Bass Leader Formula please?

[JadeDsantos]

Bigger than size 6 I would consider straight mono/fluoro, maybe 2x/1x/0x as the weight of the fly does help turn over.

I might have failed at humour, but I am glad I did give the correct advice.

[Uli@84]

Hi Jade,

Didnt mean anything underhanded to what you and Korrie mentioned. These are simply my observations with what I tried.

The only reason I use the tapered leader is due to the fact that straight mono on the smaller lures sometimes caused the fly to whip back a bit requiring me to do a few strips before the contact with the fly was established, I lost some fish due to this as the fish struck very quickly after fly landed and I couldn't perform proper hooksets. The tapered leader helps me compensate for sh*t casting.

Cheers

[frogstar]

I might have failed at humour, but I am glad I did give the correct advice.

All good. Sometimes bass can be finicky and you have to downsize to a standard size wholly bugger, I then dont wanna be sitting with a flyline that wont turn the fly over.

[JadeDsantos]

Oh no not at all, I didnt take any offence at all. I was just having a laugh - I am a bit of a rough and tumble fisherman. I just dont have the ability to go into the depths that other guys get into. Thats just the leader I would use in my own ham-fisted way. However I do admire the guys who push the refinement of the sport, thats what makes progress and discovery. I have no doubt they will out fish me!

Thanks for sharing your knowledge!

J

[Korrie]

As mentioned with French leaders, there are "secrets" to leaders,
there is a thread devoted to it, Grant Kieser elaborated a lot about it.
When i have time will chat about it

[Nepptune]

If you fishing open water or for relatively finicky bass, then surely a standard tapered leader in 1x/2x/3x would suffice? I 9 foot version? Never had any problem turning flies over with a regular tapered leader until you got to overly large models...

If you fishing super tight to structure, and need to "Hit and hold", then I would look at going with a very short section of straight 15 to 25lb mono or flour... max 6ft, and even as short as 3ft in some cases...

very much a KISS approach, but certainly works for me...

[Andre]

Yup... don't laugh, that's actually perfect advice. Straight leader, a rod length of 12 to 15 pounds.

Ha ha 9ft of straight 12lb mono?

[JadeDsantos]

Yup... don't laugh, that's actually perfect advice. Straight leader, a rod length of 12 to 15 pounds.

Thanks Andre, its the advice I would have given anyone. I suppose what funny is how simple the answer is.

[Andre]

Agree, although I have never had a problem turning over any flies with a level leader. If you need specific presentation quality, then the tapered options are what you need, but seriously, how delicately do you have to present a popper or a bass fly. you actually want to splash it down, and jerk it. I don't fish tapred ledaers for any applications other than trout stream and clanwilliam stream work. All else gets the level leader treatment. all still waters and Vaal , Orange, tigers, salt...everything.

If you fishing open water or for relatively finicky bass, then surely a standard tapered leader in 1x/2x/3x would suffice? I 9 foot version? Never had any problem turning flies over with a regular tapered leader until you got to overly large models...

If you fishing super tight to structure, and need to "Hit and hold", then I would look at going with a very short section of straight 15 to 25lb mono or flour... max 6ft, and even as short as 3ft in some cases...

very much a KISS approach, but certainly works for me...

[Korrie]

Think about the water supply to your home, right thru to the garden house and the hand held sprinkler.
The energy of a fly line is the same.
When you water your garden with a hose, the MOST important part for accuracy is the hand held sprayer/nossle.
it is what direct the water and determines the accuracy.

when you build a leader, if you have the "sprayer/nossle" in your leader, it will affect or direct your cast some much better.
That piece is the most important part of the whole leader. Whether you cast a tiny dry fly or a big popper.
The better the "sprayer" the better the end result of where the fly lands.

I went the route of of level leader for bass or tigers, then the 60/40/40 etc Not fun to cast as your cast is not so balance

take the 60/40/40 (applied over a length of 3m pro rata) with diameter getting thinner. now change that to 50/40/10/40 or 90/10/40 pro rata and see how much better the leader cast. (very rough estimates but try it. That 10 section is very very important
(if someone can list the french leader setup, I will explain that on the basic French leader dimensions)