Leaders

I must admit that I don't like spending my time tying knots. So that should tell you I don't make my own leaders with all of the complex leader formulas for length and size of mono to make a tapered leader. No, I have other things I would rather do than sit around and make leaders...and yeah, I don't care what the so called experts say about the virtues of tying your own leaders. Sorry experts. Well, no, I'm not sorry.

Since I fish mostly small streams and creeks, a 7 1/2 foot, size 5x, tapered leader is pretty much the standard for me. And, I like the preformed loops that come with the modern tapered leaders sold today...despite what the experts say are the benefits of attaching a leader to the fly line with a blood knot. Sorry experts. Well, no, I'm not sorry.

And, when I'm fishing larger rivers, I mostly use a 9 foot leader in size 5x. I have found that it is plenty long enough to help me fool the big trout I'm going after. Some of the experts say a longer leader is necessary for large picky trout in the big rivers. I catch enough trout with 9 feet of leader so I don't care what they say. Sorry experts. Well, no, I'm not sorry.

Now, I do deviate from the two sizes mentioned above. When I'm in a mountain creek that is lined with willows and overhead branches, I will chop down a leader to 6 feet for clearance and more control...starting with a 7 1/2 foot leader of 6x size. It works, and I learned that in a local trout club meeting several years ago, from an old timer that knows his stuff. Best tip ever I got from the club meetings. Hmmm, can't remember the last time I attended a meeting though...COVID messed that up. Well, the experts in DC messed it up. Experts?

What's my favorite tapered leader? Scientific Anglers (SA)...because it's the easiest leader to straighten out the coils when rigging up a new leader. There is one particular competitor of SA that I have a devil of a time trying to straighten out the coils. Yeah, I stopped using that brand. It's all about mono tapered leaders from Scientific Anglers for me these days. Nope...I don't use fluorocarbon leaders because, well, I'm a dry fly guy.