[FlyDog]

Morning All...
I'm new with all this so bare with me. I know there is tippet on the leader but am wondering if you add tippet material to a unused leader or do you wait till you've taken the tippet on the leader down some before before tying on additional tippet material?
Thanks..

[FoulHooked]

It's up to you and depends on what you start with as far as leader and tippet and what length and final diameter you want to end with. I generally wait for a 9' leader to get down around 7-7.5' before tying on (when using tapered knotless leaders). For most situations that I fish (stream and small river), it works pretty well for me.

Tippet length will also impact casting/turnover/presentation. Do whatever you're comfortable with and keep it simple to start, then experiment as you go. Keep in mind there are other leader options you may want to check out for some situations down the road. eg. I prefer using furled leaders (5.5' tapered furled leader with 3-5' level tippet) for small stream dry fly fishing.

[FlyDog]

Thanks for the reply,
I understand what a tapered, knotless leader is but not sure what a furled leader is. Could you explain?
Thanks...

[fyshstykr]

Here ya go FlyDog, hope this helps. LaFontaine Private Label - Furled Leaders

[Frank Whiton]

Originally Posted by FlyDog

Morning All...
I'm new with all this so bare with me. I know there is tippet on the leader but am wondering if you add tippet material to a unused leader or do you wait till you've taken the tippet on the leader down some before before tying on additional tippet material?
Thanks..

Hi FlyDog,

Here is what I do if I am fishing subsurface. I take a new leader and loop it to the fly line. I check the tippet using a Mike-Rite Leader Gauge and determine where the tippet starts to taper up. I cut off all but 6" of the tippet and tie a Perfection Loop in the end of the leader. I then take as much tippet material that I want to use and tie a Perfection Loop in one end. Now loop the new tippet onto the leader. I use the tippet loop to fasten split shot to the leader if I am using any. The knot keeps the shot from slipping down the leader. If you don't like to loop on the tippet you can add your tippet to the leader using a blood/barrel knot. Remember that each time you tie on a new tippet you use up the tippet on the leader. You will eventually run out of tippet on the leader.

Frank

Mike-Rite Leader Gauge

[FlyDog]

Thanks Guys,
Well yesterday I ate up a new leader mastering the nail knot, then thought
I was going to go insane trying to get the perfection loop down, using 6x tippit, from an internet animation
Deffinently not a Mepps on a swivel
Later my wife & I took a drive up the N. fork of the Yuba River to see where the snow was. Can't wait to get on the water.

[fyshstykr]

Sounds like you got the 'Nail Knot down', what did you use for tying the Nail Knot? a bobbin or hollow tube of somekind? For myself I have been using a large hypodermic needle that I got from a large animal vet, still havn't poked myself with it luckily.

I can see going insane tryng to learn the 'perfection loop' with 6x, try 2-3x until you get it down, and then switch to 6x.

Good Luck.

[Joni]

I am sooo spoiled. I started doing the nail knot with the tool Frank supports.



But my favorite is this one that is nippers, hook sharpener, eye cleaner and Nail Knot tool




Furle leaders are taking MONO or I prefer Thread. A long board with two rows of peg, but the last one in the middle to be shared by both sides.
Depending on how much of a taper you want is done by the amount of pegs put on both sides of the board. The pegs on left and right side are staggered except the first peg, which will be even and your starting and ending point. I use three pegs on each side (including the start and end peg) then the one in the middle.
You make a loop in the Thread or Mono, put it over first/start peg (either side), go down the board on the same side and loop around second peg, back to start. Keep doing this for however thick you want the but section (I use seven, odd number cause you are going to continue down the board on the last loop to the next #3 peg) Once you get to the 3rd peg, loop and go back to the second, but you have to go between the loops on the second to join them (on this I do 5 loops) on the last time around, go down to the last "center peg" but go around the outside and up the other side to peg 3 on the oppositer side. loop and go back around the center peg to the 3rd on the starting side, go between that loop and go back around center again this time up to #2 on the opposite side. Repeat in reverse.

You end up with a "U" shape starting with 7+7=14 / 5+5=10 / 3+3=6. If you stagger the pegs, you have now got a 14-12-10-8-6 taper. Put a clap on the center peg and twist both sides one at a time, same direction from the start and end peg. Twist till they have shrunk a couple of inched. Put a weight where the line forms a pont (a paper clip works good here with a 3lb sinker)
Grab both the start and finish ends, join them together but leave a small loop for the SHORB finish loop. Carefully lift and keep tension or it will pig tail
hang and let it spin away. Remove weight and let it continue to spin.

Hard to describe but Kathy Scott has a DVD out that is fantastic and takes you step by step. I think it cost like $15.
They are the best and last a long time. A little gink, aqual, or muicilin to float and Xink to sink.

[Frank Whiton]

Hi to all,

Good idea about using larger mono to practice your knots. I like to use 10lb gold colored line. The color makes it easier to see. Keep a spool of mono by your TV chair and you can practice while you are watching TV with the wife. The more you practice the easier it is to tie a knot on the stream, in the wind, in the rain, you get the idea. They make stream side guides for tying knots but on the stream is not the place to learn how to tie knots.

Joni, I use to use a nipper with the eye cleaner needle but it seem like I was sticking myself too often. I now use the Dr. Slick nipper with the angled face and no needle.

Frank

Dr Slick NSJO Nipper

[FlyDog]

I was using the Tie Fast which is a very cool tool.
It seemed everytime I would tug the tag end of the leader to set the knot, the loops would come off the tool in a loose pile and tighten into a ball rather than a clean knot. Think I finially got it but not really sure what I did different.
I'll be getting myself some of that 10# mono.

Thanks....