sweetandsalt
Well-known member
There is not and should not be one leader design for all fly fishing applications. However, in sweet or salt, Nylon, Fluorocarbon, Braided Butt or Furled construction, if circumstances suggest that control of leader, tippet and ultimately fly are an imperative, then a fluidly seamless and uninterrupted flow of energy from line to leader to tippet is an imperative. With all due respect, there are those who want current ameliorating coils in their leader, including me, but elect to achieve them via auto-collapsing designs like the thin butted George Harvey Leader or soft Thread Furls that interrupt energy flow via a hinge at the line to leader connection. This hinge causes the leader to collapse in arbitrary coils as do techniques like the Dump Cast. It is far preferable, in my experience, to have adroit control of your leader assembly allowing you, if you wished, to cast your full leader out straight. Such control facilitates live-line, in-air mending of horizontal amplitudes of varied sizes to match on-water current situations between the angler and his quarry. Your line manipulating actions not accidental, haphazard coils, aid in the compound presentation of your fly to the fish. Further, the control achieved by seamless transfer of energy is also an asset in slack line mending adjustments on the water's surface as well as in the air.
The key to uninterrupted transfer of casting energy is mass matching the line to the leader's butt section and each subsequent section of the leader on down to the tippet. Factors like the diameter, relative stiffness/limpness and material employed contribute to optimal match-up. Regrettably, since lines of the same size rating can vary quite a bit in diameter and suppleness there is no absolute rule of thumb or manufacturers' recomentadaton that can assure a seamless connection...speaking of which the connection method used can impact match-up as well.
There is though the Parabolic Test in which two sections of joined material are grasped equidistance apart and flexed into a curve with the joining, loop, knot, splice or whatever, at the apex. Both legs should ideally form a symmetrical parabolic curve. If one is curved and the other straight, to be extreme, this illustrates the certainness of a hinge therefore an energy interruption. So, during leader craft, I employ this Test at my line to leader butt juncture, butt to subsequent mid section knots and finally to my tippet. As the intent of a tapered leader is to generate energy diminution arriving at a subtle landing of your fly, the lower sections are not perfectly symmetrical as diameters decrease but the differential should be progressive not radical.
I have long believed that leader design plays a vital roll in precise and controlled imitation presentation and this Parabolic Test is a guaranty of effective and efficient energy transference.
The key to uninterrupted transfer of casting energy is mass matching the line to the leader's butt section and each subsequent section of the leader on down to the tippet. Factors like the diameter, relative stiffness/limpness and material employed contribute to optimal match-up. Regrettably, since lines of the same size rating can vary quite a bit in diameter and suppleness there is no absolute rule of thumb or manufacturers' recomentadaton that can assure a seamless connection...speaking of which the connection method used can impact match-up as well.
The Parabolic Test
There is though the Parabolic Test in which two sections of joined material are grasped equidistance apart and flexed into a curve with the joining, loop, knot, splice or whatever, at the apex. Both legs should ideally form a symmetrical parabolic curve. If one is curved and the other straight, to be extreme, this illustrates the certainness of a hinge therefore an energy interruption. So, during leader craft, I employ this Test at my line to leader butt juncture, butt to subsequent mid section knots and finally to my tippet. As the intent of a tapered leader is to generate energy diminution arriving at a subtle landing of your fly, the lower sections are not perfectly symmetrical as diameters decrease but the differential should be progressive not radical.
I have long believed that leader design plays a vital roll in precise and controlled imitation presentation and this Parabolic Test is a guaranty of effective and efficient energy transference.