 | Custom Tied Leaders |
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The leader is a very important part of your fly fishing set up but is often over looked. It is not only a secondary connection to your fish, but it also shares the responsibility of delivering the fly to the target.
Looking at it this way, the cast is the method of bringing the fly to the fish, if the leader is poorly tied or is not stout enough to turn over heavier saltwater flies, your presentation will certainly fail. Ideally, as long as your casting form is good, the leader should turn the fly over with authority as it nears the target but the presentation should be delicate. The fly should not crash down on the surface like a meteorite hitting the water nor should it run out of steam and collapse into a heap just short of the target. This page will show you how to tie your own leaders of any size and for any application. It is very easy and will save you a lot of money & frustration out on the water. Don't want to tie your own? Leaders can also be purchased for $4.00 each. |
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The Formulas
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The leader formulas I use are very simple.
A couple examples of what I commonly use are below. One of the main points to remember when tying you own leaders using these formulas is to make the butt section (section that attaches to the flyline) approximately half the total length of the size of the leader you are tying. This remains constant no matter how long the total length of the leader.
An example, a twelve foot leader will have a six foot butt section, a nine will have a 4.5 and a ten foot leader will have a five foot butt section. The remaining components are pieced out proportionally to create a tapered leader that will present the fly perfectly.
For a ten foot leader- Light presentation.
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5.0' of 40 lb.
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1.25' 30 lb.
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1.25' 25 lb.
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1.25' 20 lb.
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1.25' 15 lb. (tippet)
Second and simple all arounder, still a ten foot leader-
I use loop connections at both ends of the leader. The reason for this is that I can change the leader if it becomes damaged in any way without having to cut the tip of my fly line, which over time will adversely affect how that line casts. The loop at the business end of the leader will allow me to change the tippet once it gets too short or if it is damaged without having to do any cutting. I have leaders that are going on 3 seasons for this reason. A properly tied and connected loop will not hinge nor catch the guides on most modern fly rods as previously believed.
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The Steps to Tie Your Own Leader
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| 1) Find a flat work area that is uncluttered and will allow you to strecth out a 25 foot tape measure to 12 feet. The area I use, the the balcony rail at my condo shown in the picture. This really keeps my neighbors guessing what I am up to. |  |
2) Pull a length of 40 lb. fluorocarbon out of it spool. Tie in a surgeons loop or a perfection loop. I normally use the surgeons loop. Make the loop as small as possible. |  |
3) After the loop is tied I anchor the knot in the crotch of a pair of hemostats that I have affixed to a hook on my railing that is for the Christmas lights. You can do something similar or anchor the hemos with a few heavy books. This makes measuring and cutting the leader material much easier. |  |
4) Now pull out the amount of 40 lb. fluorocarbon needed to make the butt section of your leader. In this example, I am tying a ten foot long leader so I will need 60 inches for the butt section. Be sure to add three inches at each measurement to accomodate the material taken up tying your knots. In this case, I will clip the line at 63 inches. |  |
5) After you clip the material for the butt section, take the spool of 30 lb. fluorocarbon and attach the tag end to the butt you previously tied a loop in, measured and clipped, using either a double uni knot or a blood knot. I like to use the double uni knot. |  |
6) Put on your gloves and place a towel on the floor. Fold the towel over the line behind the uni knot or blood knot you have tied to join the lines in step 5. Place your foot on top of the towel and firmly grasp each end with your gloved hands. Pull with both hands using slow, even pressure being careful not to pull too hard and break the line. |  |
7) This is how the double uni knot will look after it is pulled tight. The line almost melts into itself. Take your clippers and trim the tag ends as close as possible. Pull the 30 lb. off the spool, measure to 23" and clip. |  |
8) Attach the tag end of the 25 lb. to the 30lb. using the method in step 5. Tighten using method shown in step 6. | |
| 9) Measure 23 inches of the 25 lb. fluorocarbon and cut. Tie in a surgeons loop or perfection loop shown in step 2. You should now have appropriately 60" of 40 lb. butt section, 20" of 30 lb. and 20" of 25 lb. with a loop tied at each end. Now to tie your tippet. | |
10) Tie a loop knot of your choice in the end of 20,15 or 12 pound fluorocarbon. Once that is done, measure off 20 inches and cut. Pass the loop of the leader through the loop of the tippet. Pass the tag end of the tippet through the loop of the leader and gently pull. Once you see that the loops are seated, give the works a firm tug. |  |
11) Now you should have the finished product that is appropriately 10 feet long. Keep in mind it will be give or take on the length but the fish are not down there swimming with tape measures. Coil the line around four fingers then wrap each end a few times around the whole coil so everything stays put. |  |
12) I like to place my leaders in small poly bags supplied by U-Line. A 1,000 of them are about 12 bucks. Once bagged, I label them with a permanent marker. I'll note the length, the pound test of the butt section and what size tippet is installed on the leader. This takes a lot of guess work out of putting on and using the right leader for the job. |  |
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