Fly Fishing

Chernobylv8 · Location: Chile

Hi:
I need to be honest. All this year fishing salt, never make a tarpon seat up by myself. Still today i just buy a 40 lbs and 80lbs spool and pass it to the guide.

More than the different length of the shock or tippet. What type of knots you prefereed.....from line to fly?

Cristián

Ajax · Posted: Fri 02/26/10 10:44 am Post subject: Suggested leader knots

+ leader to fly line :
http://www.flyfishingconnection.com/perfection.html

+ 60 # shock tippet to 40 # leader or 80 # shock tippet to 60 # leader : http://www.netknots.com/html/blood_knot.html

+ fly to shock tippet :
http://www.fish-bones.com/knots-tarponloop.html

rustayy · Location: Islamorada,FL

Cristian,
I might not be the best guy to answer this question for you, but I have done plenty of Tarpon fishing. From my experience, the best leader to fly knots are loop knots. I use a Duncan Loop because it is easy, but there are plenty more that would work just fine. You could also use a Rapala knot, check it out on this link... http://www.animatedknots.com/indexfishing.php

As far as tying knots when building leaders you will need to know the Albright knot. It works really well when joining two lines of different diameters, and it works great for joining backing to fly line as well. I would start out practicing using an old fly line and a piece of backing. I find it is easier to tie the Albright knot using backing when learning the knot, then work your way up to joining monofilament together once you build up some muscle memory in your fingers. Hope this helps! Go get them Poons!!!!!

Ajax · Posted: Fri 02/26/10 8:15 pm Post subject:

Thus said, 200 + tarpon have not defeated the assembly as described. Man up and learn these or other knots until better to suit you. Let us know when you know otherwise.

bludawgwlkn · Posted: Fri 02/26/10 8:25 pm Post subject:

No Double Windsor?

Ajax · Posted: Sat 02/27/10 5:19 pm Post subject:

Only use the Double Windsor knot when 'courting or trying to impress' the tarpon, but when you want them to be your b_tch, then use the knots I suggested.

biscayne · Location: Miami Biscayne Bay

Chernobylv8
This is how I set up my tarpon rods. 6' of 50 lbs butt section, and then I taper down with blood knots from 40, 30, 20 and then 60, 50, 40 of bite tippet depending on the water clarity. You will always get the bite on 40, but you will have more break offs.
This is what I use on both ocean and backcountry fish. All I change is the length of the leader and the size of the bite tippet. My leaders are anywhere form 10’ to 14 ' long. You can also use a ghost tip fly line and down size the length of your leader. I like to use a Homer Rhoads loop knot to my fly, if tied properly it’s a 100% knot.
-Capt Raul

tarponhombre · Location: Boqueron Bay

Hi check this link have all the information you can need.

http://www.facebook.com/notes/puerto-rico-tarpon-fishing/how-to-tip-fishing-guides-and-lodges/269632066386771?__user=517856148#!/note.php?note_id=233176940032284

Why tie my own leaders when I can buy a packaged leader at a local fly shop?

There is no definitive answer when it comes to tying you own leaders in an already complex sport we call fly fishing. It’s just another intimate way of understanding one aspect of fly fishing, not unlike tying your own flies.

My choice of building and tying my own leaders came down to cutting cost in my own fly fishing guide service, but not the only reason. I’m used to keeping my old leaders tied on when I’m not guiding or pre-fishing for an upcoming trip. While preparing for an upcoming guide trip, I clip all of the old leaders off and tie on brand new hand-tied leaders. It’s not uncommon for me to tie on new leaders two or three times a day. Now you can understand where the “cost” factor comes into play over the course of an entire fly fishing season.

Leaders take a lot of abuse on a normal day of fly fishing, from wind knots to rubbing on rocks. Always check your leaders for wind knots and abrasions before, during and after fly fishing. Wind knots create a weak link in your leader, so don’t lose that fish of a lifetime by using a poor quality leader. Take a little time before you head out on your next fly fishing trip and try making some hand-tied leaders.

Why tie your own leader?

* Hand tied leaders cost pennies on the inch compared to factory made leaders costing up to $3.50 and more.
* The flexibility to tailor your own leaders to specific fly fishing conditions.
* The advantage of creating your own tapered leader to match your own style of fly fishing, the way you cast, the type of flies you throw and water conditions versus being stuck with a commercially made leader.
* It’s much easier and quicker to change and re-tie a new hand-tied leader when the local fishing conditions change.
* You will get great satisfaction knowing you had direct input on how your fly was presented into fooling your catch just like catching your first fish on your very own hand-tied fly.

What is a leader and why use one?

* A leader provides a connection from the fly line to the fly.
* A leader helps transfer the energy of the fly line to the fly. The fly line is used to transfer and store the energy to carry the fly line, leader and fly during the cast.
* A leader helps by relieving the energy from the fly line for proper presentation of the fly.
* A leader lets your fly behave in a life like manner.

What are the sections of a fly fishing leader?

* Butt – One of the most important sections of the tapered leader formula as it begins the transfer of energy from the fly line to the leader material. Stiffness is another factor to consider in the butt section. A line too limp will make the leader collapse or fold over. A line to stiff will not properly roll the line over and not transfer the energy to the body section.
* Body - This section contains smaller diameter lines and starts to relieve the energy from the fly line, but at the same time keeping control of the fly for proper presentation.
* Tippet – Tippet lengths from 16” – 24” is a good guide to follow. Again the smallest diameters of your tapered leader setup down to the lowest breaking strength you are trying to achieve. There are a many specialty tippets from wire leaders for toothy fish to strong shock tippets for hard hitting fish.

The blood knot or surgeons knots are good for quickly joining two sections together. The Uni-to-Uni knot is one the strongest knots to tie, but takes a little more time to tie. The Uni-to-uni knot keeps two sections of leader material in a more straight and natural line.

Different types of leader material?

* Monofilament
* Fluorocarbon

The different uses of fly fishing leaders:

* Saltwater fly fishing for Tarpon– Relatively longer with very good transparency. Strong and durable.
* Barracudas and Cero fly fishing – Short, strong with cut resistance tippet section.
* Dry fly fishing – Long and fine tapering leaders.
* Streamer fishing – Longer heavy butt section to turn over heavier flies.
* Salmon and Steelhead fly fishing – Abrasion resistance and strong.
* Bass fly fishing – Short and strong for thick cover, heavy butts and shorter lengths for turning over big flies that catch a lot of air like divers.

Other things to think about when building your leader:

* What type of casting do you like to do such as your cadence and rod length? Do you use fast actions rods or medium action rods.
* What are the weather and water conditions such as wind or river current?
* Is the water very clear or dingy and off colored?
* Are you fly fishing deep water or shallow?
* What type of fish are you fly fishing for? Barracuda and Cero have very sharp teeth, so a wire or thick mono tippet would be needed. You might need a good shock resistance leader for Snook and bass that are hard hitters.
* What is the structure or cover like? Using a highly abrasion resistance line will help around rocks and wood that can very hard on leaders.

JimP · Location: Bonita Springs, FL

Very good reading!!