Leader setup

[Castcane]

Excellent job on the Internet Radio show. Question on your leader description of 20lb. + 14lb. Gold Stren + tippet - if you want to use 3 flies don't you have to start double surgeon knotting additional tippet material on? I assume the Davy Leader knot is not for droppers so the 20lb. + 14lb. + tippet would be a one fly setup. So far I haven't found leader formulas covering various setups. Is there a thread or internet site out there that does a good job? Many thanks, Castcane.

[Adam]

Reply #2 on: March 26, 2009, 03:21:17 PM »Quote I use 20 and 15 pound Clear Maxima. I use a 2 to 1 ratio of 20 to 15 pound. That's for the butt section. I can make butt sections up to 24 feet using this. There is no majic formula. I always used to ask what the set up was. The answer is, what works for me might not work for you.I use leaders anywhere from 15 to 30 feet. It depends on the stream and or flies that I am going to be fishing.

The RIO Powerflex in .01z and .015 also work well.

Above Quote is from one of Aaron's previous posts...

[AaronJasper]

If you simply attach another piece of tippet to the second section of tippet material you can fish three flies. There is no reason to use only tippet for the entire leader or even clear leader material but I like the yellow because it creates a contrast that's easy to see. Like Adam said you can substitute the RIO Powerflex if you would like.

[Castcane]

Thank you for your replies.Tight lines, Castcane.

[BurghBum]

Didn't someone say on these boards that the PA leader length limit is 18' ?

Also, to recap the explanation of creating your own leader that Aaron gave on the radio interview @ 43:08 into the interview.

• Attached to the fly line is 20lb Golden Stren (3 feet long) - secured with a three-turn clinch knot.
• Attached to the 20lb Golden Stren is 14lb Golden Stren (2 feet long) -
• Attached to the 14lb Golden Stren is your tippet (4x-7x)

So now you have a 5-foot butt section of your leader with 10-25 feet of tippet.

(Hope I got that all correct...)

Now my question, for the 20lb/14lb connection as well as the 14lb to tippet connection are you just using a surgeon's knot, blood or Davy?

Of course, like it is said over and over again, it is best to find out what you like best. Don't lock into a certain system just because someone else uses it. Take it all in, modify it, optimize it for your own art of fly fishing and I promise you that you will feel better about everything you accomplish in this wonderful sport.

[Flyfisher]

The 18' rule is only for Fly Fishing only C&R areas. In any other area of the streams you can use a log of a leader as you would like.

[BurghBum]

wow, I learn something new everyday. I fish C&R areas probably 99% of the time and I'll have to admit that I probably had a leader over 18' at one point or another.

Would it still be viable to create my own leader? If I were to use the system from the radio show should I shorten the butt or just use less tippet to stay below the 18'?

[Flyfisher]

i usually shorten everything up some except the tippet and end up with a leader in the 14' to 17' range. If you are making a 30' leader then just divide the lengths in half and that should work for you.

[BurghBum]

thanks! Going to head to Neshannock on Friday I think, and that's all delayed harvest C&R.

[BurghBum]

I can't for the life of me figure out the Davy knot. Everytime I pull hard it lets go. I was watching youtube videos on it but must be missing something that is going on. Are there any diagrams out there that someone knows about? It would be much appreciated.