Need help with leader/tippet connection

[ronk]

Ron:

 

I am done. We will have to agree to disagree. Fly fishermen sure have differing opinions on almost all topics. Very frustrating.

Jonn,

Just 1 more thing and I'm done too.Instead of using a straight leader use a mini sink tip which come in 4-5' lengths and are actually designed to to sink at 3.5-6.5" per second.You add 3-4' of tippet to create an 8-9' leader.While they don't cast as nicely as a tapered floating leader they will provide much better casting results than using 9' of staight mono and since they sink they'll get your fly deeper quicker too.They're available from Orvis. While not cheap they are durable and long lasting.

If you persist in using straight mono of about 10lb test instead you'll find that your"leader" & fly particularly whenever you're casting for distance will either frequently collapse in a harmless tangled heap or not so harmessly get buried in your backside. There's a reason,Jonn, that ff leaders are designed with a taper. Guess you'll have to find that out for yourself the hard way.

[Steve S.]

Jonn

 

Wouldn't it be easier to just give it a try? All this debating may be a moot point; in the end its your preference that will prevail.

 

My two cents - when I cast weighted flies, the benefits of a tapered leader seem to diminish as the fly weight increases.

[Jonn Graham]

Steve:

 

I have tried tapered leaders!!! I like them very much. I have watched my fly sink when tied on a tapered leader and I have seen my fly sink when on a straight mono leader........they are not the same. I can cast plenty far enough with the straight mono leader. I can see how the tapered leader would be the way to go on many different occassion. But when it comes to fishing subsurface, no one can debate the point that the fly is not going to sink the same as it would with a straight mono leader. If I am fishing deep current, I want my fly to get down quickly to where the fish are..........not drag due to the stiff butt section of the leader.

 

I am not against tapered leaders!! I just want people understand that there is no way in god's creation that you are going to convince me that fishing deep with a tapered leader is the way to go when compared with a straight mono leader!

 

In addition, did you not read Craig's post???? Craig has been doing this fly fishing thing to the max for many years. You can turn over a fly with a straight mono leader, as Craig said in his post. I myself being a rookie, can turn a fly with a straight mono leader. I am not an expert fly caster by any means, but I am practicing casting nearly every day. With more practice with the straight mono leader, I predict that i will be able to turn over a fly just as well without the tapered leader. I have another fly fishing friend that never, never uses a tapered leader and catches smallmouths, stripers, and such like they are going out of style.

 

This thread has gotten out of control. Partly my fault. But sometimes I and others have to stand up for something.

 

I don't even know why I even posted this reply..............I had said I was done. Bad day at work - one of my co workers just told me I need to go fishing and chill out. I am now done for sure..........I promise.

[Rapala]

Steve:

 

I have tried tapered leaders!!! I like them very much. I have watched my fly sink when tied on a tapered leader and I have seen my fly sink when on a straight mono leader........they are not the same. I can cast plenty far enough with the straight mono leader. I can see how the tapered leader would be the way to go on many different occassion. But when it comes to fishing subsurface, no one can debate the point that the fly is not going to sink the same as it would with a straight mono leader. If I am fishing deep current, I want my fly to get down quickly to where the fish are..........not drag due to the stiff butt section of the leader.

 

I am not against tapered leaders!! I just want people understand that there is no way in god's creation that you are going to convince me that fishing deep with a tapered leader is the way to go when compared with a straight mono leader!

 

In addition, did you not read Craig's post???? Craig has been doing this fly fishing thing to the max for many years. You can turn over a fly with a straight mono leader, as Craig said in his post. I myself being a rookie, can turn a fly with a straight mono leader. I am not an expert fly caster by any means, but I am practicing casting nearly every day. With more practice with the straight mono leader, I predict that i will be able to turn over a fly just as well without the tapered leader. I have another fly fishing friend that never, never uses a tapered leader and catches smallmouths, stripers, and such like they are going out of style.

 

This thread has gotten out of control. Partly my fault. But sometimes I and others have to stand up for something.

 

I don't even know why I even posted this reply..............I had said I was done. Bad day at work - one of my co workers just told me I need to go fishing and chill out. I am now done for sure..........I promise.

 

 

AMEN, Iagree with what Jonn said. LOL

[Steve S.]

Jonn

 

I was referring to just trying your straight mono or fluro leader (if you hadn't done so already). Sorry if that wasn't clear.

[Guest Don R]

A Google search for 'take me to your leader' produced 2,350,000 results.

 

"Take me to your leader", a stereotypical phrase used by fictional extra-terrestrials

"Take Me to Your Leader", a 1979 new wave song by The Sinceros

"Take Me to Your Leader", song by the rock band Incubus released in 1995

Take Me to Your Leader (Newsboys album), a Christian rock album released in 1996

Take Me to Your Leader, a 1997 industrial-metal song by Hanzel und Gretyl

Take Me to Your Leader (King Geedorah album), a hip hop album released in 2003

Take Me to Your Leader (Hawkwind album), a rock album released in 2005

"Take Me to Your Leader", a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles episode

"Take me to your leader", a marketing trends watch blog by Rob Gonda

 

...in other words...I have nothing to add to this conversation.

 

But it sure makes for some entertaining reading.

 

...maybe I'll look up 'take me to your tapered leader' next

[ronk]

Steve:

 

I have tried tapered leaders!!! I like them very much. I have watched my fly sink when tied on a tapered leader and I have seen my fly sink when on a straight mono leader........they are not the same. I can cast plenty far enough with the straight mono leader. I can see how the tapered leader would be the way to go on many different occassion. But when it comes to fishing subsurface, no one can debate the point that the fly is not going to sink the same as it would with a straight mono leader. If I am fishing deep current, I want my fly to get down quickly to where the fish are..........not drag due to the stiff butt section of the leader.

 

I am not against tapered leaders!! I just want people understand that there is no way in god's creation that you are going to convince me that fishing deep with a tapered leader is the way to go when compared with a straight mono leader!

 

In addition, did you not read Craig's post???? Craig has been doing this fly fishing thing to the max for many years. You can turn over a fly with a straight mono leader, as Craig said in his post. I myself being a rookie, can turn a fly with a straight mono leader. I am not an expert fly caster by any means, but I am practicing casting nearly every day. With more practice with the straight mono leader, I predict that i will be able to turn over a fly just as well without the tapered leader. I have another fly fishing friend that never, never uses a tapered leader and catches smallmouths, stripers, and such like they are going out of style.

 

This thread has gotten out of control. Partly my fault. But sometimes I and others have to stand up for something.

 

I don't even know why I even posted this reply..............I had said I was done. Bad day at work - one of my co workers just told me I need to go fishing and chill out. I am now done for sure..........I promise.

Jonn,

Since you absolved yourself of your" I'm done" so will I. Re your Craig reference if you reread Craig's 2 posts on this topic you will see that he's casting a level leader with sinking/sinktip lines not a floating line as you advocate presumably with a 9'leader..While there are short 6' tapered leaders made for those lines all that most people including myself use with sinking lines is a short section of straightleader typically about 4' which mimics the tippet length of a tapered leader.The relative short length of this leader makes a taper for casting ease unnecessary.There's a big difference between trying to cast a short leader on a sinking line vs a long one on a floater particularly with larger weighted flies most suited for big bass.By the way in my previous post to you I basically suggested you do as Craig does when I suggested you go to a sinktip and a short straight leader for your deeper subsurface fishing.Also appreciate the fact that Craig as well as Holschag & Fernandez who fishes saltwater use powerful 8wt rods that are easier to cast big flies for distance than lighter wts whereas you once mentioned in 1 of your posts that you enjoyed casting one of your lighter wts better than the 8 and would like to use them for smb.Also appreciate the fact that these guys are

expert casters capable of casting an entire flyline with a fast action rod (as can I)whereas a beginner would do well to take advantage of every casting tool on his way to develop his casting skills. A tapered leader is one of them. Craig acknowledges that he wouldn't use a long straight leader to cast a bassbug.A #4-1/0 weighted zonker,meat whistle, fodder,etc will test your casting skills just about as much.If you want to become able to cast those flies consistently well at 50-60+' rather than restrict yourself to just short casts use a 9' tapered leader with a floating line and well weighted flies or splitshot as I do or go shorter with a sinking line as Craig does.I've said it before and I'll say it one final time-it's your choice.