small stream dry fly leaders

[trowpa]

Put me in the Jack, Steve, and Gfen camp.

For the past 2 years i have used a butt- mid section of tapered leaders down to 3x or so (sometimes i cut 4x leaders back a bit) to a tippet ring.

From that tippet ring i tie various lengths of 4x, 5x, 6x and (during tricos) 7x to suit my needs.

K.I.S.S.

 

[Trublubug]

I'm in total agreement with using Umpqua's Power Pocket Water Leaders as a replacement for Harvey's....turn over in very tight spaces, A++

 

[SlingerFlyRods]

I may be an underachiever but on my 7'3 2wt I use a 7 1/2' 4x or 5x, snip it back a 6-12" and start there, and add to it accordingly using a tight perfection loop. self taught here, so what works for me doesn't necessarily mean its right lol

 

[k-bob]

thanks for the umpqa leaders idea I will give those a try

 

[shortrod2]

pcray1231 wrote:
I do have the issues with the nail knot hanging up on the tip-top.

Have you tried a needle knot?

 

[Chaz]

evw659 wrote:
i guess i should have specified in my original post that i tie al my own leaders. store bought leaders are fine, but paying 4 or 5 dollars a piece for a leader i could tie myself in 6-7 minutes is rediculous. i bought the maxima 1-25 lb line pack or 45 dollars and have 20 plus leaders with it and still have a ton left. i am just looking for a very simple short leader that works well with dries. i go through 1 or 2 leaders per brookie trip because of sagging in brush, trees and other foliage. i made up a leader formula that may work: any suggestions as to the formula?

16" 25 lb
24" 20 lb
16" 12 lb
12" 8 lb
20 inches of 4x or 3x rio tippet

That's pretty heavy for trout, nothing on my leaders is more than 12 lbs.

 

[evw659]

wow, this post is almost 3 years old! its amazing how far I've come since then.

Chaz, for any leader i tie, i try to make the leader a continuation of the fly line al the way down to tippet.
basically, If the end of the fly line is .030"(its bigger than that), i try to start the leader with something like .025"(25lb), then taper down to 4x or so. starting with 12lb off the fly line would certainly work fine, but i think starting with something bigger results in the leader turning over better, and transfers the energy of the cast more efficiently. just my opinion