Custom Leaders - My next adventure

[driftless]

Bob, do you use this same setup when you are fishing here in cheese country?

Frankly, I'm thinking of returning to hand-tied leaders, since I'm not happy with the commercial tapered leaders.

Paul

[joaniebo]

Paul

Whether I’m fishing in Cheese Country, Michigan or at local pond, I use the Oliver Kite leaders. If I want a lighter leader I go down a little and end up with the last length being 3lbs.

Bob

[driftless]

Thanks, Bob.

I used to tie a leader that used both Maxima Chameleon & regular tippet, but the ultra-green setup sounds like it would be fairly limp, which is good.

I'll give it a try.

Paul

[driftless]

John,

What are you using for tippet?

I've used Rio & Orvis super strong, both of which I'm liking less & less. I've heard good things about every brand of tippet there is, though

[letumgo]

I spent this afternoon tying up a set of the North Country Spider leaders. Here are some photos (roughly) showing the process (It is really difficult to shoot photos of this, since it it such a hands-on process).

Anyway, here are some pics I took along the way.

Tools: Tape measure, stainless rod, nail clippers, scissors


Magnifying visor:




Forming and trimming of blood knot:


After snugging up the blood knot (tag ends should form 90 deg angle to main line and protrude in opposite directions).


Appearance of blood knot after trimming with nail clippers


Early in the process, I discovered that the notch in the corner of the leader box became a useful staging area for the leaders. I'd slide the first knot in the butt section into the notch, and it would hold the leaders between steps.


When measuring the leader sections, I would add two inches (2") to the desired length to compensate for the tag ends that get trimmed off after forming the blood knot.



Boiling the butt sections for five minutes, to make them more supple:


Finished Leaders:

[narcodog]

John,

What are you using for tippet?

I've used Rio & Orvis super strong, both of which I'm liking less & less. I've heard good things about every brand of tippet there is, though

Paul,

I really like Trout Hunter's tippet material and I have used it for years.

Out West in the Fall on the Henry's Fork I use Cortland 5x fluorocarbon to keep the big trout's heads out of the weeds while using small soft hackle fly patterns (size #18), I do not use fluoro when fishing a bamboo fly rod or when fishing larger flies.

Personally, I do not like fluoro, but it is only tippet materials I know that has worked for me with big. powerful fish and weeds. Plus, I do not like to play the trout any longer than I have too.

You only use Cortland because someone gave it to you.

[letumgo]

This morning I made up a set of Dana Reed's dropper loop leaders.



Next on my list was a copy of the Oliver Kite leaders that Bob (joaniebo) mentioned earlier.

Oliver Kite's Leader Formula (10 Feet/4X):
54" (20 lbs / 0.017" Maxima Chameleon)
10" (12 lbs / 0.013" Maxima Chameleon)
10" (6 lbs / 0.009" Maxima Chameleon)
O <----- Insert 2 mm Tippet Ring Here
10" (5 lbs / 0.008" Maxima Chameleon)
O <----- Insert 2 mm Tippet Ring Here
36" (5 lbs / 0.007"/4X Cabela's Prestige Co-Polymer tippet)



Thanks for sharing this. I look forward to testing out the Kite leader and will let you know how I like it (eventually).

[joaniebo]

Ray

The only Maxim Chameleon mono I ever used has been the 4 lb and I always thought the Chameleon felt softer / more flexible that Maxima Ultragreen. Thus, I wonder how your Oliver Kite leaders will perform, well, hopefully.

Bob

[letumgo]

Bob,

One of the things that surprised me by this Kite leader formula is how dramatically the taper changes. I will be interested in seeing how the leader compares with other more gradual tapers.

On a side note, I changed up the last 36" (4x) section to nylon tippet from Cabela's. The material is very supple (limp), yet has good strength and a bit of stretch providing a bit of protection from break-offs.

I like the flexibility the two tippet rings provides. Great idea guys.

[tjd]

Hi Ray,

I think I've given you some of my hand tied leaders in the past.
Here are a couple of things that I've learned along the way, feel free to experiment:

I tie my blood knots with 3 turns, then wet them in a small plastic dish before drawing them tight. Lubrication, good...fiction, bad. Eliminates some twists and curls.

After I trim the excess "stems" from the blood knots, I dress the knots with Loc-Tite super glue. I've never had a knot that was dressed like this (even when tied with 3 turns) fail.

Dressing the knots with Loc-Tite is also helpful when joining two different brands of leader/tippet material, especially fluorocarbon.

Best,

Tim