[Andrew Walker]

Just continuing my SWFF education, do you guys bother with tapered leaders for bass? I cant quite see the need for the turnover and would have thought a straight through (flouro) level leader would do. I would have thought that a 10 -12 foot total leader length would suffice but given I am used to anything up 18 ft for trout I would welcome your advice.

Cheers

 

[Mike Sullivan]

mate i used 9ft rio tapered saltwater leaders and then tied on a 3ft fluro tippet usualy 12lb tippet materials and replaced the tipped each 3 sessions or so and the tapered leader lasted a season per leader.
Can also use fluro or mono straight through though when fishing in close quaters i found the presentation did help especially when mullet are feeding with bass around if the presentation was sloppy the mullet wouls scatter in all directions and freak the bass out also so they did work for me though this was only my experience. Hope this helps

mate

 

[Bagpuss]

Andrew

I have started using a tapered leader as it helps the presentation as Mike says. But tippets up to 20lb in fluorocarbon won't spook bass & with a 20lb tippet you should be able to get your fly back if you hook in to weed.

 

[Mike Sullivan]

I will 2nd the 20lb tippet mate, i only used 12lb by preference a lot lighter than most people. I wasnt fussed about losing flies as i tied my own for wasnt an issue. Though 20lb fluro as nigel says will help keep your flies more.

 

[Alex Jordan]

I tend to use tapered leaders - either 16lb or 22lb rio at the biz end ... expensive at £4 a pop tho'

 

[Andrew Walker]

Thanks guys. I am used to tapered leaders for trout so i will take the advice and get some tapered leaders for saltwater.

Mike, the set up you described is basically my trout set up but obviously shorter and beefier for bass. Alex, I take your point on tippet strength and I guess I will be scaling up or down depending on the mark.

Thanks again.

 

[Mike Sullivan]

Andrew i used my salt kits for big rainbows in commercials when i was targeting the speciment fish, the light 7wt's just wouldnt cut it so out with the 8,9wt rods with salt lines works a treat though not overly sporting.

 

[Dave Irving]

Andrew,
A standard saltwater leader in 9'/12lb is plenty for bass, Flurocarbon is a slight advantage. Bare in mind that when it's windy a 7' leader is often better, and easier to handle in the wind. But in gin clear/flat calm conditions 9' is plenty. I would go for a stiffer material like SeaGuar rather than something like Grand Max. Never seen bass be leader shy, even when sight casting to them in shallow water.

 

[Austen Goldsmith]

Try using Seguar Tapered leaders 16 or 20 lb cut back from 10 to 9 foot then 15lb or 19 lb Seguar tippet . Conected via 3mm Riverge leader rings. The seguars are by far the best. They cost a bomb but if you use a leader ring , one leader can last all season. Ive used Rio and Varivas and they are far more viasble in the water . I dont trust them to the same extent.
The seguar leaders have a super stiff butt section. They will help your turnover, especially when casting into the wind. Level leaders tend to crumple into the wind .



ATB
Oz

 

[Andrew Walker]

Cheers guys, tapered leaders it is!

 

[Marty H]

Tapered leaders while not essential deff make life easier IMHO, we have enough to contend with when swff with conditions etc witout worrying about turnover.

I use the Rio ones sometimes but generally just make my own from Rio IGFA hard mono. 33lb for the butt then 22lb to a tippet ring or sometimes 33 - 22 - 17 - tippet ring occasionally ill go right down to 14lb before the tippet ring for extra long leaders. Making your own also means its easy to tie and carry various leaders of diff lengths and diameters for diff situations i.e. short stiff leaders for big poppers etc.

Marty

 

[Clifford B]

20lb is massive overkill and can safely be reserved for overhead casting 3inch brass tubes with a double handed rod! The 8kg striper fly caught record is over 40lb I believe! 9ft 8-12lb would be more than enough on a 9weight and with most bass sized flies, turnover shouldn't be a problem with straight tippet. If you like tapered leaders, I'd look at the 9ft Seaguar leaders, chop 2-3 feet off the butt end and add 2-3 feet of tippet on the front end which can be regularly replaced. Just an opinion

 

[Tom H]

what i tend to use is say 6ft 50lb blood knotted to 1ft 25lb and a 3mm ring on the end of that. then its some were between 1ft and 3ft of 15/20FC depending on fly type wind, and what Im looking to do. now thats the set up for a 9# for my 7# its 40 - 25- 12/15 fc.

 

[jim hendrick]

What one expert has as a formula

Lefty Krehs simple 50% leader

http://www.fcff.org/images/Learn Images/Fly Fishing Leaders For Salt and Warmwater.pdf

 

[Dave Irving]

Spot on Jim,
Really useful link too.

 

[jim hendrick]

Technical leader data

a for the more 'technical' minded among us visit here - http://globalflyfisher.com/fishbetter/leadercalc/download.php

bendy from Jim

 

[Mike Sullivan]

Good resource there Jim thanks mate