FLYMPH FORUM

Has anyone here tried the colored coiled leader as a indicator before? A friend of mine explained it to me the other day and it seems like a great technique to use for fishing soft hackles, especially in slow slack waters.

Here is an article for those who don't know what it is.
http://www.fishandfly.com/articles/20080610_1

I find it really interesting how much different fly fishing can be between the US and other countries. So many techniques are used. I hadn't heard of this one before. Apparently it works great with those longer fly rods, 10' and longer.

Very interesting technique. I have never seen this before, nor tried it, but it looks interesting.

Would you mind if I added another technique to this thread? I don't want to hijack your post. I came across a Japanese technique that I've been meaning to try this spring.

letumgo wrote:Very interesting technique. I have never seen this before, nor tried it, but it looks interesting.

Would you mind if I added another technique to this thread? I don't want to hijack your post. I came across a Japanese technique that I've been meaning to try this spring.

Let's see it, the more info the better. There was a reason I put the word "indicators" in the thread title.

I tried to upload the file, but the site will not accept a PDF file.

letumgo wrote:I tried to upload the file, but the site will not accept a PDF file.

PM Sent

The competition guys have been using these for awhile. The leader section is made by pinning to (you make a micro loop at each end at the pin to be used later to attach to leader) and coiling around a plastic cue tip then boiling and freezing overnight so the mono holds the coil. I'm sure there's other methods...Charles Jardine talked about some at my shop recently. It's quite deadly.

I tried it out at last year's Canadian Nationals (I know, not exactly the best place for testing). I found them pretty annoying to tie in, and ineffective with heavier nymphs. With a light nymph or a soft hackle they might be more useful, but I didn't really give them much of a chance.

Aaron

skunkaroo wrote:I tried it out at last year's Canadian Nationals (I know, not exactly the best place for testing). I found them pretty annoying to tie in, and ineffective with heavier nymphs. With a light nymph or a soft hackle they might be more useful, but I didn't really give them much of a chance.

Aaron

Interesting. I figured it wouldn't work well with a heavier fly. But with a softy, it peaks my interest. How did you tie them in? I was to just use blood knots, but was also considering loop connections.

I will be testing it out for the next few days. I will report back and give my opinion of this.

A fishing friend of mine took a one day course on nymphing and was shown the coiled leader and how to use/make them. After spending 10 days on streams with him in Montana and then at home on the Catskill streams, I've never seen one in action. Perhaps it's just this person, but every time he attempted to rig up and use it, all I heard was cursing and frustration. They seem to be a bear to control and keep from tangling.

On the other hand, he couldn't stop extolling the virtues of the system after spending the day on the river in this class and seeing the instructor taking fish on every other cast...

Apparently, the construction involves wrapping leader material around a wooden dowel in tight, touching turns and then dunking the whole thing in boiling water for a set amount of time. Then, put the whole mess into the freezer for a while and this sets it and keeps the curl in place.

I still think I might try it in the future, especially if some people on this board have some success with it. Obviously, half of the world's fly fishing experts can't be too wrong.
Cheers,
Bruce

RnF wrote:Interesting. I figured it wouldn't work well with a heavier fly. But with a softy, it peaks my interest. How did you tie them in? I was to just use blood knots, but was also considering loop connections.

I will be testing it out for the next few days. I will report back and give my opinion of this.

Hope the test are going well. I was using blood knots to tie them in, but cursing the whole time as well. Loops would have been nicer, but they are verboten in competition.

I think it was Charles Jardine who published an explanation of their construction and use in Fly Fishing and Fly Tying (Scottish mag), about three years ago (your construction method is correct except that the water wasn't quite boiling--more like a very hot cup of tea). He was writing about them with regard to long line nymphing if I remember correctly.

Aaron