Tuesday, February 11, 2014

How to Use One Leader All Season

Today’s read is a follow up to my previous post concerning the leader loop. I discovered through that post that all you guys change out your leader from time to time during the year. The majority of you change your leader using the loop to loop connector method. I used the loop to loop for a short period of time last year until I discovered that it was wearing the fused loop in my fly line some, so I decided to clinch knot the leader into the loop. By doing this I eliminated the rubbing of the leader loop against the fused loop of the fly line. The constant bending of the two loops caused the wear; the clinched knot solved that problem for me. I never changed my leaders at all last season on any of my fly lines. The tippet ring eliminated changing leaders often during a fishing season.  
http://www.ebay.com/itm/20-Tippet-Rings-2mm-on-snap-hook-Connects-tippet-to-leader-FF159-/251372619027
This handy little gem has not only solved interchanging leaders, but it has also saved me money. I can purchase 20 tippet rings 2mm for 5.00 that will last me for 5 years or more. The following paragraph will explain the one leader per fly line theory.

 
My new 9 ft. leader is used until I snip off at least 7 to 8 inches of tippet due to changing flies. Once the leader is less than 8 ½ ft. I snip 2 ft. from the leader and tie in my tippet ring to the remaining leader and connect 3 ft. of tippet to the ring. I have found that 30 yards of tippet will go a long way during a fishing season. I use this leader for the rest of the season, only changing out tippet as needed. The leader is changed if abrasive places show up in the leader, which didn’t happen this past year. I have been experimenting with these rings for a couple of years and found that the best size is the 2mm. It is ever so tiny; you will need to leave the ring on the pin until you thread the leader through the ring. Once you have the leader end through the ring remove the ring from the pin and tie the leader to the ring; then simply tie the tippet into the ring and you have your leader. The ring doesn’t affect the action of the leader or the presentation of fly. It is so tiny that it becomes fused into the two lines. Guys you might want to give this set-up a try this season it has worked well for me.
 


11 comments:

  1. This is right up my alley.
    Very cost effective.

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  2. Lester
    This is another little handy gadget to make our fly fishing cost efficient. Thanks for the comment

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  3. Lester
    This is another little handy gadget to make our fly fishing cost efficient. Thanks for the comment

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  4. Alan
    Hope you get to try some, I think you will be impressed--thanks for the comment

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  5. Well, I've learned something as well. Thanks Bill!

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  6. Howard
    As we get older we look for things that make life easier, the ring is one of those things. thanks for the comment

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  7. Been out of commission on the internet for about ten days or so. Hope I didn't miss too much. This sounds like a very good way to manage the leader/tippet need. Where did you purchase the gadget at? I am always looking for something simple.

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  8. Mel
    I found the tippet rings on Ebay. Click on the tippet ring image and it will link to the site. Thanks for the comment

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  9. Could you so a post on how you install and use the rings. Maybe I am just a tad foggy today but I am not quite picturing how they are installed.
    -Bryan

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  10. Al
    I will do a post telling exactly how to install the rings in the couple of weeks. thanks for the comment

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  11. Nice post Bill! Thanks for sharing. I look forward to a future post on rigging them! Tight lines

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