The Board

Graeme
Whether or not you use them now is irrelevant .. they’re pretty cool! I’m still working on the video

This should be good

The invisible qualities we know that create the magic of casting have much to do with how we feel in actuality. Which for some is a worthy pursuit as the formulas or furling tables have a language of their own. Line systems often seem be technical or frustrating but, truly if you’re into tying then eventually you may find yourself questioning the knotless.

Much of the DIY experiences I’ve had were learning experiences or, maybe that’s what I want to believe.

-for example-

Twisted line can even be threaded into hollow-core and maybe best thought of as the handling section of a flyline of which works nicely with a tapered leader and is an interesting trick. This can be done simply by hand and in sizes that are often no longer than a rod length.

(versus)

The furled leader for presentation is that which saves us the trouble of a tapered leader and allows us to ponder such things as the micro swivel and tippet.

I suppose it’s healthy to go without setting limits on freewill or the natural properties of silly string.

The topic of furled leaders brings up a question: Does the stiffness of the leader matter? Does a limp leader straighten as well as a stiff leader. And I ask the same question regarding fly lines. Limp lines versus stiff lines -- warm water lines vs cold water lines -- what effect does the stiffness or lack thereof have on the cast?

Thanks and Cheers,

RS

I would explain leader building as neither flyline or, flytying?

Hint: titanium

Often, I’ll figure to keep combinations simple like green/clear; freshwater/saltwater; fluorocarbon/monofilament etc.

*green/clear was a good way to begin

The high tech stuff like gel spun is famous

For some reason “camo” or, intermediate tippet material works well with half hitches, if needed, and is compatible with gel spun when leader building.

Does the stiffness of the leader matter? Does a limp leader straighten as well as a stiff leader.

Yes it does. Let me give you two extreme examples. One is a very stiff “hard” mono that I once tried for snakehead fishing. The loop would open as the leader unfurled which made things very difficult. The other example is braid tippet. This is a very soft material and will collapse at about 8’6” no matter how long the leader (as long as it’s 8’6” or more) or how you adjust your cast.

We have the same results with flylines too. If you use a tropical line in a freezing environment the loops are difficult to tighten and the flyline casts like piano wire. Here in the topics with non tropical lines, I run into all sorts of other problems making it difficult to determine how much effect soft lines are a having on the loops, but what is interesting is that casters in the Sea Trout Distance event cut China-made DTs into shooting heads because these are softer lines and the loops morph tighter.

These are extreme examples and I think there is quite a large band of middle ground where everything works just fine. Which is just as well because leader stiffness and suppleness have fishing applications too. I want to fish supple leaders with small nymphs and dries for example. With Poppers I’d rather have something on the stiffer side… especially if I’m tying to wire as I do here.

Cheers, Paul