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Free2Fish
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Posted: Sun Sep 30, 2018 6:42 pm • # 1 |
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Joined: 12/10/14 Posts: 218 Location: Manitoba
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I've been following the skagit posts with much interest, especially with the arthritis in my casting hand getting worse. I figured a spey cast or even a single normal backcast would be a lot better than flogging the line back and forth to get it out.
I ended up buying 4 variously weighted SA TC textured tips weighing both 120 and 160 grains, the former for my 2 wts and the latter for my 3 wts. I went down to a weir on the river near my place and on my first cast the fly was bitten off. A pleasant surprise since the river had winter killed and I had only expected to practice my casting.
I ran home and found some stainless steel leader material, which, incidentally, I had never used before and incorporated it into my leader using a loop knot at one end and one of those little fly clips attached with a Davy knot at the other end. Ended up catching 6 pike on my 3 wt but the leader was kinked up and I thought there must be better knots or better ways to accomplish this on an U/L rod.
Have any of you found a better way to incorporate a S/S leader into their U/L setups?
Harry
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jangles
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Posted: Sun Sep 30, 2018 8:59 pm • # 2 |
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Joined: 05/28/18 Posts: 603 Location: Tucson , Hellazonia
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Free2Fish
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Posted: Tue Oct 02, 2018 5:13 pm • # 3 |
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Joined: 12/10/14 Posts: 218 Location: Manitoba
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Thanks. No problem turning these leaders over with a 2wt or 3 wt? What about longevity?
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jangles
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Posted: Tue Oct 02, 2018 9:55 pm • # 4 |
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Joined: 05/28/18 Posts: 603 Location: Tucson , Hellazonia
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Sorry , I haven't tried .
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Chi Town Tom
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Posted: Thu Oct 04, 2018 7:36 pm • # 5 |
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Joined: 04/11/09 Posts: 149 Location: Chicago Illinois
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I use 80 lb fluorocarbon (and even downsize to 50 lb when targeting smaller fish) for most of my leaders with conventional tackle when fishing for Musky. I also use it for my bite tippets for fly fishing for Musky and Pike. I feel it allows a more natural presentation for a streamer. I have not had an issue with bite offs in either approach.
There is also some knotable wire that I have experimented with and had decent results with. I just searched knotable wire leader and was rewarded with a few new options.
Good luck with your quest for the toothy critters on small tackle. It is quite entertaining.
Tom
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strummer
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Posted: Fri Oct 05, 2018 6:04 am • # 6 |
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Joined: 06/13/16 Posts: 936 Location: Southwest Florida
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I've used AFW Surflon Micro Supreme for barracuda. Walmart carries it (keep in mind, I'm down here in Florida, so your's might not stock it!). It's knots pretty well. Loop to loop to the tippet and clinch knotted the fly to it.
There is also Knot 2 Kinky. Never used that though.
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lka
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Posted: Sat Oct 06, 2018 9:48 am • # 7 |
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Joined: 04/04/18 Posts: 211 Location: Idaho
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I used to use 30# 100% fluorocarbon leader as a bite tippet for pike and never got bitten off using it. A good compromise material, relatively cheap and easy to use. Certainly they could bite through it if the line gets in the wrong spot but has never happened to me.
That said, most of our water has the occasional pike by-catch and I've stopped using bite tippet the majority of the time. It's annoying to use, makes your presentation look bad, adds weight, and I think it reduces the bites from my target species. I get bitten off occasionally -- hard to say sometimes -- but mostly when I lose a pike it's my own fault for some other reason.
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Free2Fish
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Posted: Tue Oct 09, 2018 9:21 am • # 8 |
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Joined: 12/10/14 Posts: 218 Location: Manitoba
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Thanks for the many suggestions. I've tried Cortland Toothy Critter but find it kinks up badly after a couple of fish. I also tried 50# mono but found it extremely bulky and eventually I took it off and fished "naked". Caught a few fish and was bitten off by a few. Maybe I'll try flouro in the 20 to 40 lb range although I suspect I won't like it either. I don't keep any pike and I have loads of flies so the eventual answer may be right in front of me.
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