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Leaders for the salt
- Subject: Leaders for the salt
- Date: Fri, 01 Jun 2007 21:44:48 -0400
Walter & Group...
Rick Whorwood has posed many questions about salt water leaders. Note
my answers in his text in BOLD CAPS:-
Gordy
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Hi Gordy
Here are the questions I sent Bruce, please give me your
thoughts on these.
Lefty say's to use the same manufacture when building a
leader, my thought would be for two reason's:
1, Same hardness/softness in material ?
2, Consistency in diameter as you drop in sizes
?
3, I notice you don't follow his rule of thumb on
manufactures materials, your thoughts ?
THERE ARE THREE REASONS TO USE THE SAME MATERIAL
MADE BY THE SAME MANUFACTURER.
FIRST, YOU END UP WITH SMOOTH
TRANSFER OF ENERGY PROVIDED YOU HAVE NOT HAD TOO GREAT A DROP IN MATERIAL SIZE
BETWEEN SEGMENTS.
SECOND, THERE IS GREATER LIKELIHOOD
OF GOOD KNOT STRENGTH.
THIRD, YOU ARE USING MATERIAL WHICH
HAS THE SAME RELATIVE STIFFNESS ("BENDABILITY") PER DIAMETER MEASUREMENT.
THIS CAN LEAD TO BETTER LOOP TURNOVER.
I DO FOLLOW THIS LINE OF THINKING EXCEPT
FOR:
1.) BITE TIPPETS (SHOCK TIPPETS). HERE,
FLEXIBILITY IS SUBORDINATE TO ABRASION RESISTANCE AND
VISIBILITY.
2.) SALT WATER CLASS TIPPETS. FOR FISH IN
CLEAR WATER WHICH ARE SPOOKY, I PREFER TO USE FLUOROCARBON BECAUSE IT IS
LESS VISABLE.
4, Do you use pound test or diameter to determine
your sections?
I USE POUND TEST, BECAUSE ITS EASIER, AND WHEN I
AM USING THE SAME MATERIAL, I KNOW THAT THERE IS THE SAME RELATIONSHIP BETWEN
POUND TEST AND DIAMETER FOR EACH SEGMENT.
5, I also notice that you use different hardness/softness
in materials, for different area's
what are your thought's on this ?
THE ONLY DIFFERENCES ARE WITH THE SHOCK TIPPET AND
THE CLASS TIPPET. THE SHOCK, BECAUSE I WANT HARDNESS, RESISTANCE TO
ABRASION, AND MINIMAL VISIBILITY. THE CLASS TIPPET BECAUSE I WANT
STRENGTH/DIAMETER AND MINIMAL VISABILITY.
6, Fluorocarbon verse Mono ?
FOR ALMOST ALL OF MY SALTY LEADERS, I USE THE
COMBO DESCRIBED ABOVE. I MIGHT CONSIDER ALL FLUOROCARBON LEADERS, EXCEPT
FOR TWO THINGS. EXPENSE, AND LACK OF THE SAME DEGREE OF KNOT
STRENGTH.
WHEN I DO MARRY MY CLASS TIPPET TO MY TAPERED
SECTION, IT IS WITH A LOOP-TO-LOOP CONNECTION.
7, I've been told that you should never have an all
fluorocarbon leader, fluorocarbon has very little stretch, and you should always
build mono into the leader, any thoughts on this ?
WE HAVE SO MUCH STRETCH IN MOST OF OUR FLY LINES,
THAT I DON'T THINK THIS IS AN IMPORTANT FACTOR. WHAT MAY BE IMPORTANT TO
THE ANGLER IS THE FACT THAT A FLUOROCARBON LEADER IS MORE DENSE THAN A NYLON
MONO LEADER AND SINKS FASTER.
8, Lefty say's (and I hate quoting someone, but we can use
it as a starting point) That 1/2 your leader needs to be butt, Most use a
60/20/20, Do you follow this ?
YES ... BUT ONLY AS A ROUGH APPROXIMATION.
NOT FOR BIG GAME FISH SUCH AS TARPON AND BILLFISH, HOWEVER. THAT FORMULA
IS A BASIC STARTING POINT FOR THE DESCRIPTION OF, "A TYPICAL LEADER". MOST
OF US DEPART FROM THIS BASIC RULE OF THUMB AS WE CUSTOMIZE OUR LEADERS IN ORDER
TO GAIN THE PERFORMANCE WE WANT.
9, how important and what determines the butt
diameter/pound test, when designing a leader, is there a rule you abide by, i.e.
diameter of the fly line ?
I WANT MY BUTT SECTION TO HAVE APPROXIMATELY THE
SAME, "BENDABILITY" AS THE TIP OF MY FLY LINE. THAT, "BENDABILITY" CAN BE
THE SAME FOR THICKER, SOFT MATERIAL AS IT IS FOR THINNER, HARD MATERIAL.
THIS IS THE ANSWER TO THE AGE OLD ARGUEMENT AS TO WHETHER HARD MATERIAL OR
SOFT MATERIAL IS BETTER ! EITHER CAN ALLOW SMOOTH TRANSFER OF
ENERGY FROM THE FLY LINE TO THE FLY.
OBVIOUSLY, ONE WOULD CHOOSE HARD, NARROW MATERIAL
IF WEDDING A BUTT SECTION TO THE END OF THE FLY LINE WITH A NEEDLE KNOT PASSED
THROUGH THE END OF THE FLY LINE.
10, do you have different leaders to deal with the wind
verse calm days for the same line i.e.:8wt ?
YES. I'LL LENGTHEN MY LEADERS ON FLAT CALM
DAYS AND SHORTEN THEM FOR WINDY DAYS.
11, length, how important and what is your
rule?
FOR MOST OF MY SALT WATER FISHING, MY GENERAL RULE
IS TO USE A LEADER ABOUT A FOOT LONGER THAN MY ROD FOR AVERAGE FISHING IN
AVERAGE WEATHER. MUCH LONGER (SAY 12 - 14 FEET) FOR PERMIT IN CALM
WEATHER.
IN LENGTHENING MY LEADER FOR WHATEVER REASON, I
BACK OFF WHEN I GET TO THE POINT THAT MY ACCURACY SUFFERS.
12, Knot's: what are you most common knot for a
Bonefish/Permit, and Tarpon leader?
STARTING FROM THE FLY LINE CONNECTION AND ENDING
AT THE FLY, FOR EACH:-
BONEFISH & PERMIT: LOOP
TO LOOP WITH A UNI LOOP TO THE FLY LINE / BLOOD KNOTS FOR THE TAPERED SECTION /
UNI LOOP AT THE END OF THE TAPERED SECTION, LOOP-TO-LOOP CONNECTION TO MY CLASS
TIPPET WITH A 2x SURGEONS LOOP IN THE CLASS TIPPET. CLASS TIPPET TO THE
FLY USING EITHER A UNI LOOP (DUNCAN LOOP) OR A, "LEFTY KREH NON-SLIP
LOOP"
TARPON: BUTT SECTION OF 50#
OR 60# MONO LOOP-TO-LOOPED TO THE FLY LINE ; 5' OR 6' IN LENGTH. 1' OF 40
LB MONO ATTACHED TO THE BUTT SECTION WITH A BLOOD KNOT. AT THE OTHER END
OF THE 40 LB. SECTION, I HAVE A 1/2" LONG UNI LOOP.
TO THIS I ATTACH BY LOOP-TO-LOOP CONNECTION, MY
SHOCK TIPPET / CLASS TIPPET ASSEMBLY.
THIS ASSEMBLY WILL VARY DEPENDING ON WHETHER OR
NOT I WISH TO FISH STRICTLY ACCORDING TO IGFA RULES. IF I DO THAT, I'LL
START AT THE FLY WITH A 60# TO 80# FLUOROCARBON SHOCK TIPPET TIED TO THE FLY
WITH A SNELL (IF I WANT STRAIGHT TRACKING OF THE FLY) OR A MODIFIED HUFFNAGLE
LOOP OR NON-SLIP LOOP. THE OTHER END IS ATTACHED TO MY BITE TIPPET OF 20#
FLUOROCARBON OR NYLON MONO WITH A MODIFIED HUFFNAGLE KNOT. MY CLASS TIPPET
WILL BE ABOUT 18' TO 24" LONG WITH A BIMINI TWIST AT EACH END. AT THE TOP
OF MY CLASS TIPPET, I USE A FURLED LOOP MADE BY FURLING THE DOUBLE LINE FROM THE
BIMINI, THEN FURLING THE FURLED LEADER TO MAKE A SPRING LOADED LOOP 1/4" IN
LENGTH AND FINISHING IT WITH A 2x SURGEONS KNOT AT ITS
BASE.
IF I DON'T WANT TO GO THAT ROUTE, I'LL USE A MUCH
SIMPLER ARRANGEMENT, WITH A SLIGHTLY LONGER BITE TIPPET ATTACHED TO MY CLASS
TIPPET BY MEANS OF AN ALBRIGHT SPECIAL AND A SIMPLE SURGEONS LOOP AT THE TOP OF
MY CLASS TIPPET.
13, Your thoughts on loop-loop connections over nail
knot's or braid loop's ?
I DON'T TRUST BRAIDED LOOPS FOR TWO REASONS.
I'VE HAD THEM GIVE WAY. ALSO, IN TROPICAL SALT WATERS, THE BARRACUDAS WILL
OCCASIONALLY CUT THEM OFF. (A GREAT CUDA FLY IS MADE BY WHIPPING ONE ONTO
A HOOK !)
THE NAIL KNOT ISN'T GOOD WHEN APPLIED TO SOME FLY
LINES, SUCH AS THE SO-CALLED, "SLIME LINES" AND OTHERS WITH SOFT COATINGS.
UNDER TENSION, THEY SOMETIMES PULL THE COATING RIGHT OFF THE END OF THE
LINE. ALSO, THEY DON'T ALLOW QUICK CHANGE OF BUTT
SECTIONS.
14, It's been said that leaders are very personal, and the
one part of your equipment that needs constant adjustment, in general terms
how do you prepare for this on your skiff (your bag of
tricks)
I CARRY A LEADER BOX WITH ALL THE LEADER MATERIALS
I MIGHT NEED AND THE SIMPLE TOOLS TO TIE LEADERS.
ANOTHER TRICK, IS THAT I HAVE A STAINLESS STEEL
STRAP SCREWED TO MY SKIFF CONSOLE. I CAN USE THIS TO ENGAGE THE HOOK WHEN
I'M TYING LEADERS UNDER TENSION.
FOR QUICK REFERENCE ON THE SKIFF, I USE THE LENGTH
OF MY ROD AS A MEASURING STICK, THOUGH I DO HAVE A PLASTIC RULER AND TAPE
MEASURE ON BOARD.
I hope you find these questions interesting, there is
no hurry for the answers, please answer as many as you can. I would like at some
point to do an article for my site on leaders, so as much detail as you can
supply would be great. It's your call if you think this is a good questionnaire
for the group to work on
GORDY