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From:
www.basspro.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/CFPage?storeId=10151&catalogId=10051&&mode=article&objectID=32635&subcatID=0Leader LengthsThe 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 StrengthWhen 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 DesignsTapered 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" LeadersTo 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.
