How To Choose Fly-Fishing Leaders and Tippets PART 1
Consider the importance of leaders in the sport of fly fishing. Even in the earliest days, fishermen knew that they could not just attach a fly directly to the line and catch fish. Since then, we have learned through trial and error the importance of the proper selection of the leader to match the fly, fishing conditions and the species sought.
In order to better understand leaders and their importance to fly fishing, let us begin with this "primer" a short history and discussion on the evolution and selection of leaders.
Some of the earliest fly lines were made from the strands of hair in a horse's tail. In an effort to make the presentation more realistic, the number of hairs was gradually diminished so that only two or three were used to attach the fly.
The first nearly transparent, supple leaders were developed in the early 1700’s, probably in England. They were often called "catgut leaders," but actually were made from strands of silkworm gut braided into a taper. Such leaders needed great care because they were brittle when dry and they required a thorough soaking before each use.
In the early 1940s, the invention of nylon revolutionized leaders. And since then, its characteristics have been vastly improved. Nylon can now be made with various properties, such as high knot strength, degrees of stretch or stiffness, and abrasion resistance. In order to gain one characteristic, however, another often has to be slightly sacrificed.
To better understand leaders used in fly fishing, it is important to understand the terms used:
LEADER TERMINOLOGY
Butt Section, heaviest portion of the leader, attached to the fly line end
Mid Section, part of the leader forward of the butt section
Tippet, thinnest or lightest line strength segment of a tapered leader
Bite or Shock Tippet, short, heavy section of a leader between the tippet and the fly. The material used can be large diameter monofilament or wire (braided or a single strand). A bite tippet is used where fish have sharp teeth or may abrade through a tippet during the battle.
X, designates the tippets strength. Since nylon can frequently be of slightly different strengths for the same diameter, X is a little nebulous; however, if you want to know the approximate strength of a tippet, subtract the X number from 9 to get the strength of the tippet. For example, a 5X leader subtracted from 9 means about 4 pounds test, and a 2X tippet subtracted from 9 means a tippet strength of approximately 7 pounds.
Diameter, for correct diameter of an X designation, use a micrometer to measure the section of leader and subtract the X from .011. For example, a 5X leader subtracted from .011 should measure approximately .006. A 3X leader subtracted from .011 means that a 3X leader should have an approximate diameter of .008.
FUNCTION OF LEADERS
There are a number of reasons for using a leader. First, it forms a nearly invisible connection between the fly line and the fly. Obviously, a fly tied directly to the line is not going to interest most fish. Second, a leader permits the fly to either have proper action or drift drag-free.
For fishing with a trout streamer, bonefish pattern or similar small fly, it is not good to use a tippet too large in diameter because the thicker diameter monofilament will destroy any natural action of the fly. For situations where the angler wants to manipulate the fly or permit it to swim freely on water, the leader must be thin and supple enough to allow the fly to move easily.
Another very important reason for using a leader is to place the splashdown of the fly line far enough away to prevent alarming the fish. The leader falling to the water does little to frighten the fish, but a fly line coming to the surface can ruin the angler's chances. That is why a trout fisherman on a calm spring creek or slick beaver pond must use a very long leader. When fishing for the same kind of trout in fast water, however, the turbulence of the stream means that a much shorter leader can be used.
And in those situations where the fish have an abrasive mouth or one filled with sharp teeth, a bite (also called "shock") leader has to be placed in front of the fly.
TYPES OF LEADERS
There are four basic types of leaders, with variations within each type:
Level leader: this is a leader made from a single strand of monofilament of the same diameter. It is often used when the angler must fish in vegetation where delicacy of presentation is not a factor and a knotted leader would snag the plants. For example, a level leader may be the choice when seeking largemouth bass in lakes where the surface is cluttered with lily pads and similar aquatic plants.
Conventional Tapered leader: this is a leader where the butt section is heavy and its diameter gradually diminishes as it reaches the tippet. It is the standard leader used for almost all fly fishing, other than trout. Such leaders should turn the fly over, as well, at the end of the cast. Used in both fresh and salt water, this leader is used during the retrieve to manipulate the fly.
Tapered Dry Fly leader: this leader serves several important functions, so the requirements of its construction are more critical than any other type of leader. A dry fly must float freely on the surface, as a natural insect does when it falls to the water. If the dry fly leader is not correctly designed, it will cause the fly to be dragged unnaturally on the water, and the trout will refuse it. The tippet is extremely critical in obtaining the correct drift with the fly.
There are two basic types of tapered leaders. One is made of a continuous strand of monofilament that diminishes in size, such as trout, bass and bonefish leaders from 3M Scientific Anglers. The other diameter is knotted together to form a similar continuous tapered leader. Tapered leaders can be made from solid monofilament, or the rear portion can be a number of fine strands of braided monofilament.
Bite Tippet leader: fish that have mouths lined with sharp teeth or that are abrasive will soon wear through a delicate tippet. To prevent a cut-off or to keep the tippet from eroding, a heavier section of monofilament or wire (braided or single strand) is attached to the tippet and then connected to the fly.
This is called a "bite tippet" or a "shock tippet". It is an absolute necessity with many species †such as tarpon and permit in saltwater situations, and muskie and northern pike in freshwater situations.
If the teeth are likely to cut through an even large diameter monofilament, wire is used. Solid wire has less diameter than braided wire for the same wire strength, but solid wire tends to kink when anglers battle the fish and the wires must be replaced since the kinked material spoils the action of the fly.
Scientific Anglers offers the above leaders mentioned by Lefty in both its Mastery Series and standard leader product line-up, including replacement wire.
Braided wire is more flexible and is usually coated with a clear monofilament to make it easier for the angler to handle. When using nylon-coated braided wire, some of the nylon may shred and hang down from the wire. This requires repairing the wire or replacing it -- usually the latter.
Regardless of whether large diameter monofilament or wire is used, the rule is to use the shortest wire bite leader possible. Longer bite tippets are very difficult to turn over on the cast, and in clear water, the longer a wire leader, the more likely fish will see it and refuse the fly.
By Lefty Kreh
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