[NTOTTSN]

I have been reading alot about leaders/tippets but I'm still a little fuzzy understanding leaders/tippets formulas and the purpose behind them. Can someone explain the formula below and so I understand it. I know it ends up as a 3X tippets but why all the different sizes in the middle? (26" of 07X) 22" of 05X (17" of 03X) 7"of 02X (7" of 0X) 7" of 2X (22" of 3X)

 

[Randy Knapp]

This is just a tapered leader. Your 0X size is .011 inch so the 26" of 07X is .007 added on to .011 or .018 (Maxima leader material would be 20lb test or.017 inch. 22" of 05X would be .016 inch (closest Maxima would be 15lb test). 17" of 03X would be .014 (closest Maxima would be 12lb test).7" of 02X is .013 (closest Maxima would be 10lb test). 7" of 0X would be .011 (closest Maxima would be 8lb test). 7" of 2X would be .009 inch (Maxima would be 6lb test). Finally, the 3X tippet is .008 inch (Maxima 5lb would be right on the money). So using good old reliable inexpensive Maxima, this leaded would look like this.
20lb 15lb 12lb 10lb 8lb 5lb
_____________ ___________ ________ ___ ___ ___________

26" 22" 17" 7" 7" 22"

If you had 7" (I prefer 12") of 25lb Maxima attached to your fly line with a perfection loop at the end and had another loop on the 20lb end. then joining the two would give you a 9' tapered leader (putting the loops in allows you to change leaders. Putting a loop at the other end would allow you to change tippets.

Hope this helps.

Randy

 

[troutman101]

You know, I don't really know too many prople that actually hand build their dry fly leaders. I just use the standard climax tapered models. They last a long time if you start to build your leader from a new tepaered leader. You usually end up just cutting off 6" from the end and tying on 20" of the same diameter that you cutt off. From there you can take your formula down to about 1X or 2X before you need to replace it. This means just having to tie on 4 or 5 different lengths of leader material rather than 8 different lengths. Some people insist on tying the whole leader by hand but I think it is too tedious and would rather spend my time tying flies. Besides, when the leader is new you only have to tie on the tippet. It is only after breaking off or getting wind knots that you will have to tie on the other lengths of leader.

Does this make sense? Maybe someone else can help me clarify what I am talking about.

-T

 

[DiejehHehdudhhe8373737]

.

 

[nicoldrysdale]

hey,

Most leader material is quite glossy. There's some products out there that give the leader a matte finish and take off any grease. I've never used it but i'm thinkin' about trying some. I've just used dirt in the past to dull it. Anyone out there using it or tried it?

Cheers

nic

 

[Old Man]

I might be old---but I'm good.

The old timers used mud. ROFESSOR

 

[Noah Pefaur]

Being on a budget, and not really knowing what the right thing to do is most of the time, here is my 50 cents. I've been buying a tapered leader, and cutting the last 1-2 feet off. Then I tie in a loop, and do the same for the tippet that I want to tie the fly to. I just loop the two together and save the cost of the tapered leader. I'm not sure if the wind knots are related to this or to my bad bad casting technique.