hi everyone,

i'm new to fly fishing and the topic of leaders is very confusing.
At the moment i have a floating line wf7 which matches my rod and reel, to which i have a braided loop attached which is 5 inches long, then i attach a tapered leader which is 9 foot long and then my fly(usually dry).
Is this correct?
If so what are the other leaders for and how are they attached to my fly line?
Does it depend on if your fishing below the surface of presenting the fly in a different way or is it just different peoples take on things.
And where do tippets come into equation?
I've tried looking into these subjects and i get the general drift but nothing precise, if someone would be kind enough to point me in the direction of a web page or book i could purchase i would be most grateful.

thanks for your time

simon

You have it right up to a point.

This is the order:

Fly Line / Braided loop / tapered leader / tippet / fly

You can connect the tippet to the end of your tapered leader using a line to line knot, or use a leader ring (tiny silver ring) and a standard knot. The tippet is what you then replace when it get's to short, saves you cutting away at you tapered leader. Hope that makes sense?

The tippet is usaully a more supple line, in a thinner diameter. Depends on what/how you're fishing though. For instance - if you're fishing a small fly, you might switch to a thinner tippet material. If you're fishing for big fish, you may put on stronger - etc.

thanks for the quick reply.
So how long do you make your tippet as i presume this will effect your turnover?

Hi lemonpie, the length of your leader and tippet depends on the stuation you find yourself in. Sometimes 9ft is fine, other times 20ft is needed.
Poly leaders are a tapered leader available in variuos lengths and sink rates from floating to very fast sinking, they alow you to fish at different depths without changing your fly line, you simply change the poly leader to suit. You just loop one on, tie on a tippet from 2ft to whatever you need and away you go. If you use a 10ft poly leader you should be able to turn over 10ft of tippet fairly easily, giving you 20ft between the end of your fly line and the fly.
Furled leaders are just that, Mono or thread is furled to make a tapered leader that really turns over the tippet well and can be cast with just the furled bit out of the rod tip if needed.
Hope this helps.
All the best.
Mike

Much depends on wether you do still water or rivers streams. And it would help the guys answer to know abit more about where you usually fish.

Keeping it simple;
I would bet the majority on here buy a shop bought tapered leader of
say 9 or 12'. which is attached to your main fly line either directly or by a braided loop. As they keep changing flies this gets shorter, so they carry a few spools of line to replace and lengthen the thin end.
As a beginer in still water I would have good old fashioned nylon in 4lb and 6lb and tie a yard of this on the end of the tapered fly line and replace it as it got short or wind knotted.
This finer level line is what we call the tippet.

As for lengths as mentioned above it depends on conditions and style of fishing or fly your using........But as your begining the most important factor is how well you cast, and what you can manage to turn over and control, so your presenting well and in touch with you flies.

Trial and error, asking other fishermen, and best of all, learning from your mistakes, will give you the answer to the best lengths and combinations for you.

I am afraid there is no ONE simple answer to this.

Thanks for the answers, just what i was looking for.
I live in the south lakes, a stones throw from wych elm fishery which is a small spring fed still water and about 3 miles from farletonview which has 2 lakes/ponds, one small and one quite large.
I'm hoping to join the wadaa (windermere and ambleside district angling) at the start of january and this will open up many more fishing places in the lake district.

My Way With Trout by Arthur Cove & In Pursuit Of Stillwater Trout by Brian Clarke should see you well on your way to "enlightenment".

Best JP