Stretch it

 

stretch it thru a piece of old inner tube.

 

I've stretched it many ways, but what I'm looking for is something almost perfectly straight.

 

there's always going to be memory in monofilament brother. besides nothing is perfect in this world

 

It's unfortunate. Well, I guess spit, grit, and some stretching will do.

 

I grab it at the knots of each section of tippet and pull it out( stretch it).

 

I dont.

A perfectly straight leader is not necessary for the fishing I do.

 

Before I start fishing, I use the weather-stripping on the car door to stretch out a badly coiled leader.

 

My friend Tony, taught this old fly fisher a new trick. You can laugh, but I have stretched it, used rubber inner tube, etc. It is so simple, I had to laugh. Go ahead and do your normal stretching. But, after, stretch it across the knee of your pants or blue jeans and rub it back and forth while stretching. Why the hell that is different, I know not! But, it works much better!!!! Now go try it skeptics!! Don't just read this! I was amazed. You CAN teach an old dog new tricks.

 

Hook a 24" trout first cast....works every time

 

I've heard that using rubber to stretch the leader creates heat that deteriorates the line...any truth to that?

I just grasp it between my fingers and palm, and pull it thru. It tends to work about as good as anything.

 

Hook into a large fish.

 

if your getting tangles when your casting its not the leader. its your casting your putting your arm down to soon. after the forward stop wait a second then put your arm down.

 

I pull it through my bare hands. If it gets too hot, I slow down so as not to fatigue the leader/tippet. I've used those leather patches, inner tube, etc but they generate a lot of heat unless you do it really slow. You won't feel that heat. My reasoning is simple -- I wouldn't leave my leader or tippet on the dashboard of my car in the summer, so why submit it to that sort of heat when I straighten it?

Trapper

 

I pull it through my bare hands. If it gets too hot, I slow down so as not to fatigue the leader/tippet. I've used those leather patches, inner tube, etc but they generate a lot of heat unless you do it really slow. You won't feel that heat. My reasoning is simple -- I wouldn't leave my leader or tippet on the dashboard of my car in the summer, so why submit it to that sort of heat when I straighten it? Trapper

I pull it through a piece of soft leather held between my thumb and index finger. Pinch it tight and pull. That is the usual method. Most of time I use bare hands but occasionally use the leather patch if I have any cuts, etc.

 

Furled leaders here

 

Furled is the best! Anyone who says they are too short should know I used one on a 6wt fishing a morning trico hatch last summer and did well. Just add a few feet of tippet and some floatant and fish tangle free!

 

Stretching the leader works well enough to get a coiled leader relatively straight. Running it through an inner tube, leader straightener (rubber lined) or along your pant leg, etc. creates friction/warmth that monofilament responds to. Friction causes it to take the shape. If you stretch it and hold it straight, it will assume that straight shape, for the most part. You can also heat with a hair drier but must be careful not to overheat it or the strength will be lessened. How hot? Who knows? Try it. I've straightened 60 lb. to make shock tippets that are almost straight.

 

You can also heat with a hair drier but must be careful not to overheat it or the strength will be lessened. How hot? Who knows? Try it. I've straightened 60 lb. to make shock tippets that are almost straight.

So...do you plug it in a currant bush?

 

I've always wanted to try those furled leaders, but never did. To cheap I guess. I just pull it straight. If it is on the butt section I'll use a leader straightener. Sometime the heavier the leader the harder it is to pull the coils out.

 

I've always wanted to try those furled leaders, but never did. To cheap I guess. I just pull it straight. If it is on the butt section I'll use a leader straightener. Sometime the heavier the leader the harder it is to pull the coils out.

Why don't you furl your own? I made a jig and have made leaders up to 10 feet in length from 4 lb. mono. You can use 6/0 tying thread as well and they work very well as trout leaders. There are several jig patterns/instructions on the web. Just Google "furled leader" and go from there. They are actually quite simple to make.

 

Go to your local tackle shop and buy a one foot section of rubber tubing used for steelhead gear fishing. Cut it into six 2" long sections.
Run the leader through a section of tubing. Pinch the tubing between your fingers and pull the leader through it.
One foot of tubing will last you a lifetime of leader straightening.
Easy to carry on your vest, tube, pack etc.
SF

 

For most fishing, a quick pull(stretch) is sufficient. If I'm stalking super wary fish in low, clear water and presentation is everything, then I'll run it through a leader straightener(or buckskin) after stretching.

 

Well it usually starts with Elizabeth doing a bit of a dance and slowly taking off her clothes...

 

Another vote for furled leaders. Been so long since I've used the old mono leaders that I mistook the subject line for something else.

How do you straighten a furled leader? Cast it!

 

The notion that you can "overheat" your leader by pulling it through a leader straightening patch seems like an old wive's tale to me. I'm not sure what speed you would have to achieve in order to create enough friction to actually harm the material. Pulling it through at about 3 feet at a time is not going to build up any serious heat. Nylon 6 has a melting point of 428 degrees and 6,6 melts at 509 degrees. The heat generated by pulling line through a straightener is far different than the heat generated in the case of UV exposure. UV is just death to nylon and ultimately almost anything exposed to long term exposure is going to deteriorate.

Flourocarbon is of course a different animal and doesn't have some of the shortcomings of monofilament. But either one will probably not be harmed by infusing a little heat to help get rid of the curl.

Ive

 

The notion that you can "overheat" your leader by pulling it through a leader straightening patch seems like an old wive's tale to me.

I'm not claiming you can melt the mono, I'm worried about causing enough fatigue in one spot that it fails at some point in the future. The dashboard reference was to illustrate my point that abusing your leader or tippet is not a good idea.

I threw away my patch years ago when my leaders starting breaking in unexpected places. I didn't know exactly what was causing the failures. After I quit using the leather patch, the problem went away. It could have been that my casting improved and I had fewer wind knots (aka bad casting knots), but by then I got used to not having that leather patch hanging off my vest.

Lastly, I'm not advocating anyone change what works for them. I was simply answering the question
How do YOU straighten your leader?

Trapper

 

another who uses furled leaders...they flat out perform anything else I've ever used.

 

I have one of those instant hot water taps in my kitchen. After building my own leaders, or to remove really serious kinks in existing ones, I run the line through the running hot water. Works really well, and no apparent heat damage.

 

besides nothing is perfect in this world

My dog is.