Furled Tenkara Leader - Instructions for Making Your Own

[Tom Smithwick]

Hi Norm - I think it would work, but if you start doing this in long lengths you would have the problem of keeping the long strands under control and separate. If I were going to use this method, I would probably not use the doubled butt section, I would continue to make shorter lengths out of progressively lighter mono, and just knot them together to whatever length I needed, the same as I do now. That way, you get a nice even taper. I have heard of people doing this sort of thing sitting at a table and running the strands through the handles of coffee mugs to keep them separate. Frankly, I think it's worth the trouble of setting up the jig, which assures you of constant tension and complete control of the process. Of course, I am a cane rodmaker, and we never saw a gadget we didn't like:)

[letumgo]

Tom,

I bought three spools of flurocarbon tippet and have been playing around with making some different length versions of furled leaders. Hopefully they cast as well as the one you sent me last spring. I fished with your furled leader all summer, and it became my go-to rig for my Tenkara rod.

Thanks again for sharing. Making furled leaders is a fun winter project. I will make up a batch, with different lengths and tapers, to try out this spring.

[letumgo]

Tom - As of last weekend, I was still fishing with the same furled leader you sent me back in 2015. Unfortunately I got the leader hung up in one of the trees along the stream and broke the leader when trying to pull it free.

I can attest that your furled leader has been outstanding, thru four seasons of serious fishing, and many large fish (bass, steelhead and carp). Thank you Sir!

[Ron Eagle Elk]

Tom, your method reminds me of using a furling machine making horse hair snoods with at Darrel Martin's place. The machine and it's accessories are shown in his book The Fly Fisher's Craft on page 228. We also hand furled several snoods using a technique very much like the one shown by Norm. We joined the snoods using your method as well. Used to be any school boy could furl up some cordage to make things. Not any more.

[hankaye]

Howdy All;

I started to get into making the furled leaders. Just no storage space for anything beyond the Basics here
so, I tried to understand to a better extent the hows and whys.

Anyway, here's a link to the furled leader Forum, it still works but they require you to register or if already
a member to sign in just to glimpse their pages. Reckon they think they have a National Secret or sumtin.

Here's the link; http://furledleaders.proboards.com/

hank