Leader Storage

[hooker-of-men]

Figured that there would be a thread about this somewhere, but I'm not turning it up with the search function. Feel free to point me in the right direction if it already exists.

Does anyone have any recommendations or tips for storing leaders? I'm knotting the hell out of them lately by winding them around my fingers and storing them in the original sleeve packaging. I'd appreciate any strong endorsements of particular leader wallets or any DIY approaches. I'm familiar with the drinking straw method, but I don't find it very convenient.

Thanks.

 

[dryflyguy]

After winding mine around my fingers, I secure the loop by wrapping two small sections of wire bread ties - (twistees)? - 180 degrees apart.
Then slide them into a leader storage wallet.
When unwinding them for use, you do need to be kinda careful though - so you don't end up with a big tangle

And old fishing buddy of mine stores his on tippet spools

 

[laurelrun]

I have taken to winding them around a piece of cardboard. Business cards work ok if they are thick stock.

 

[hooker-of-men]

Thanks for the suggestions. I like the cardboard idea and I ran with it.

Gonna throw the cardboard in a ziplock bag, so I'm optimistic about the system until I take it out and drop it in a stream.

I will still probably invest in a wallet at some point, so I'm all ears if anyone wants to wax poetic about their love for a particular product.

 

[laurelrun]

Only thing I would add, when you unwind, a little friction straightens out the memory. I just use my fingers, but a piece of leather would work too.

 

[hooker-of-men]

I tried to wind them on as loosely as possible so as to avoid kinks in the leader, but I'm still worried that it could be an issue. I went out yesterday morning, after the leaders had been on the cardboard for just about 24 hours, and they didn't seem too bad. Nothing that a quick stretch couldn't sort out.

The other idea I've been considering is using small spools of thread that fit together in a case, kinda like this:

I'm assuming that such a small diameter would create issues with memory even though it would be a smooth, round winding surface. Not sure if it would be better or worse than the kinks from the cardboard. The idea of a little case feels more organized to me than a pocketful of (even more) tippet spools and more durable than the cardboard.

 

[JackM]

I pick up a wallet insert that is used to hold credit cards and such, for less than a buck apiece.

Wind the leader around 3 fingers, loosely and then wind the butt end through the loop EXACTLY three times.

Place inside one of the dividers. When it is needed, simply undo the (exactly three winds) and the leader will unravel straight with at most a very small memory of the loops. If so straighten with fingers or leather and tie on.

These wallet inserts usually have between 8-12 compartments, and I place a label on each stating the type or formula of the leader.

 

[PennKev]

laurelrun wrote:
I have taken to winding them around a piece of cardboard. Business cards work ok if they are thick stock.

This actually works pretty well. Any kinks that are caused by said winding are easily removed by firm stretching. It's convenient to have the card stashed in the front pocket of your waders and changing out leaders goes quickly.

 

[troutbert]

Another option is to not carry any extra leaders. But instead carry tippet spools in a wide range of sizes. And if you tear off part of your leader in the foliage, just rebuild it. It just takes a few blood knots.

 

[afishinado]

I just loop my leaders around my fingers and wrap the tag end around the loops a few times like they were originally packaged. I save small ziplock bags from various tying materials I buy, label them and store the leaders in the bags. Works well, very simple and nothing to buy. You can store the ZL bags in a leader wallet, but I have a compartment in my pack that I use to store all my leaders.

 

[Bamboozle]

I have been doing what afishinado does for years. Several winds with the butt end secures it and store them in a Zip-Loc bag.

If you carry a few types, use separate bags or a small Avery label folded over the leader with the description written on it.

The only thing to be aware of is to make sure to unwind the same way as you wind it by by putting your fingers inside, making sure to unwind it COMPLETELY before taking your fingers out.

Impatience causes tangles!

While cardboard solutions sound good on paper (pardon the pun), if you wind the leader with any tension you will have a mess if the cardboard bends (which it will have a tendency to do as it gets old or is shoved in and out of a pocket) or if it gets wet.

Been there, done that.

 

[hooker-of-men]

Unfortunately, afishinado's method is exactly what I had been doing before that was resulting in knots. Dunno what I was doing wrong, but I essentially destroyed a number of leaders over the past few months just taking them out. My touch might be less than delicate.

 

[McSneek]

troutbert wrote:
Another option is to not carry any extra leaders. But instead carry tippet spools in a wide range of sizes. And if you tear off part of your leader in the foliage, just rebuild it. It just takes a few blood knots.

This. I do carry 2 - 3 extra leaders in their original packaging all tucked into a ziplock bag. Used to carry a bunch of store bought and hand tied. Took the leader wallet out of my vest years ago and never looked back. I might take a simpler approach than most. Beginning of year attach a new 7 1/2' 4x leader to my fly line. Add about 2' of 4x tippet to that. Replace as needed. Add 5x or 6x tippet if necessary. The extra leaders I carry are really just in case of some stream side disaster that destroys the whole leader. I have yet to experience one of those. I don't think my fish catching success has suffered at all with this "system."

 

[wgmiller]

I've always used a leader wallet and chosen not to complicate my life. Allen used to have them on their website, but I don't see them right now. Cabela's also makes a decent wallet. The way leaders tend to have a "mind of their own", this is one area that I wanted to get ahead of and it has worked out well.

http://www.cabelas.com/product/Cabelas-Leader-Wallet/741448.uts

 

[poopdeck]

I just carry an extra furled leader and tippet material. One of the posts made me think of my saltwater fishing and I think it could work here. When fishing salt we usually tie dropper loop rigs on a jig at home and link them together and wrap them on an empty line spool. It makes a continuos spool of rigs. You could use an old tippet spool connect your leaders together loop to loop knot style and wrap them on a tippet spool. They won't kink and you can pull them off one at a time without fear of tangles.

 

[jeremymcon]

I also do what JackM does. Wrap the leader around my hand starting at the tippet end, and then loop the butt end around *exactly* 3 times. Then I store them in a leader wallet, usually with the original package inserted into the wallet too so I know what size leader it was. When I get one out, I unravel the butt end exactly 3 times, and the leader is usually ready to fish.

Another thing that really has helped me manage leaders is using tippet rings. Now when I'm fishing, I pretty much exclusively fish a 9'3x leader on all but my bass rods, with a tippet ring tied in where the leader starts to taper up. Then I just add the appropriate size and length of tippet for my given fishing situation. I just leave a leader with tippet ring on all my lines, so rarely ever need to switch. I honestly don't even carry a leader wallet with me anymore. Most of the time I leave it in the car.

 

[Fredrick]

I like to wrap mine around my fingers and secure them with twist ties than store them in this leader wallet

Orvis leader wallet

 

[LongLineRelease]

I've been wrapping mine around cardboard or business card now for quote some time. I then put them in a Finsport Fly wallet. I'm looking for a better way though. Best I've come up with now, but not exactly great.

Has anybody tried this out for leader storage? : http://www.amazon.com/Smith-Creek-Rig-Keeper-Dropper/dp/B00L3P3N4G

 

[AlphaDelta]

Save your used tippet spools and store your leader on them.