Recommended leader lengths for flashers

[Shade]

It is recommended that you run between an 18" - 30" leader between a Spin Doctor and your fly.

Is the length of the leader measured from:

1) the end of the treble hook to the SD swival

2) the end of the treble hook INCLUDING the SD swival

3) the nose of the fly to the SD swival

4) the nose of the fly INCLUDING SD swival

5) the length of the fly + Flurocarbine to the swival

6) the length of the fly + Flurocarbine + the swival

Shade

[chowder]

I asked this last year and the consensus was 4.)

The spacing you give (18-30") is for 8" spinnies, you can run much longer leads on 10" spinnies and I've been running longer leaders on the 8" and seen good results some days!

[Chromeslayer]

end of treble to top of my overhand knot on the fly leader... 21-24in is the range i like to use

[hpflyfishing]

Yes

[momay4000]

Shade,

#1 - I always measure from the end of the treble to the start of the swivel on the SD. I tie a large overhand knot in the leader to form a loop, then I pass the loop through the eye on the SD swivel, and then pass the fly through the loop to form a simple half hitch around the SD swivel. Ditto what Chromeslayer says on length......

Good luck,

- Chris

[Jack]

Went to the LOSTA seminar and according to the Good Folks from Best Chance Too Charters they say it's pretty much 3 times the length of the flasher . 8" SD 24" leader,10' SD or flasher 30" leader.

[skipper19]

And there's the..."Which hole in the nose of the spin doctor does the main line leader go in" and the "which hole in the tail of the spin doctor does the fly leader go in" I say any of them if it catches the fish...trial and error for a specific day and species, not just limited to leader length, but a lot of things in combination. I just think like the fish and ask myself does this action and color and speed look enticing to me? Lots of times I run more than 1 spiny or flasher and set them for different spin rates and frequency at a given speed, and adust the leader length for each to act differently and see which is the hot combo. I'm not quite so critical of the exact length of the fly leader as long as it is in the pre-described length range recommended to start with.

Mark

[Shade]

You absolutly right Skipper. This was based on a discussion on many topics. I myself have a few favorite flies as many others do and I have run several different leader lengths along with speeds and depths. Thanks for the input.

Shade