Leader

In fly fishing, a leader is a length of thin, transparent line that is attached to the front end of the fly line and to the rear end of the tippet material, forming an important component of a fly angler's terminal tackle. Leaders, whether hand-tied by an angler or pre-packaged and sold at a fly shop, are generally tapered, consisting of a thick level butt section, a tapering midsection, and a thing level terminal portion called the tippet.

Leaders perform two basic functions. First, their taper allows energy to travel seamlessly from the weighted fly line to the terminal tackle, preserving the power created by the casting stroke and delivering the relatively weightless fly to the target as efficiently as possible. A well-balanced leader is responsible for that sweet unfurling action at the end of a perfect cast.

The leader's second function is to create a length of lighter, transparent line between the heavier, opaque fly line and the fly lure itself. This section of "hidden line" will help minimize the impact of a heavy fly line on the water's surface near the target fish and will help mask the conspicuous presence of a colored fly line in the target fish's feeding lane.

An effective leader must be strong and flexible to perform its basic functions and accordingly, there are a variety of durable and supple synthetic materials employed leader construction. The two most common leader types are fluorocarbon leaders and nylon leaders.

Fluorocarbon leaders are designed primarily to fish heavier subsurface flies such as nymphs, streamers, and wet flies. The special polymer used to construct a fluorocarbon leader is heavier than standard that employed in nylon leaders, resulting in a faster sink rate. Fluorocarbon also boasts almost the same refraction index as water, thereby reducing its visibility while increasing your chances of fooling a fish with a subsurface offering. Leaders made of fluorocarbon also retain their dry break strength throughout the day, making them less prone to breakage and more abrasion resistant, a must when fishing heavy flies deep in the water column.

Nylon leaders are considerably less expensive than fluorocarbon leaders and are much more supple than their heavier counterparts, making them an excellent choice for dry fly fishing. Delicate presentations and high floatation are almost guaranteed by today's modernized and improved nylon leaders. Blended of a special mix of copolymers, the nylon leaders available today are of nearly the same density as water, making them excellent for surface fishing with dry flies in a favorite spring creek. 

Braided leaders are also widely available to the modern fly angler. A braided leader is constructed using a braiding system that steadily "drops out" strands of the nylon or fluorocarbon as the leader progresses from the butt section to the terminal tippet. These leaders are quite supple even in large tippet diameters and are quite popular among die hard dry fly purists who regularly deal with easily spooked fish and challenging currents in their angling pursuits.

Leaders are classified by three measures: tippet diameter, break strength, and length. Tippet diameter is the diameter of the leader material at the thinnest point in its taper, the termination point of the tippet section. Break strength is rated in a standard and familiar "pound test" notation, and length covers the length of the leader itself as measured from the thick level butt section to the terminal end of the tippet.

A freshwater leader is usually classified by the diameter of it's tippet using the X numbering system: the higher the X number, the lighter the tippet. For example, a 6X (.004 inches dia.) leader will handle 3 pounds of pressure before breaking, whereas a 2X (.009 in. dia.) leader's break strength is 8 pounds.

Some Saltwater leaders also use the X system, but since they can be quite thicker and stronger for larger fish, they can alternatively be rated by tippet diameter described in thousandths of inches (example .015) or by breaking strength categories established by the International Game Fish Association (example IGFA 10 KG -22 lbs.)

As a general rule, bigger wind resistant and weighted flies are more difficult to cast and require a thicker, heavier leader to turn them over. The bigger the game fish you fight, the higher the poundage break strength is required for successfully landing the fish. Following manufacturer's recommendations as to what leader to use for what fish makes the process of choosing a leader simple: if you're headed after stripers, look for a striped bass leader that will fit your needs. Or if it's bonefishing on Christmas Island, leaders designed for the sizes and behavior of your quarry will guarantee you have the right strength and diameter for the flies you're fishing.

The length of the leader you choose is usually determined by the type of water you plan to fish. If you're traveling to the gin clear spring creeks and rivers of New Zealand, you'll be fishing much longer leaders in the 12- to 14-foot range because of the ultra-wary nature of Kiwi trout. On the other hand, if you're high stick nymphing in the fastest, roughest, and toughest riffles and pocketwater you can find on Northern California's Pit River, you'll probably be using a much shorter leader in the 7- to 9-foot range. 

For more on leaders, click here: Leader at Leland's Online Shop