Leaders for Swing Wets
Moderators: William Anderson, letumgo
Re: Leaders for Swing Wets
I've been using John's leader formulae for three years now and very much like the way they perform.
Some of the same morons who throw their trash around in National parks also vote. That alone would explain the state of American politics. ~ John Gierach, "Still Life with Brook Trout"
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Eric Peper
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- Location: Austin, TX and Island Park, ID
Re: Leaders for Swing Wets
Agree, John, on the TroutHunter mono tippet as the best I can find. I start my leaders with 12" of Maxima Chameleon nail knotted to the line, but I use a 10' TroutHunter Finesse leader as the base, tapered to 5X, and add a 4' tippet of TH 6X. But then I am fishing primarily dries size 16 and smaller to very fussy fish in flat water. and this 15-16' overall leader turns over as sweet as can be. I have also fished small soft-hackles with it very happily as well.
Eric
Eric
A mountain is a fact -- a trout is a moment of beauty known only to men who seek them.
Al McClane in his Introduction to The Practical Fly Fisherman . . . often erroneously attributed to Arnold Gingrich
Al McClane in his Introduction to The Practical Fly Fisherman . . . often erroneously attributed to Arnold Gingrich
Re: Leaders for Swing Wets
I'm guessing Eric, that the amount of floating plant matter in the water you fish most often may play a role in your preference for fewer knots?
Some of the same morons who throw their trash around in National parks also vote. That alone would explain the state of American politics. ~ John Gierach, "Still Life with Brook Trout"
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Eric Peper
- Posts: 244
- Joined: Sat Feb 21, 2009 5:28 pm
- Location: Austin, TX and Island Park, ID
Re: Leaders for Swing Wets
ABsolutely. Severity depends upon the year, but the d#mned things are always there.tie2fish wrote:I'm guessing Eric, that the amount of floating plant matter in the water you fish most often may play a role in your preference for fewer knots?
A mountain is a fact -- a trout is a moment of beauty known only to men who seek them.
Al McClane in his Introduction to The Practical Fly Fisherman . . . often erroneously attributed to Arnold Gingrich
Al McClane in his Introduction to The Practical Fly Fisherman . . . often erroneously attributed to Arnold Gingrich
Re: Leaders for Swing Wets
In about 1979 I started to build my own knotted tapered mono leaders similar to John's after reading about them in Fly Fishing by Tom McNally. I owe a lot of my early flyfishing influences to reading Outdoor Life magazine and Field and Stream. My next transition came with making my own furled leaders in 2006 and those grace most of my flylines now. A furled leader butt and a knot-less tapered mono leader from your favorite shop virtually eliminates those weed/ leader knot hangups.
A very complete read about making your own leaders to suit your fishing can be found in this book...
https://www.amazon.com/Drag-Free-Drift- ... free+drift
A very complete read about making your own leaders to suit your fishing can be found in this book...
https://www.amazon.com/Drag-Free-Drift- ... free+drift
Re: Leaders for Swing Wets
The use of knotless tapered leaders for most or part of a leader system to defeat weeds is certainly valid and I used it pretty extensively in the past. However, and this is just my opinion, I believe I can get better performance with a fully knotted leader, and I will sacrifice an occasional break-off for confidence in my presentation. While weeds can be a problem with any leader, with a knotted design I find that weed clumps can be kept to a minimum if the knots are carefully tied and closely trimmed . I fished the Big Horn for a few days last October, a river I spent a lot of time on in the 1980's and '90's. There were still residual Tricos and good numbers of bank feeders. I only remember losing one fish to weeding, for which I blamed myself, and not my leader.
The majority of the fishing I do both east (Delaware System) and west (Spring Creeks, Tail Waters) is in rivers where weed is an issue for much if not most of the season so I have some experience with fishing in the salad. One general observation I have made over the years is that most eastern weed is slimy and more tenacious and holds water, whereas western weed will often shake dry and can be flipped off the leader fairly easily when it is lifted from the water.
Of course we are drifting into dry fly waters here........weed can be a real hindrance when fishing Spiders on any type of leader, especially if one is inclined to fish on the swing.
The majority of the fishing I do both east (Delaware System) and west (Spring Creeks, Tail Waters) is in rivers where weed is an issue for much if not most of the season so I have some experience with fishing in the salad. One general observation I have made over the years is that most eastern weed is slimy and more tenacious and holds water, whereas western weed will often shake dry and can be flipped off the leader fairly easily when it is lifted from the water.
Of course we are drifting into dry fly waters here........weed can be a real hindrance when fishing Spiders on any type of leader, especially if one is inclined to fish on the swing.
Re: Leaders for Swing Wets
Nope not Amensia, but the old Cortland flat Mono makes great butt material.. makes a nice nail knot onto the fly line. Lays nice and flat....
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William Anderson
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Re: Leaders for Swing Wets
What a brilliant thread. I've seen several folks talking about using Amnesia in the butt section, but I've never tried it. I do have some that I used to built tenkara leaders. Thanks for the reminder.
w
w
"A man should not try to eliminate his complexes, but rather come into accord with them. They are ultimately what directs his conduct in the world." Sigmund Freud.
www.WilliamsFavorite.com
www.WilliamsFavorite.com
Re: Leaders for Swing Wets
I used Amnesia for a leader butt ( and "sighter") years ago on some of my 6 weight subsurface nymph and streamer knotted taper leaders, also on a steelhead leader built for my 9 weights. I also occasionally use a short in line fluorescent yellow coiled mono sighter 
for nymph fishing as shown to me by a member of the US fly fishing team in Idaho on the Big Wood river.
https://diyflyfishing.com/lessons/how-t ... ng-leader/
This coiled sighter is made for drifting but not swinging flies.
for nymph fishing as shown to me by a member of the US fly fishing team in Idaho on the Big Wood river.https://diyflyfishing.com/lessons/how-t ... ng-leader/
This coiled sighter is made for drifting but not swinging flies.
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hankaye
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Re: Leaders for Swing Wets
WiFlyfisher, Howdy;
I may not be a fan of Mr. Whitlock either but he does have perls of wisdom that he hands out.
I have George Daniel's book "Dynamic Nymphing", those stay wet all the time as well so ....
Anyway, the coiled 'sighter' that Roadkill mentioned is shown on pg. 21 . Well, not just shown
but the building steps are described in detail. He also has a complete section (right at the front
of the book about all the different leaders that he uses and has come across in his experience
with the international trout fishing community.
I find it useful not to discount information solely due to the source, one may be overlooking a
gem stone covered in mud.
hank
I may not be a fan of Mr. Whitlock either but he does have perls of wisdom that he hands out.
I have George Daniel's book "Dynamic Nymphing", those stay wet all the time as well so ....
Anyway, the coiled 'sighter' that Roadkill mentioned is shown on pg. 21 . Well, not just shown
but the building steps are described in detail. He also has a complete section (right at the front
of the book about all the different leaders that he uses and has come across in his experience
with the international trout fishing community.
I find it useful not to discount information solely due to the source, one may be overlooking a
gem stone covered in mud.
hank
Striving for a less complicated life since 1949...
"Every day I beat my own previous record for number
of consecutive days I've stayed alive." George Carlin
"Every day I beat my own previous record for number
of consecutive days I've stayed alive." George Carlin