Hand-tied leaders
- This topic has 10 replies, 9 voices, and was last updated Aug 2, 2006 at 7:52 pm by
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Bill,
I started tying my own leaders about seven years ago. Since then I’ve worked through two kits. I think that hand built leaders turn over a little better than an extracted one because the butt section can be fashioned to match a specific line diameter rather than buying one that roughly matches two or three line weights. I think it reduces hinging, but that difference alone wouldn’t be a good reason to spend $50 – 90 to get started.
The biggest advantage is that you can customize them to fit any fishing situation, nymph leaders, dry fly leaders, streamer leaders, etc. I usually carry a wallet of leaders, each intended to be fished on a specific rod with a specific range of fly sizes in mind. I also carry a couple of all-purpose leaders in case the fish don’t have the same vision.
It requires a little work. It takes me from 20 – 30 minutes, depending on the number of sections, to measure the material and make the blood knot connections. I’ve bought a couple of knot tools and haven’t found one to be any better than another, or any better than doing it by hand. A couple of things that I use to make the connections a little snugger are two pieces of bike innertube (they allow me to grip the mono without tearing up my hands–they also act as a straightner) and a bottle of kids soap bubbles to lubricate the knots.
I use Rio products for most all applications. However, for really fine dry fly leaders I’ll switch to Orivis
Bryan hit the proverbial “nail on the Head”. I tie my own ’cause I enjoy it….just like tying flies and building rods. I usually tie my leaders while sitting on a rock by the stream, on the cross-country flight to Montana (Pre 911) or while waiting for breakfast on the front porch of Roosevelt Lodge.
I usually only replace the tippet and maybe the next section each day. The butt section is durable enough and will last a lot longer. I use Orvis Super Strong exclusively….simply because I’ve used it a long time with no problems. I lubricate the knots with saliva and slowly pull them tight. Trim with nippers leaving a tag of about 1/16 inch.
I also use the Dennison Leader Tool for the blood knots:
The initial investment is knot that much….4 spools of tippet, Dennison Tool and nippers for about $25 bones. I’ve tied them for so long, I don’t measure the sections. I can guesstimate pretty close.
Give it a try…………Drifter
Tying your own leaders is the way to go. Like the others have said it allows you the freedom to tailor your leader to your specific needs. I tend to like maxima leaders (the chameleon color is allot easier to work with), and using a surgeon’s knot make connecting sections easy.
I tend to take a ‘both’ approach.
I generally trout fish with a system starting with a 9′ 5x tapered leader, to which I tie about 3′ of 6x flourocarbon.
In answer to rule 1 try an Albright knot. There aren’t a lot of instances when one would want to connect materials of such dissimalar sizes, shock/bite tippets being the most obvious, but an Albright is very secure and takes less time and material than something like a bimini twist.
In answer to rule 1 try an Albright knot. There aren’t a lot of instances when one would want to connect materials of such dissimalar sizes, shock/bite tippets being the most obvious, but an Albright is very secure and takes less time and material than something like a bimini twist. Rule 4 is dead on.
I use the albright on my streamer leaders where I go from 2′ 30# 2′ 20# and 2′ 10#. The albright is also a great backing to fly line knot. Much better then a nail that can cut the fly line and slip off.
BTW Carter thanks fot the leader tip! I just bought 20 12′ leaders for $20.
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