Fly Fishing

flyhunter · Posted: Fri 06/20/08 2:19 pm Post subject: Proper Bass Fly Fishing Leader?

Does anyone have a suggestion for the best leader setup for my 8wt? I am just now getting into catching bass on the fly. I like throwing 4-8 size bugs.

AvidDavid · Location: Long Island, NY

flyhunter:

Let me see if we can get something going here. I am going to suggest something that may or may not be heresy. So here goes --

You are fishing for large- and/or smallmouths using poppers. Much of the complicated tapered leaders that we flyfishermen use are designed to transfer the energy of the fly line out to the leader and gently turnover the leader with a tiny dry fly on the end. You, on the other hand, are casting with relatively weighty bugs (poppers or deer hair?) (cork bodied or styrofoam bodied flies have enough weight to "fluff" ratio that you can actually throw the popper and it will travel several feet before it hits the floor)(deer hair bugs may be a little harder to throw). Tapered leaders may not be needed with these hefty flies.

So.... I suggest that you choose a simple UNTAPERED section of monofilament or fluorocarbon that is the appropiate strength to muscle the size of bass you hope to catch from the weeds near where the fish is staged. I would guess that 6-8 feet of 6-8 # mono would be long and strong enough.

Anybody else have any suggestions? Does anyone see the need for tapered leaders? To quote one of our fearless leaders "I need/want a simple solution!"

Dave

peterdk · Location: Denmark

I´m with you on this one Dave... Keep it simple!!

jeremy · Location: Portland, Maine

I'm with AvidDavid on this too .... Simple is better - Straight fluro no tappered leader whenever possible, and this seems like one of those times .. I like Simple .. and, personally, I am always looking for a Simple Solution Very Happy

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