Knots and leaders

Started by Benni3, April 18, 2020, 06:16:58 AM

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Ron Jones



Turke  knot -the knot ends up on the shank of the hook instead of in front of it.  I think that they use the Turle  for those tiny dry flies with upturned or downturned eyes, so that the knot doesn't tip the fly down.
-J
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A friend of mine used to snell tippet straight to a hook and then tied the fly over the hook for anything as small as a midge. He would even tie 3-4 on a single tippet, hardest part was keeping them straight up and down so they swim right he would say. All I know is that he could catch fish.

The Man
Ronald Jones
To those who have gone to sea and returned and to those who have gone to sea and will never return
"

wfjord

#16
Quote from: Ron Jones on April 19, 2020, 06:14:07 AM
One day I broke off everything and didn't have anything to replace the rig. I used a surgeon's loop in the end of 15# floro and tied it to a big streamer (I think it was a deceiver) about 6-7ft long leader. Steelhead and sea-run cutthroat didn't seem to notice that I didn't have 3 pieces of line.

The Man

You don't have to have 3 pieces of line. I often use just two, but the bottom section needs to be the weak link, primarily for the reason that you don't lose everything.  A single level line would work just fine otherwise.


Quote from: jurelometer on April 19, 2020, 06:12:45 AM

I could never figure out why somebody needed a $700 fly rod to cast 30 feet, and a $400 reel to hold the fly line.   But that is trout fishing for you...    If I am fishing with a group,  I want  to be the guy with the cheapest, most beat up gear.   Then the pressure is on the other guy :)

-J

My go-to 8-weight rod is an old 8'6" BassPro White River CV that I bought used for $50 from a guy fifteen years ago. Probably the best rod purchase I've ever made, and I've caught my biggest fish on it.  It turned out to be such a light, strong, super smooth casting rod, and such a pleasure to use that I've never had the urge to look for a better 8wt.  Years later when I was looking for another one just like it for a backup, I read that BassPro had made some less than desirable changes to that model and at some point discontinued it.

I do have some high end trout rods, but I got every one of them from fly shops on close-out for half price or better (NOS) when the manufacturers discontinued them for newer models.  Same with a lot of my reels.  It's older stuff and still top notch, but then I'm drawn to vintage gear.  The latest new high end fly gear is way out of my ball park.  Not to say I wouldn't consider buying it if cost was no issue.

jurelometer

Quote from: Ron Jones on April 19, 2020, 06:14:07 AM
The fly shop in Port Angeles installs a pre made loop in the end of the fly line. Don't know how else to explain it and haven't watched him do it, but it makes attaching a leader really easy. I've caught a bunch of steelhead with it. The whole tapered thing doesn't seem that big of a deal either if you are using floro. One day I broke off everything and didn't have anything to replace the rig. I used a surgeon's loop in the end of 15# floro and tied it to a big streamer (I think it was a deceiver) about 6-7ft long leader. Steelhead and sea-run cutthroat didn't seem to notice that I didn't have 3 pieces of line.

On the rare occasion that I wet a fly, I still use a leader and tippet, but I'm not certain that I need it.

The Man

I knew if we kept at this long enough, Ron and I would agree on something  :)  Ron and I are in the minority on straight shots (leaders that is).

For 90% of my fishing,  I use a single straight section of tippet.  Kreh loop on the back, and a Kreh loop on my fly at the front.  If the tippet is stronger than the fly line (30-40 lb),  I tie a short section of 20 on the back as a fuse.  Absolutely no reason for a tapered leader on a big subsurface fly.

If you are going for a record,  there are complicated IGFA rules for leader construction, and the bite tippet usually has to be short (12 inch?).

Tapered leaders do not do much to help unroll the cast cleanly unless the fly is very light.  Some folks use furled/twisted lines to make up the back two thirds of the leader.  It will help turn over a larger fly better, but it is not much more quiet or invisible than the fly line.  A shorter leader works fine,  and if you can double haul correctly,  the line speed will help unroll the leader better than any tapered leader.

There are places for a long tapered leader.   If you are fishing calm flats for spooky fish, and you have to land a small fly gently and accurately,  a properly constructed tapered leader does help.

-J.