# Fly line leader



## Stuart (May 21, 2004)

Going to start getting a little more serious about fly fishing. Before, I would just by the pre-made, tapered leaders, but those get a little pricey after a while.

So what is your favorite redfish leader for an 8wt setup? And if you could, please list specific components you make them from and where you get those components. I would like to be able to stroll into Academy or Bass Pro (if need be) and pick the stuff off the shelf.

Thanks


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## sparrfish (May 14, 2007)

I used to make alot of my own leaders, but I ended up liking the pre-made tapered leaders better because of the fact that there are less knots to get caught in the rod and less chance of knot failure.


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## Stuart (May 21, 2004)

No doubt the pre-made ones are nice and convenient. I'd like to make my own and make a whole bunch of them. I'm constantly running my fingers down my fly leader or my string on my casting outfits and if I feel the least little problem, I'll retie. With pre-made stuff that gets expensive, so I let my leaders get thrahsed too much, before I change them out.


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## sparrfish (May 14, 2007)

For the leader and tippet material, I would try to buy all the same brand if possible and buy the best brand you can afford. Good brands include Orvis or Frog Hair.


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## SPRTMEDGUY (Dec 13, 2005)

*leader material*

Chris Phillips has been my mentor since I entered the fly-fishing arena. His advice is to keep it simple. I use 12# Hard Mason. We have no trouble turning a fly over and it is very durable and abrasive resistant. You can get it in 25yd. spools at FTU.


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## Skinny Water (Oct 12, 2004)

Use the same material throughout to prevent hinging and knot compatibility problems. I like Maxima or Ande since I have tons of it in the bin at home.

Butt section should be 30-40# for an 8 wt. Find a butt size that doesn't hinge at the connection to your flyline. I would use a butt section that is 50% - 60% of the total leader length, 20-25% for the taper and 20-25% of the total length for the tippet. Ie. 5' of 40#, 15" of 30#, 12" of 20#, 9" of 15#, and 24" of 12# tippet. I prefer to use blood knots unless I am adding a shock tippet, and I will use a Huffnagle or Slim Beauty or other "jam" knot for that.

If I need to tie a leader on the boat I will pull off 5-6' of butt section, and then each successive step (until the tippet) is half the length of the previous section. This is easy to measure since you double the butt and match the next piece to the doubled section, etc. Figure out how long your arm is and use that to measure your butt section and you will get consistent leader lengths using this method.

I will try to find a write-up I saw online for you that discusses this in much greater detail.


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## bartfromcorpus (Oct 29, 2008)

all of the above is good stuff - stick to the Mason Hard Mono - i haven't bought a premade or packaged leader in years - i do stretch all of the sections overnight before i connect them by the way - good something to do on a rainy day


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## davidb (May 10, 2006)

As stated above the 60-20-20% is easy to remember. Also it is the thickness and stiffness not the lb. test rating that determines the type mono to use.
I like Maxima but Trilene Big Game and Ande are good and easier to find, use clear types.

Even simpler leaders will work but some taper helps casting.


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## dsim3240 (Nov 12, 2008)

*leaders*

I'm lazy, and like to keep it simple. So I use 6' of TrileneXT 30# and then 3' of 12# fluorocarbon. Only one blood knot required. The Trilene is about as stiff as the Hard Mason and easier to find. I find that with the larger saltwater flies and heavier tipits you really don't need the qualities of a tapered leader. My suggestion is to tie up a taperleader or two and my simple leader, then take them and your store bought knotless taper out and try them. They change out easy with loop ends. That way you can see which one really fits your fishing style the best.

P.S. I retie my fly after ever fish, so I have to replace the fluorocarbon often.


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## Stuart (May 21, 2004)

Thanks for all the replies. Okay, I'm going to show my ignorance. So a stiff, but straight leader is better for turning flies over?


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## Gigabite285 (Oct 16, 2006)

I'm not too specific about my leaders, but I usually run about 5 feet of 30 lb. Deep Blue and then do a slim beauty to 3-5 ft. of 15 lb. SA Fluorocarbon. I sometimes do a furled bimini twist on the 30 lb. to connect to my line; this gives me a little more stretch and leeway from busting the fluoro on the strike.


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## dsim3240 (Nov 12, 2008)

If your buttt section of the leader is not about as stiff as the fly line then the casting loop between the rod tip and the line will collaspe and the leader will get tangled in the line on the forward cast.


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## dsim3240 (Nov 12, 2008)

The butt section of the leader needs to be about as stiff as your fly line. If it isn't then the casting loop between your rod tip and the line will collapse and the leader will get tangle in the line and the fly will not be carried to the end of the cast. 
Al ittle stretching will get the coils out of your leader and make it easier to work with. Stretching the fly line is also a good idea if it has a lot of coils in it.

P.S. My perfered way of stretching my line is with a 25" Redfish on the end. They do a good job.


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