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FRESHWATER ANGLING => Fly fishing => Topic started by: Ziggy on July 17, 2013, 10:16:26 PM

Title: Leader selection
Post by: Ziggy on July 17, 2013, 10:16:26 PM

I found this useful
From: www.basspro.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/CFPage?storeId=10151&catalogId=10051&&mode=article&objectID=32635&subcatID=0 (http://www.basspro.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/CFPage?storeId=10151&catalogId=10051&&mode=article&objectID=32635&subcatID=0)
Leader Lengths
The most common leaders are 7-1/2 to 9-feet long but can be  anywhere from 3- to 20-feet long depending on the kind of fish you're after  and/or certain water conditions. The chart below will give you an idea of the  more common leader lengths and the conditions they are best suited for.
Leader Length and what best suited for..

• 6 foot: Sinking lines of all types, panfish, bass and trout  in tiny, brushy streams.
• 7-1/2 foot: Trout in streams from 10-20 feet wide,  intermediate and sinking tip lines in lakes and saltwater conditions where the  fish are not terribly spooky. Also streamer fishing for trout with big flies or  with heavy nymphs and big indicators.
• 9 foot: Trout streams larger than 20 feet wide where the  water is mostly riffled, or else the fish are not spooky. In salt water, fish  in shallow water under bright, clear conditions.
• 12 foot: Trout in most lakes with floating lines. Trout in  streams with flies smaller than size 16 when the water is flat, low or very  clear.
• 15 foot: Spooky trout in extremely clear water in both lakes  and rivers.

Leader Strength
When we talk about leader strength we are talking about the  strength of the tippet. The tippet is the weak link in the backing>fly  line>leader chain, and so it is given the most attention. Tippet strength is  stated in two ways: 1) in the pound test or 2) by assigning an "X"  size to specific tippet diameters. Using the chart below you can determine that  a nine-foot leader with a tippet diameter of .008-inch is called a "9 Foot  3X Leader" and is labelled as such on the leader package. This system of labelling  is the same regardless of the leader manufacturer.
 

Tippet Size	Tippet Diameter	Pound Test	Fish Size
03X	.015"	25 lb.	Big Game Species
02X	.013"	20 lb.	Large Salmon
01X	.012"	18.5 lb.	Striped Bass
0X	.011"	15.5 lb.	Salmon, Steelhead
1X	.010"	13.5 lb.	Bonefish, Redfish, Permit
2X	.009"	11.5 lb.	Large & Smallmouth Bass
3X	.008"	8.5 lb.	Large Trout & Panfish
4X	.007"	6 lb.	Small Trout & Panfish
5X	.006"	4.75 lb.
6X	.005"	3.5 lb.	Small Trout Using Very Small Flies
7X	.004"	2.5 lb.
8X	.003"	1.75 lb.

   
What Leader Strength Should I Use?
The strength of the tippet you should use can be determined  by the size-class of the fish you think you're most likely to catch. Use the  chart above as a general guide.
Leader Taper Designs
Tapered leaders decrease in diameter from the heavy butt  section (the part that attaches to the fly line), a mid-section and, finally,  the tippet. Without getting too technical, let's just say there are quite a few  different leader taper design formulas out there, but these special formulas  are used mostly by those that design and build their own leaders. However,  over-the-counter, packaged leaders are typically manufactured to a taper  formula which consists of about 60 percent level butt section, a 20 percent  tapered mid-section and a 20 percent level tippet. For most general-purpose  leaders this formula will "turn-over" the most efficiently.
"Species Specific" Leaders
To make leader selection even easier a few manufacturers  have now developed "Species Specific" leaders. In other words if you  want to go bass fishing you buy a "Bass" leader; trout fishing a  "Trout" leader; tarpon fishing ... you got it, a "Tarpon"  leader. There is some wisdom to all this and these leaders were designed by  consulting fly-fishing experts of particular fish species to determine the best  features of the leaders they use; those features being length, strength, taper  design, stiffness of the leader material and the tippet material.
How Long Should a Leader Last?
A tapered leader should last one or two outings without  being damaged too badly. One way a leader can be damaged is by snapping off  flies caught in trees or snagging on underwater debris. When this happens the  fly is usually lost but so may be a good part of the tippet. A large fish's  teeth can severely weaken a tippet, causing you to cut two or three inches off.  If nothing else, the most common way is by the repeated process of tying on  flies and cutting them off. Every time you change flies you'll lose an inch or  two of tippet in the process. Consequently, a leader can be simply replaced  whole, or you can repair it with tippet material.

Title: Re: Leader selection
Post by: icstuff on July 18, 2013, 08:17:03 AM

Thank you oom

Title: Re: Leader selection
Post by: Ziggy on July 18, 2013, 08:43:55 AM

Quote from: icstuff on July 18, 2013, 08:17:03 AM

Thank you oom

Pleasure my seun!

Title: Re: Leader selection
Post by: Lichia amia on July 18, 2013, 08:48:37 AM

Quote from: Ziggy on July 18, 2013, 08:43:55 AM

Quote from: icstuff on July 18, 2013, 08:17:03 AM

Thank you oom

Pleasure my seun!

 
 :ult:  is such a happy family !!! Group hug  :rotfl
 
 
Nice , info Mr Ziggs .  :+ cred:
 

Title: Re: Leader selection
Post by: Kumz on July 18, 2013, 08:53:02 AM

Thanks Ziggy ...excellent

Title: Re: Leader selection
Post by: WalkersKiller on July 18, 2013, 09:32:12 AM

Great post Ziggy!