Matching line, leader, & fly

Ducfat	October 24th, 2007, 11:06 am
Posts: 10	Hopefully a simple question, but can't seem to find a straight answer. Is there a general rule about matching line weight to leader/tippet size to fly size? I realize that much depends on the conditions and size of fish you are after, but is there a range of leaders that work best with a particular line weight? What would be the ideal leader (size and length) and fly size to match up with a 6 wt rod and line that would best let me practice casting?

Dryfly	October 24th, 2007, 2:03 pm
rochester mn Posts: 133	When fishing with sinking line it is better to use a short leader so your fly gets down there. With a longer leader the tip of the fly line could be deep but since the leader doesn't sink as fast the fly could be high. With practicing use the leader and fly you'll be fishing that way you'll won't practice and then get to the water with a real leader and not be able to cast efficiently. A 9 ft. leader would be a good place to start. If you don't like the perfomance you coulden shorten it or lengthen.

LittleJ	October 24th, 2007, 2:24 pm
Hollidaysburg Pa Posts: 251	dufcat, I think you'll find that your tippet size matters little to your line weight. The butt section of your leader is what matters. I typically start with 25 lb and taper from there for my 4 and 5 wt. Where you end up as far as tippet size matters very little as long as you build your taper right. If you find your leader /line connection isn't turning over very well adjust your diameter accordingly. I believe someone on this board posted a simple test to see if your butt section and line match up, but i can remember neither the test or the topic. As far as length is concerned the fishing conditions dictate leader length more than anything else for me ....low clear water =long light leaders, fast muddy water = short heavy leaders. Jeff

Quillgordon	October 24th, 2007, 4:37 pm
Schuylkill County, PA. Posts: 109	Ducfat, I would say there is no 'general rule' when matching lines to leaders. There are many factors to consider. You may want to save this article for future use. http://www.flyfishusa.com/tackle-tips/leaders/about-leaders.html John
	Flyfishing is a state of mind! .............. Q.g. C/R........barbless

Dano	October 25th, 2007, 12:58 pm
Vanderbilt, Michigan Posts: 101	Ducfat, I'm not aware of any general rule of thumb for matching leader to fly line, other than diameter(s) are far more accurate (important) than pound test ratings for a well balanced leader... I've been building my own leaders for almost as long as I've been throwing flies. When Orvis sold their "Super Strong" leader kits, the recipes (if I recollect correctly) were broken down into leader lengths by line weight plus seperate recipies for salmon/steelhead leaders. Butt diameters for for lines under a 5wt were .021 and for 6wt and above were .023, again this is my recollection. The recipe I currently use (forget where I got it from) starts with butt diameters for 5wt and under at .019 and .021 for 6wt and above. As to your last question; I'd recommend using a 7.5 foot leader with a butt diameter of .021 tapered down to a .009 (2X) tippet with a #12 fly, the hook being "nipped" off so it won't catch on the grass...FWIW. Dano
	Eventually, all things merge into one...and a river runs through it.

GONZO	October 25th, 2007, 6:43 pm
Site Editor "Bear Swamp," PA Posts: 1681	I believe someone on this board posted a simple test to see if your butt section and line match up . . . . Jeff, if you plug the words "flex test" into the Google site search, you'll find my post about that. Thanks for remembering! Gonzo

Quick Reply

You have to be logged in to post on the forum. It's this easy:

Related Discussions

Title	Replies	Last Reply
Re: I need to know a few things. In Beginner Help by Vunderkind	5	Nov 4, 2012 by Cutbow
Re: Questions about leaders and tippets In Beginner Help by Cptenn94	8	Apr 30, 2015 by Wbranch
Re: Tippet affecting Energy Transfer? In Gear Talk by FisherOfMen	6	Apr 28, 2015 by Cptenn94
Re: Need advice In General Discussion by Hueste	5	Mar 14, 2007 by The_Sib
Re: LEADERS!!! In Gear Talk by Ericd	14	May 25, 2010 by Ericd
Re: New flyline set up In Gear Talk by David82nd	16	Jun 12, 2017 by Wbranch
Re: Cork Screw Leaders In Gear Talk by Wbranch	1	Oct 3, 2016 by PaulRoberts
Re: Learning lines? In Beginner Help by GaryO	1	Jul 21, 2015 by Wbranch
Re: Leaders. In General Discussion by Sayfu	14	Aug 14, 2012 by Sayfu
Re: Furled leaders In Gear Talk by Adirman	11	Jul 13, 2018 by Adirman

Troutnut Forum > Fly Fishing > Matching line, leader, & fly

Quick Reply

Related Discussions

Troutnut Forum
>
Fly Fishing
> Matching line, leader, & fly