Fishing Q&A

 
Home > Fly Fishing Reels Information > Fly Fishing Reels Knowledge Base > Fly fishing Newbie?

Fly fishing Newbie?

I just got a fly rod & reel setup. This is the first time in 20 years I will try to fly fish. There is a 8-9 foot tapered leader. I will be fishing for Bass and there maybe some 4+ lb fish I may catch. The leader seems awfully small at the end. How strong is it and is the leader you adjust the length to achieve strength rating your are looking for? Thanks

Public Comments

  1. You may have trouble using a long leader for starting out I would use a 4' to 6' leader using a leader to match your fishing needs.What kind of line do u have-floating,sinking?You may want to use a no-know eyelet since u are just starting out!A no-knot is a small metal pin with an eye to tye your leader to and they can come in assorted packs or for specific line ie:floating or tappered!If u use these make sure they go in straight if not they may puncture side of line.The line weight of your leader for bass I use 4 to 6 lb and for panfish I use 2lb test.Practise with a short leader first then build up to a long leader length in time.
  2. The leader that came with my new fly package (5 wt) was 4x. At the tippet it has a diameter of .007 in. and a test wt. of 5.7 lbs. If you bought a 5, 6 , or 7 wt. rod assume they packaged a 3x, or 4x leader. 3x being the stouter with a tippet diameter of .008 and test wt. of 7.3 lbs. Next time your at the shop pick up a tapered leader and look on the back of the package. there should be a chart with test wt., and suggested bug sizes. Check out MidCurrent.com. There's a good tutorial on playing a fish you think is to big for your rig.
  3. Your leader should be adequate for catching bass and panfish. You adjust the strength by knotting different strength mono on the end. Or, you can tie your own. Get a good book on the subject. It will help, or search the web for fly fishing leader. Try Climax's website for leader formulas.
  4. To fish primarily for bass I would look at getting a couple other leaders, the most common you'll find is a length of 7 1/2'. a 4x or 5x leader should be sufficient they translate to 5.5 and 4.4 lb test respectively. Most leaders have a chart on the packaging that will give you the dimensions and strenghs of the leaders. Tying your own leaders comes with knowledge of the type of performance you are looking for. The biggest thing to look at is the material of the leader and does it have the stiffness to turn over the larger, bulkier bass flies.
Powered by Yahoo! Answers