Hand Tied Leaders

[BelAirSteve]

Hey guys,

I am getting into some smallmouth fishing (it's that time of year) and I enjoy tying my own leaders. It takes a while, but my knots are pretty good and sure. I am curious how much extra you allow for waste when tying the knots. If the formula calls for 18", how much do you cut off?

Thanks,

Steve

 

[pennsadventures]

depends on what tool you use....I leave about3 inches extra but i don't ever measure anything when I am tying a leader....everything is just thrown together when I throw one together

 

[PatrickC]

I leave 6" (but I really think 3" would be plenty). I probably end up cutting an inch off of each end. I leave a little more tail at my last knot into the tippit for leaders that I'm going to use for dead drifting. This provides me a place to put split shot.

 

[TimMurphy]

Dear Steve,

Get a Dennison bloodknot tool and you won't waste hardly any material. For example if a section needs to be 18", and it is between two other sections then 20" of material is all you really need if using the tool.

For smallmouth I typically use 30" of 20# Maxima Chameleon joined to 18" of 15# Maxima Chameleon followed by 12" of 12# Chameleon and then whatever length and weight tippet I decide to use at the time, generally it's 8# or 10# Chameleon.

If you want to go lighter in tippet extend all the sections mentioned above by 6 inches and add a 12" section of 8# Chameleon before you tie on the lighter tippet.

Leaders built like those I described will turn over a small dog on a 7 or 8 weight rod.

Additonally, the color of Maxima Chameleon has no effect on smallmouth, they are not leader shy when actively feeding.

Regards,

Tim Murphy ;-)

 

[fritz]

Guess I'm cheap. I leave one inch.