leader material or regular line?

[jimalbert]

Do you guys specifically use leader material for your trolling fly leaders?  Just wondering who used regular line vs. leader material.  In my experience fly fishing, leader material is more abrasion resistant but I dont know if I could ever tell a huge difference between regular line and leader.  I used to use Rio tippet and maxima to tie my own tapered leaders.  Now I have some pline fluoro leader material as well as some vicious in 20,30, and 50 pound but that stuff is super stiff.  I know alot of guys use big game, but is that leader as well?

 

Thanks,

 

Jim

[Sk8man]

Vicious doesn't have great breaking strength at the knot.  Seguar is really good stuff and I use both the regular red label stuff (line type) but the blue label may be a bit stiffer as well as abrasion resistant. They now offer some more specialized fluros to but I haven't tried them. For flies I tie my own and use 50 lb MONO as it has a bit of shock absorption and stretch and I don't use snubbers on any of my rigs. Teh 50 lb Big Game mono is also pretty abrasion resistant.

Edited June 21, 2015 by Sk8man

[jimalbert]

Thanks les. I knew you liked big game. Are you using the mono spool filler line or leader material?

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[Sk8man]

The mono spool filler. One of the reasons I use it is because it is very durable and strong as well. I started out using the previous version of it in salt water many many years ago when it was called Hombre and I still have the remainder of a 3,000 yd spool and the line is actually still good on it after about 30 years believe it or not

[jimalbert]

Thanks man. I appreciate it. Now the amount of beers goes from single digits to double.

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[spoonfed-1]

I use fluorocarbon leader material in 50 lb test.

You want a stiff leader to the fly as it will give the fly a good snap off the action of the attractor.

[Sk8man]

The reason I changed to 50 lb mono (which is pretty stiff) and now tie my own is because I had breakage with 30 plus pound kings with commercially tied flies. Fluoro is stiff but it is also brittle and with some knots can even cut itself and the stretch in the mono helps absorb shock. It is a matter of preference I guess in the final analysis but losing those really nice fish (and flies) did it for me.

[spoonfed-1]

The reason I changed to 50 lb mono (which is pretty stiff) and now tie my own is because I had breakage with 30 plus pound kings with commercially tied flies. Fluoro is stiff but it is also brittle and with some knots can even cut itself and the stretch in the mono helps absorb shock. It is a matter of preference I guess in the final analysis but losing those really nice fish (and flies) did it for me.

 

Strange.

I have not experienced this phenomenon.

 

Nicks or frays in the leader would cause this unless the fly is retied with a new leader before it goes back in the water.

Poor quality leader material might also be the reason.

 

When the fish want a slow moving presentation you will notice the difference in catch rate using the stiffer leader material.

[Sk8man]

The fly was a popular commercial one often seen on this site and it was just taken out of the package that day and it wasn't the only occurance   I haven't had any problems since tying my own and I guess that is what it is about....having faith in your equipment which to me is more important than the potential stiffness issue. I use fluoro for many other applications but not this particular one.

Edited June 21, 2015 by Sk8man

[Silver Fox]

50# mono is stiff off coarse, but it's not even remotely close to how stiff 50# fluorocarbon is, especially the bloodrun. That's the stiffest flouro I've ever seen.

silverfoxcharters.net

[spoonfed-1]

Interesting how a "popular fly" could become popular with issues like this.

 

Good luck with your problems.

[Sk8man]

Stiffness is real important in some things....that's why all the Viagra commercials   I think it may be a bit over rated in this instance as well as the invisibility issue with fluoro....I wonder how many fish they interviewed to determine that they can't see it vs. mono. I think sometimes we take ourselves too seriously  and I'm not really disputing what you guys are saying...just that there are different ways of looking at it.

Edited June 21, 2015 by Sk8man

[BAZOOKAJOE]

I run floro leaders (seaguar) for spring Browns. Or if I'm fishing the top 40 ft in clearer water. And on my junk lines. Down deep or in muddy water I don't. I was catching spring kings last month in 40 fow (brown to green tinted)...down 20 with straight 20 lbs big game. Last summer we were catching kings down 80+ on straight 30 lbs flea flicker. This was with spoons. I don't leader down when using attractors.

Edited June 21, 2015 by BAZOOKAJOE

[jimalbert]

Thanks Everyone!