This question was prompted by a discussion I saw elsewhere and the question got conflicting answers .

It was about someone having trouble keeping dry flies afloat and he was using a tapered fluorocarbon leader he made up himself .

One answer suggested that the fluorocarbon was the problem as it would sink and drag the fly down with it and to use a different type of leader material but someone else said fluo shouldn't be a problem .

As someone who would like to try dry fly it confused me no end so what I'd like to ask is there a "recommended" type of leader for dry fly?

As I said in that topic" What did anglers do before all these different options became available to us?"

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Previously known as molley
and
Don't call me "mate" .

Personally I use a good quality co-polymer for fishing dries....Rio powerflex is my preference (and de grease it)

Also i use it for fishing the washing line (on occasions) when i want the flies right in the surface

For everything else I use Flurocarbon

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Mock me, vilify me, but don’t ignore me!

I scale down my tippet to suit the fly and don't have a problem with it.

At the other end, a decent muddler would support a washing line.

Tapered leader and Rio copylmer tippet for me,,,,

I use fluorocarbon for everything, the theory that it will sink dries is just a theory . With floatant on the fly and / or leader you should have no problems.

Haved used fluoro with micro dry flies and the idea of it pulling them down doesn't stack with my experience. At the end of the day you need your leader to sink or else it causes the light to refract and is highly visible to the fish. I would say certain leader materials NOT sinking is the problem not the other way round.

It flat calm days when it is hard to break the water tension I sometimes fish a subfurface emerger pattern on a dropper to submerge the tippet.

Rio Powerflex Copolymer for me degreased so it cuts through the film enough without sinking too quickly. I like to fish my dries static and leave them in place and I've found that flourocarbon sinks a bit too quickly for me.

A large 'U' of leader forms beneath the surface and when a fish takes you have a less direct strike. Also the U belly of leader pulls the fly down before you can connect with the fish.

People,
I have the following Frog Hair 100% Fluorocarbon for sale if anyone is interested:
1 spool .483mm
1 spool .38
2 spools .279 (0X)
2 spools .223 (2X)
4 spools .178 (4X)
1 spool .152 (5X)
2 spools .127 (6X)

I bought this earlier this year to tie leaders for nymphing. I tied one out the materials and didn't like it and went back to copolymer.

If you use it, then you will know how bloody expensive it is.

A couple of £20's and it is yours.

PM if you are interested. Otherwise it will roll around in my kit back until I off load to some git.

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"A traditional wet fly addict"

Uk representative and Instructor for Fly Fishing Masters - www.flyfishingmasters.co.uk

Distributor for Terenzio Silk and Artificial Silk Fly Lines - Pay distributor retail price.

I agree 100% and you explained it better..the u in the flurocarbon prevents a direct strike.....Also it causes slurping sound (simular to a booby) when you lift off to cast again (as the fly is pulled under on the lift) ..no way can this be good when fish are finicky....

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Mock me, vilify me, but don’t ignore me!

If you have heavy Fluorocarbon at the butt of your tapered leader it can sink enough to put drag on the fly, and of course the u-shape Mike and Rob talk about. However a quick fix is to rub some mucilin over it and it'll stay in the surface film. You still need to degrease the last couple of feet at least. If there's very little ripple then the heavy Flouro caught in the surface will be very visible to the Trout in which case a degreased Copolymer would be better.

I'm looking forward to some dry fly action now!

SharkeyP

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Often thinks not travel widens,
Stay at home the Trout obliges.