Furled Vs. Poly

[headscan]

Ok, I understand the differences in construction between furled leaders and polyleaders. I've also seen mentions of both having the ability to turn flies over nicely. It seems that polyleaders are more widespread in both use and availability, though. Is there a reason for this? I can't find any direct comparisons between the two or where one might be better than the other based on the situation. Does anyone have a significant amount of experience using both? I have some polyleaders on the way, but I've never seen any furled leaders locally.

 

Cheers,

Marc

[toolman]

The furled leaders are more difficult to mass produce and keep costs competitive with Polyleaders, so are of less interest to the major line/leader manufacturers. I have messed around with furled floating leaders and braided leaders as well. The furled leaders can be custom made for very specific applications on moving water, stillwater and salt. They can also be custom made in different sink rates and with different materials including Nylon, Fluro Carbon, Micro braids, Copper cores etc. They are often designed with specail features, such as high shock absorbtion, using a hybrid mono/fluro/micro braid, or colored as a stike indicator at the butt end, etc. The guys in the UK have really developed these specailized leaders. I wish I had a selection of the sinking furled leaders available to experiment with.

 

Here are a few good links:

http://www.furledleaders.co.uk/nymphing.htm

http://www.blueskyfly.com/features.html

http://www.blueskyfly.com/article.html

http://www.blueskyfly.com/article2.html

[headscan]

I was aware of the BlueSky and Feather-Craft ones but not the others. I'm just trying to figure out if it's something worth playing with or not. Since I'd have to order them online it doesn't make much sense to order just one or two, but at the price I don't want to order a bunch to find out they don't work as well as (or no better than) polyleaders. Maybe if there's enough interest here a few of us could go in on a group buy to make it worthwhile. Either that or with any luck someone will have some at the show.

[alhuger]

I was aware of the BlueSky and Feather-Craft ones but not the others. I'm just trying to figure out if it's something worth playing with or not. Since I'd have to order them online it doesn't make much sense to order just one or two, but at the price I don't want to order a bunch to find out they don't work as well as (or no better than) polyleaders. Maybe if there's enough interest here a few of us could go in on a group buy to make it worthwhile. Either that or with any luck someone will have some at the show.

 

I'll put in for a couple if you need.

[toolman]

I think a short 7'-8' furled nylon leader with a few feet of tippet added, would be great for swinging drys, bombers etc. The floating furled leaders turn over very quietly and ride high on the water through the swing, which helps prevent drowning the fly, a common problem if your leader is too long or sinks.

[CDone]

heres some info on making your own. http://globalflyfisher.com/fishbetter/henk/henk1.htm

 

Colin

[headscan]

heres some info on making your own. http://globalflyfisher.com/fishbetter/henk/henk1.htm

 

Colin

 

I've seen that guide (or possibly a similar one) before. I honestly just don't have the time or inclination to put the jig together and start twisting mono. Ok, mostly building the jig since my carpentry skills are somewhat, uh, lacking...

[toolman]

I have used a Roman Mosser, Steel Braided, Type 6, Sinking leader, on a few occasions. The outer steel braid does not allow the leader to have much elongation, which improves the feel of the take when High Stick, contact nymphing a rig in deep fast water. This low stretch leader allows faster, firmer hooksets from improved strike sensitivity. The first time I used a braided sink tip, was at a steep drop off into a pool, where the trout were sometimes sitting on bottom, close to the edge of the drop off, making it difficult to plunge a fly an extra 3' down to them, as it drifted off the ledge. I rigged up the 9' braided sink tip and attached a triple rig of wire #6 SJW's and cast it upstream above the ledge. The rig sank quickly and plunged off the ledge and down into the waiting mouths of the large Rainbow and Brown Trout that I suspected were hiding there. I pulled a couple of 22"-24" Rainbows and a 26" Brown out of that hole, one Sunday morning last, March. That sure was a fun fishing experiment.

I was fishing at that same location today and landed a beauty 4lb./24" Rainbow, on a small pheasant tail nymph, right at dusk, only a few feet back from the ledge.

[albannachxcuileag]

Here is a link to constructing your own furled leaders by fishing writer, Alan Blithall.

 

Furled Leader Construction