Post subject: Leaders
PostPosted: Tue Apr 18, 2017 5:38 pm • # 1 
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Joined: 04/10/17
Posts: 6
What do you all use for leaders on UL set ups? I have a 6'6 3wt and 8' 4wt that I intend to use for sunfish and bass this summer. I have used some 7' 3x knotless tapered but if I could get good results from either straight mono or tying my own I would be interested.

If tying tapered could I go with something like 3 ft 20lb 1.5 foot 15 lb and a 1.5 ft 3x tippet?


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 Post subject: Re: Leaders
PostPosted: Tue Apr 18, 2017 7:30 pm • # 2 
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Joined: 02/07/14
Posts: 382
Location: The southern tip o' Texas
I tie my own. On the 2 wt. I use 3' - 4' (all dimensions are approximate) of 30, 1.5 - 2' of 20, a foot of 10, and my tippet, generally 18" of 4# monofilament or fluorocarbon. On the half wt. I do the same, but the lengths are a bit shorter. I mostly fish salt water, but do some casting in fresh.


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 Post subject: Re: Leaders
PostPosted: Tue Apr 18, 2017 8:16 pm • # 3 
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Joined: 08/31/15
Posts: 1042
Location: Coppell, TX
I use 25lb, 20lb, 14lb and two more of either 12,10,8 and six. The last one, usually 8 or 6 is my tippet. All lengths are roughly 2ft except the tippet which is about 12inches.
Currently I am using nail knots unless I have a loop. I use a surgeons knot to tie the leader together. Taper works better for me than using straight mono in varied wind conditions.
No special brand, 25/20/14 is a bass pro tournament line and 12/10/8 is stren.


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 Post subject: Re: Leaders
PostPosted: Tue Apr 18, 2017 10:21 pm • # 4 
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Joined: 10/11/15
Posts: 410
I second what hipshot and jim said......unless the water is really mossy ....then you might want to forego all those extra knots that catch slime.But 99% of my fishing I make my own like the two posters above.Save that money for a new fly rod :lol :lol :lol


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 Post subject: Re: Leaders
PostPosted: Thu Apr 20, 2017 1:36 am • # 5 
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Joined: 06/13/16
Posts: 936
Location: Southwest Florida
I use these two formulas for all my leaders. I use the top one for lighter gear. On my 1 and 2 wts, I go 15#, 12#, and 10 for the tippet.

Image

(not my pictures)


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 Post subject: Re: Leaders
PostPosted: Thu Apr 20, 2017 6:20 am • # 6 
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Joined: 11/17/08
Posts: 4828
I have been tying my own leaders for about 20 years now. I currently use an Orvis formula designed for 3 and 4wt lines.
Don't have the formulas handy at the moment otherwise I'd post them for you.


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 Post subject: Re: Leaders
PostPosted: Thu Apr 20, 2017 7:12 am • # 7 
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Joined: 12/27/10
Posts: 2253
Location: Plano, TX
I never use tapered leaders for warmwater fishing, I use straight mono - 8# for my 3-wt and 15# for larger rods. I've converted many others to this and they are quite satisfied with it, especially since they don't have to buy several different sizes of mono for tapered leaders or buy the already tapered leaders in stores.

In warmwater fishing the bream, bass, catfish, sandbass, smallmouth, etc. don't care whether a fly hits the water with splash. In fact, they are attracted to commotion on the surface because it might be an insect or baitfish in the water. And I don't have problems with the fly "turning over".


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 Post subject: Re: Leaders
PostPosted: Thu Apr 20, 2017 4:45 pm • # 8 
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Joined: 05/19/14
Posts: 244
Location: Delaware
I took Cliff advice awhile ago and use about 36" of 8 pound test clear/blue original Stren and about 60" of the same Stren in 4 pound test mono. I have tried tying leaders with copolymer but have problems with knots and my big fingers.

Good Luck and Enjoy!


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 Post subject: Re: Leaders
PostPosted: Thu Apr 20, 2017 5:00 pm • # 9 
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Joined: 03/02/11
Posts: 1003
Location: Vinton, Va
All of my rods either have a store bought 7 1/2' tapered leader with a tippet ring installed at about 5 1/2' then 2-3' of Stren fluorocarbon to the ring. Or I twist up some 8lb Maxima Camelian to about 5- 5 1/2' then I do a loop to loop with the for tippet. For tippet I use 4, 6, 8, 10 lb test for all my fishing. When I was up in Colorado, I used the same thing for leaders but I did actually use umpqua tippet material in 5 and 6x.


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 Post subject: Re: Leaders
PostPosted: Sun Apr 30, 2017 12:32 pm • # 10 
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Sr. Member

Joined: 06/30/09
Posts: 479
Location: Piedmont Lake Ohio
i have been using Furled leaders for some time now and love them .. i have a TFO 6'2wt and use a twisted mono leader that i make that works great also .


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 Post subject: Re: Leaders
PostPosted: Tue Jun 06, 2017 2:16 am • # 11 
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Jr. Member

Joined: 11/06/15
Posts: 57
Location: Illinois
I use 3' of 15#, 9" of 12#, and 3' of 8# for the base leader and add 18" of 3X fluorocarbon for the tippet. Use this on my 2 wt. I tie back to back uni knots to join the sections together. PM me your address and I'll send you one.


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 Post subject: Re: Leaders
PostPosted: Tue Jun 06, 2017 9:22 am • # 12 
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Newbie

Joined: 02/29/12
Posts: 46
Location: North Central Ohia
I make my own furled leaders with Shorb loops, typically rod length, then ~12" of stepdown leader to ~ 12-18" tippet.
Cheers,
R


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 Post subject: Re: Leaders
PostPosted: Wed Jun 07, 2017 5:33 pm • # 13 
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Newbie

Joined: 05/21/17
Posts: 29
Location: Cedarville, Michigan
I cheat and start off with a tapered leader which eventually turns into my own spliced together mess :lol

I use blood knots for strength and ease to tie and tend to run a longer tippet than what everybody else mentioned, though I'm nymphing almost exclusively.


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 Post subject: Re: Leaders
PostPosted: Wed Jun 07, 2017 6:05 pm • # 14 
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Joined: 09/12/13
Posts: 680
Location: Webb City, MO
I tie my own also. I've pulled leader formulas off the internet and follow them. Start with 30lb and step down by 5 lb increments. Formulas list 7.5 ft, 9 ft and 12 ft.


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 Post subject: Re: Leaders
PostPosted: Wed Jun 07, 2017 7:12 pm • # 15 
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Full Member

Joined: 04/02/17
Posts: 221
Location: Colorado
This is what I use.
http://zenoutfitters.com/products.html

If you need to go with a lighter weight leader, they will make it for you.


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 Post subject: Re: Leaders
PostPosted: Mon Jun 26, 2017 5:48 pm • # 16 
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Sr. Member

Joined: 02/07/14
Posts: 382
Location: The southern tip o' Texas
I should probably note that I use nail knots and coat them with Loon Knot Sense. It helps with the loose grass in the bays, but won't help with the moss joe the plumber referred to.


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 Post subject: Re: Leaders
PostPosted: Tue Jul 04, 2017 4:48 am • # 17 
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Newbie

Joined: 06/10/14
Posts: 18
Location: Southern Germany
I've bought fully into Tom Bell at Sunray's philosophy. I use the Sunray JL 2 weight flyline on his 10 ft 2 weight rod and his hybrid tippet. As the leader is effectively built into the fly line taper you can just tie a level tippet straight onto the fly line.


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