Tippet length with furled leaders

[greenlander]

I've been using a Feathercraft furled leader pretty much exclusively all season long and a good part of last season. I have a 5ft and a 7ft, but have been using the 7ft practically all of the time. However, I'm not terribly confident about the tippet lengths I've been using.

Typically I tie on roughly 3 ft of tippet, almost always of a single size.

If I'm fishing a big streamer, I might let this get a little bit shorter, and if I'm fishing a delicate dry I might add an extra foot or so.

I haven't noticed any adverse affects from the furled leader and that's why I've stuck with it even for dries.

I'd like to hear what some of the rest of you that use furled leaders are doing with your tippet, and in general.

I've absolutely fallen in love with the convenience and cost-saving aspects of furled leaders, but I wonder if I'm hanging on too tight and perhaps I shouldn't be using it all the time, or should be using it differently.

 

[afishinado]

greenlander wrote:
I've been using a Feathercraft furled leader pretty much exclusively all season long and a good part of last season. I have a 5ft and a 7ft, but have been using the 7ft practically all of the time. However, I'm not terribly confident about the tippet lengths I've been using.

Typically I tie on roughly 3 ft of tippet, almost always of a single size.

If I'm fishing a big streamer, I might let this get a little bit shorter, and if I'm fishing a delicate dry I might add an extra foot or so.

I haven't noticed any adverse affects from the furled leader and that's why I've stuck with it even for dries.

I'd like to hear what some of the rest of you that use furled leaders are doing with your tippet, and in general.

I've absolutely fallen in love with the convenience and cost-saving aspects of furled leaders, but I wonder if I'm hanging on too tight and perhaps I shouldn't be using it all the time, or should be using it differently.

Sounds like it's working well for you. I would guess you can go out to maybe 5' with a straight tippet and still turn over a fly. You have to experiment with it, and also it depends on the fly you are casting. I you are looking to add more length, try stepping the leader down from 3x, 4x, etc. But it sounds like you are doing fine.

I tie my furled leaders a little shorter 41/2' average (on a 9' rod) and step down to the tippet for dries. I use straight tippet on the butt and use the leader butt as a "sighter" when nymphing.

 

[scotto]

I've been using them for a 5+ years and really like the furled leaders. I typically use a single weight tippet of 30 to 40 inches. If I need a longer tippet I will step in down - 4x to 5x or whatever. This stepping creates better turnover with long tippets.

As for streamers I would suggest FeatherCraft streamer furled leaders I believe they are 3 feet and I use 2 feet of 2x or 3x. These leaders are more powerful to turn over streamers.

 

[gfen]

I bought a couple of the Blue Sky leaders and never looked back.

Now I'm doing the hand-twisted singapore leaders because I don't care so much when they break. When I'm done, they're about 5' long, like the Blue Sky ones I was buying.

I usually put a length of 3x loop-to-looped, about a foot or so, and then put on another 3-4 feet of what I want on top.

 

[greenlander]

Thanks for the replies.

Glad to hear I'm not doing anything stupid with the tippet, sounds like I'm being reasonable.

So you've all also found that you don't think the fish see/spook to the furled leader more than a traditional leader, even on dries?

I keep thinking they must, but I just haven't seen it in my fishing yet.

 

[littlelehigh]

I was an idiot with my first furled leader and it only lasted me a year. They don't hold up if you fish subsurface a lot and are rubbing against rocks etc IMO.

I've since purchased a second one and although I'll nymph with it if I have to I make sure to have at least 4' of a straight piece of tippet tied on.

If I see my furled leader getting pulled under I either lengthen the tippet or move to shallower water. I do love furled leaders!

 

[Mariner]

I have two furled leaders, one of which I've been using since 1996! I usually switch to that leader just before an anticipated hatch and fish dries with it.

Recently I got turned on to spun bimini tippets. This is an even more difficult variation on the bimini twist knot. The idea is a little shock absorption plus near-100% knot strength. I'm trying to make my own, but I'm not having much luck with anything finer than 3x. Orvis sells them pre-made in five-packs on leader spools and also they include two in their floating braided leaders.

 

[gfen]

Directions/information on a bimini spun? Not that I couldn't do it myself, but indulge a fat man's lazy streak...

 

[Mariner]

If you're at the jam I'll show you one.

Out the door to Coburn...

 

[gfen]

I'm a "responsible parent," and cannot attend as I must attend to the needs of my children.

Or that's what my wife tells me when I make noises about it.

Enjoy it.

 

[littlelehigh]

gfen wrote:
I'm a "responsible parent," and cannot attend as I must attend to the needs of my children.

Or that's what my wife tells me when I make noises about it.

Enjoy it.

That makes 2 of us! Now if you still had your pilots license we could of prob flown out to the Jam for the day.

 

[gfen]

More than anything else, I wanted to learn rotary wing (ie, helicopter). I wanted to fly a helo so very, very badly.

Then I learned how expensive every single facet of it was. Astronomical!

And then the girl who took lessons at my airport put the thing down too hard, and off center, and this byproduct of harmonic imbalance took place where it just starts to boucne from skid to skid, side to side til the blades cause it to whip over and destroy itself.

THat was the end of that dream, she and the instructor were fine, but that Robinson R22 was a total wreck, and looked downright nasty.