Polyleader Selection

[toolman]

I have been speaking with many new Spey casters recently and most have asked questions about the use of PolyLeaders with their Scandi heads, such as which size/length/sink rate, application etc,. So if anyone has questions about the use of polyleaders, ask away. It will give us something to talk about while it snows. Also, if any of the senior Spey guys, ie. Islandguy, Whistler, et al, would like to write something up explaining the use and selection of Polyleaders, it would be greatly appreciated.

[headscan]

Great idea TM. One of the things I've noticed is that there are plenty of books and dvds on spey casting but they barely touch on rigging beyond rod, reel, and line.

 

Ok, so Beulah recommends using a leader 1.5 times the length of the rod - 10' poly for switch and 14' for spey. Is this a Beulah thing or is it a general rule of thumb? Also, are there situations where you would want to use longer/shorter polyleaders like with heavier or lighter flies?

[cheeler]

Just a tip Dave Blair mentioned today when I picked one up at FT - he's seen the Airflo Trout polyleader series get snapped by the odd big fish since it is mono at the ends, and recommends going with the Salmon/steelhead ones which are 24lb test.

 

Any general tips on what sink rates will be needed once the flows on the Bow rise in spring? I'm using 10 ft leaders on the skagit rod +5ft of tippet for streamers.

[ogilvie]

Poly leaders have been used a lot over the past 4-5 years especially in the world of One Handed fishing. Basically these smaller tips(in most cases weighted) in various weight densities and break strengths are density compensated allowing you to cast them without having to alter your fly lines,typically floating. MAny of these lines are looped on one end ,with an exposed core on the other end from which you tie a tippet of your choice. Manufactured length vary from 5',10' to 15 and 16'. Like a tapered leader system, the tips provide the path of continual turn over without a serious hinge occuring;thus no splash and a smoother presentation. Regular sink tips are much more physically heavy and require the main line to have little if at all a forward taper,just the belly,resulting in less presentation detail but getting you down very fast if needed to whatever level you require. Along the way we have discovered that the density of the line coupled with line diameter are significant players in getting your presentation down to the desired depth and in different water flows. In some of the early tests we found that the density of the line was a minor factor in getting the fly down in especially fast water. Ie..Type 6,8,10,12 in fast water rarely sunk more than our old standby"Cortlands-LC 13;(Lead Core 13 Grains /foot) ..the key feature of LC13 was it's slim diameter and slickness. An important factor must not be overlooked...castability! It's a bummer to cast type 12 sink tip with any rod...but it isn't a bummer to cast a well designed line with small diameter polytips and smaller weighted flies. SO water speed/depth and fly size are all significant factors in determining the length and density of your poly-tips.

I will give you an example of this: last summer ,fishing off the beaches of Vancouver Island,I took 18" off the front end of my new Snowbee XS Two Colour floating line,looped the end and connected a 10' intermediate Poly-tip leader with a 10' straight 6lb tippet.What resulted was an absolutely incredible fishing line,very well tapered,extreme rollover and presentation,and got me into the zone on One pick and cast! 80 -90 ' casts with absolute ease and 115 when needed! It was the tapering of the front end of that line that created the effect. To effectively use poly-tips on lets say a Skagit line with it's 27' head,we would have to smooth the presentation by increaseing the tapering aspect,connect a section of tapered line,much like the original Windcutter did with their compensator section,and Skagits do now... then the Poly tip of choice...and accordingly sized flies. A significant contributor to depth resistance in moving waters.

Thus the need to use well weighted flies, small diameter tips and Yes;small diameter Leaders , and a factor rarely considered but most significant is to degrease your sinking lines and poly-tips.. Most sinking line coatings expell a silicone grease that keeps the line somewhat hovering..degrease it and it sinks like it is supposed to.

Hope I didn't bore you guys too much..

C

[ogilvie]

Just another reply to breakage of tips...generally the 5' tips and some 10' tips are 10-12 lb...test...tnot good for big fish and heavy water.. the 10-16' tips are 24 lb test.. a note about degreaseing lines..don't degrease a floating line...it screws up the coating on floating lines!

[toolman]

Excellent post Islandguy and thank you. I would add, that the Airflow 14' Salmon Polyleaders, are available with a rated 40lb. B.S. Also, that it is possible to trim P.L.'s to length, to fine tune and balance your rod/line/leader system, as Islandguy did when he trimmed his fly line back 18".

 

Edit: Just had another look at the Airflow 14' Salmon floating PL, which has printed on the package...

"add level tippet up to 40lbs." The tapered end of the leader however, has a 24lb. mono loop.

[alhuger]

Poly leaders have been used a lot over the past 4-5 years especially in the world of One Handed fishing. Basically these smaller tips(in most cases weighted) in various weight densities and break strengths are density compensated allowing you to cast them without having to alter your fly li

I will give you an example of this: last summer ,fishing off the beaches of Vancouver Island,I took 18" off the front end of my new Snowbee XS Two Colour floating line,looped the end and connected a 10' intermediate Poly-tip leader with a 10' straight 6lb tippet.What resulted was an absolutely incredible fishing line,very well tapered,extreme rollover and presentation,and got me into the zone on One pick and cast! 80 -90 ' casts with absolute ease and 115 when needed! It was the tapering of the front end of that line that created the effect. To effectively use poly-tips on lets say a Skagit line with it's 27' head,we would have to smooth the presentation by increaseing the tapering aspect,connect a section of tapered line,much like the original Windcutter did with their compensator section,and Skagits do now... then the Poly tip of choice...and accordingly sized flies. A significant contributor to depth resistance in moving waters.

Thus the need to use well weighted flies, small diameter tips and Yes;small diameter Leaders , and a factor rarely considered but most significant is to degrease your sinking lines and poly-tips.. Most sinking line coatings expell a silicone grease that keeps the line somewhat hovering..degrease it and it sinks like it is supposed to.

Hope I didn't bore you guys too much..

C

 

That's a fantastic post, thanks Courtney. I have a couple of questions from it though, how do I know if my line needs degreased and how do I do it?

[ogilvie]

Actually it's quite simple...every Snowbee sinking fly lines is sold with a small bottle of degreaser and 2 Loop Connectors... but to degrease a line simply wet a rag or Paper towel with degreaser and slide line through degreaser. ..like you would with Glide or line slick or what ever lubricant/cleaner you use. And a good parctice is to degrease every 2nd or 3rd outing...depending on the weather,alge and water contaminants.. For poly tips and if I fish often I will degrease once a week...for full sink lines as I said every 2-3 trips...In Salt Water every trip!

This is a way to make sure that your set-ups are doing what they are supposed to...

On your rivers in Southern Alberta I would suspect that yuor summer conditions are prime time to degrease... here on the Coast,we want to use every means possible to get down in very fast water to the fish!

C

Air Flo and many companies get their tips from the same tip manufacturers.....although I really like Air Flo's variety.

Degreaser sells in small bottles for about $6 and we have some

[alhuger]

Actually it's quite simple...every Snowbee sinking fly lines is sold with a small bottle of degreaser and 2 Loop Connectors... but to degrease a line simply wet a rag or Paper towel with degreaser and slide line through degreaser. ..like you would with Glide or line slick or what ever lubricant/cleaner you use. And a good parctice is to degrease every 2nd or 3rd outing...depending on the weather,alge and water contaminants.. For poly tips and if I fish often I will degrease once a week...for full sink lines as I said every 2-3 trips...In Salt Water every trip!

This is a way to make sure that your set-ups are doing what they are supposed to...

On your rivers in Southern Alberta I would suspect that yuor summer conditions are prime time to degrease... here on the Coast,we want to use every means possible to get down in very fast water to the fish!

C

Air Flo and many companies get their tips from the same tip manufacturers.....although I really like Air Flo's variety.

Degreaser sells in small bottles for about $6 and we have some

 

Thanks Courtney, if you bring any to the show I will pick up a bottle, and thanks again for the post.

 

-al

[headscan]

Probably worth bringing a few bottles of it out. I'm sure most of the guys reading this thread would want to pick some up, myself included.