When you make your own leaders what breaking strains do you recomend?
I was thinking 10-8-6-4 in that order is this correct? And if for example you are using a 8ft leader would you use each line at 2ft?

Also what knots are used to connect the lines?

Is it knail knots?

Thanks Murph

Here you go - everything you ever need to know about tying your own tapered leaders - courtesy of Global Flyfisher,


http://globalflyfisher.com/fishbette...c/download.php

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[I]"I still don't know why I fish or why other men fish, except that we like it and it makes us think and feel."[/I] Roderick L Haig-Brown

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I guess it's cheaper to do that way if you've a load of tippet material... but with so many smoothly tapered leaders available... Why?

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www.schflyrods.com

"All things flow into one... and a river runs through it."

I have one very good reason for making my own.

If you have been following any of the other threads re braided leader loops you will have seen John Gray's excellent mono loop system. I love this method and use it when I can on suitable lines. I also like the benefit offered by tapered leaders. Unfortunately the butt section on a smooth leader is too thick to marry up with one of John's loops which are made of a maximum of 12lb mono. Tapering your own means you can pick the starting point to match the thickness of your leader loop.

This is the only way I have found to keep both the benefits of John's loop system and a tapered leader.

It depends what style of fishing you are doing. The important thing about leader connection is getting turnover this is not so important when loch style fishing but very if you are river fishing with dry flies. Hand rolled tapered leaders are by far the best this enables you to get a reasonable taper. 10lb from the end of the line causes hingeing whilst casting you need to get a step down of a 1/3rd fly line thickness maximum which means that you start the taper with 40-50lb (.021 diameter) nylon, then .014, and so on. The only range of material for leaders that I have found with the size selection is Orvis Super Strong.
Leadercalc at globalflyfisher has a number of simple formula but they are all based on thickness of line.
I am assuming that this is for dry fly fishing. The advantage of handrolled over bought tapered leaders is that the knots do seem to enhance turnover

If you did want to use a smooth tapered leader you could get one longer than you intend and cut down the but section to the appropriate thickness.



Frank

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Frank Williams APGAI

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Frank wrote, Thats the best way to go Frank, I've seen people cut the thin end and ruin the leader. Always cut the thicker end.
As for knots I always use double blood knots to join mono etc, and 3 turn water knots for droppers.

Caddisman

I prefer to make my own leader so I can use my prefered make of fluorocarbon line.


nail/needle knot (3 or 4ft) 10lb mono to 7/8 weight fly line, then 8lbs fluorocarbon with 4 turns water knot (3 to 4ft) leaving dropper on fluorocarbon. then 6lb fluorocarbon again with 4 turns water knot.

For stocked lake/reservoir
If all else fails & I really need to catch a fish for tea, then I use a lure direct to the 8lb fluorocarbon


When fishing with a 5/6 weight fly line then I'd use 8lb mono first then 6lb fluorocarbon then the 4lb fluorocarbon.....2 lengths of 4lb for extra fly,

I find that having the flies closer then about 3 to 3 1/2ft spooks the fish.


other will have different ideas which work for them, you will have to try a few ways so you can find what works best for you .

Paul

Gents,

I'm not trying to make waves... honestly. hahaha
You're obviously using the tippet material to make MUCH heavier leaders than I would ever use... I'm in the "states" and fish 6 and 7X a LOT!!!

You're likely going for much larger prey. Sorry, didn't mean to sound like an imbecile... just putting forth my limited experience here.

Also, sorry, no I didn't follow some of the posts, I just started on here, but am very interested in the threads... likely will find the one's you've mentioned and look up the methods. Always willing to learn more.

thanks for you thoughts...

Mike

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www.schflyrods.com

"All things flow into one... and a river runs through it."

My setups are very simple and work well for me - turnover is fine and they catch me fish:

On lakes/ressies:
Big lures: 10'(approx) straight length 8 or 10lb mono to suit. 8lb Gamma copoly if a bit more finesse required
Nymphs: 15' - 18' overall, consisting level 6lb (usually) with short lighter tippet (say 3') of 4 or 5lb (to provide a weak end link in event of break offs), droppers also in the lighter tippet material, tied with 3 turn water knot

River (small river):
Marc Petit-jean braided kevlar leader butt (stepped) cut back from thick end to about 4', tied to small connector ring, from that a straight 4' (ish) of light tippet to suit. Turnover superb with that braid butt.

I've tried experimenting with more elaborate stepped down leaders but haven't found any real benefit, in fact with knotted versions, more knots = more tangles, so I much prefered the knotless tapered ones. I still ended up going back to the above more basic set ups though.

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