Furled Leader

[Pete]

I cut the eye off a large hook, filed off the barb and clamped it in my tying vise. Fold the leader a round the hook to form a loop. The hook is just used as a anchor point to keep tension on the leader as you wrap it. Hold the leader and the extra from the loop in one hand to keep tension on the leader, use the pinch method to hold the tag end of the thread. I then start the whip finish using my bobbin and thread. Just like tying a fly, I tie over the tag end. Depending on the size of the leader I will wrap tight wraps anywhere from a 1/4" to 3/8" in length. Throw in a couple of half-hitches and apply the super glue.

I need to take of pics of the process. Even with my crummy picture taking skills, they would probably be better than my long winded explanation.

Pete

[rayfound]

Rick, Thanks for the inspiration, the Jig is made, and I'm about to go try building a leader ( I have some 4lb mono, so that's what I'll be trying first).

[rayfound]

Well, I'm 3 leaders in and I've made one useable leader. Everything is good, except the tip end I keep getting kinks and screwups. Also, I will need to buy one of those $2 Knit pick tools, I'm trying to do the shorb loops with a Piece of heavy wire and a thumbtack, it works, but its a pain in the *.


4lb mono, I think, will be too heavy for most of my fishing (which I expected to be the case), I will need to go get some 2lb at big5. I'm using the exact setup as the hatches article.

[RSetina]

Well, I'm 3 leaders in and I've made one useable leader. Everything is good, except the tip end I keep getting kinks and screwups. Also, I will need to buy one of those $2 Knit pick tools, I'm trying to do the shorb loops with a Piece of heavy wire and a thumbtack, it works, but its a pain in the *.


4lb mono, I think, will be too heavy for most of my fishing (which I expected to be the case), I will need to go get some 2lb at big5. I'm using the exact setup as the hatches article.

Don't worry about getting one good one out of three. I had the same ratio and plan on throwing a few more away before I get proficient at this. Joann's has the knit pick tool and I bet Michael's has it too though I'd call before going to the second one to be sure. I think 4 pound mono is too thick for any fishing we do. If you have 11 strands, finished leader, at the butt section, I'm guessing you have a 35 to 40 pound test line there. Way too much for trout. 2 pound line is perfect for a 6 foot furled leader.

I avoided the kinks at the tippet end of the leader by grabbing the leader as it spins, midway from the bottom, pinching it and pulling downward. I think it helps smooth out the line and makes it furl more evenly. You should check out this thread on the furled leader site to add a tip ring to the end of the leader. On second one I made from 2lb mono I just tied a perfection knot for the loop. Seems to work ok but I would rather use a ring so I'll have to work on that technique next.

http://furledleaders.proboards.com/inde ... thread=319

[RSetina]

I cut the eye off a large hook, filed off the barb and clamped it in my tying vise. Fold the leader a round the hook to form a loop. The hook is just used as a anchor point to keep tension on the leader as you wrap it. Hold the leader and the extra from the loop in one hand to keep tension on the leader, use the pinch method to hold the tag end of the thread. I then start the whip finish using my bobbin and thread. Just like tying a fly, I tie over the tag end. Depending on the size of the leader I will wrap tight wraps anywhere from a 1/4" to 3/8" in length. Throw in a couple of half-hitches and apply the super glue.

I need to take of pics of the process. Even with my crummy picture taking skills, they would probably be better than my long winded explanation.

Pete

Sounds like a good way to make a loop. I'd like to see a picture of the process if you can. Your picture taking abilities will be great, I'm sure.

[rayfound]

Well, I'm now batting .500... I made 8 attempts this afternoon, and it yielded 4 keepers. Broke 2 twisting (donk ask me...), and lost 2 to Shorb-looping errors (still need to get the actual tool for this).

Really, its pretty * easy when you just get down to it. Reading about it confused the * out of me, but when I just started looping and twisting, I got it pretty quick - its a heck of a lot easier than tying flies!


All of today's were made using 2lb mono, and even at a 50% failure rate, a $3.99 spool of 2lb line (300 yards) is going to give me at least 4 good leaders, likely 5. That, is what we call a Deal and a half. Oh, and if they end up anything like the ones I've bought, they should last the better part of a season.

PS - Thanks again Rick.

[RSetina]

Good deal Ray. The nice thing is that you can make them any way you want. The variations are endless. Well almost endless anyway. I bought some Berkley Fire Line Fused Crystal line today. It looks like thread in a 4 pound test and it's 0.13 mm thick. I'm going to give a try tonight. I'll let you know what I think after I make a few.

[rkfiske]

Rick,
Definitely interested to hear your results! Sounds like if it turns out well, you'd have a very very durable leader!

[Pete]

You will love casting them. Even the leaders that look bad will turn over great. I was teaching a friend to cast last night and these leaders made me look like God's gift to casting.

I used my Nit-picker to make the loops on the first couple of leaders and finally settled on whip finishing them. Just looked more finished to me. Either way the loops will hold up longer than the leader itself.

Definately have to go with 2 lb. test. I figure it should work for just about any fresh water application. Let's see, two legs with a turn and a half on each leg that equals 12lb. Give or take. Now some engineering type will start talking about a strand having more or less tension which will not be sharing the load equally. Blah,blah, blah.... fact is the leader is still roughly 12 lb. test. Still stronger than a knotted leader

Pete

[tomsakai]

Boy, all these technical upgrades. Here I am still contemplating starting to tie my own flies and I'm confronted with furled leaders! I guess I have a lot to learn.

[rayfound]

Boy, all these technical upgrades. Here I am still contemplating starting to tie my own flies and I'm confronted with furled leaders! I guess I have a lot to learn.

Tom, the leaders are FAAAAAR easier than tying flies, and way cheaper to boot. equipment costs are nil if you have some scraps around the house.

I had the wood, and used an old broken rake handle as the pegs. I didn't have cup hooks, but I had loops... so I just bent them open with pliers.

That being said... its not quite as rewarding as flies, as a single leader will last you close to a season of steady use.

[Pete]

Here you go the perfect deal. Catching a wild fish on a fly you tied attached to a furled leader you made, tossed with a rod you built. For me it is either a Bamboo or Fiberglass rod I built. Next thing you know I will be buying or making the jigs to made my own snake guides and a lathe to make my own reel seat inserts. Yep both of those are on the projects list . Once I get "Renaissane Rods" off the ground I can write the toys off .

Pete

[briansII]

Have any of you fished twisted leader.

http://www.twistedleaders.com/twisted_leaders_info.html

I have not fished twisted, or furled, so I can't compare them. After reading a post on a forum, I tried making a twisted leader. No special board, tools or anything. If I could make one on my first try, I think a 3 year old could do it. Seems almost too simple. I know guys who use them a lot.

briansII

[Pete]

From what I can see looking at the utubes showing twisted leader construction, the twisted leader is a straight leader. The furled leader is a tapered leader.

Pete

[briansII]

The one I did tapered down to a doubled strand of mono. I don't remember exactly how many strands the butt section was, but I believe it was 4. Down at the bottom of the page, it says 4 down to 2?

http://www.twistedleaders.com/Twisted_Leaders.html

Seems more geared towards bass and big game stuff, but the one I did was with 6X. How it performs I don't know.....but then I rarely, if ever feel I need twisted/furled leaders. Maybe i'll give them a try.

briansII