Fly Leader Taper Statement ?

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Fly Leader Taper Statement ?

Postby Henry Schmidt » Thu May 09, 2013 4:41 am

Hi Larry, During one of this seasons Suriname episodes you made a statement about fly leaders. That the taper folks build them with is unnecessary. You explained it but my DVR didn't record that episode. Could you explain it again here? Thanks
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Re: Fly Leader Taper Statement ?

Postby aka anglinarcher » Thu May 09, 2013 7:26 pm

Until Larry gets back on and can answer, I remember the segment, mostly because his position was close to mine. This is my take on it.

A lot of people think that a tapered leader works like a bull whip and turns over the fly. If the weight per inch of the leader was the same as the weight per inch of the fly line, and if the weight per inch of the leader was consistent even though the diameter was dropping, and if the leader is as stiff as the fly line, then this might be true. The truth is that the weight per inch is not the same, the stiffness is not the same, and the leader does not turn over the fly, for the most part.

What happens in reality is that the momentum of the fly is what turns it over, at least for the most part. The fly is moving forward at a given speed, it is following the path of the loop, it has a given mass, and it is the mass of the leader and the fly that carries the fly to the target.

George Harvey created the standard for dry fly leaders that would fall on the water with a series of S-curves to keep fly drag down to a minimum due to water flow. He did this by using a LONG leader, a stiff butt, but a very soft center and tippet section, with a major taper. In essence, what he did was to use the taper and leader length to kill the momentum and slow the fly down at the end of the cast. It worked.

On the other hand, it has been known for a very long time that a straight section of leader, fairly stiff, was the best way to through streamer flies, big bass bugs, etc.

So, to the crux of your question, if you are throwing big flies and do not need a any drag reducing curves, then you do not need any taper.

BUT........ keep in mind, tapers are quite valuable in many ways. First, as George Harvey demonstrated, used correctly, tapers provide curves that straighten out with a drift giving a dry fly some extra distance without drag over finicky trout in moving water. I do not think you would like a non-tapered leader in this case. Perhaps even more important is that any leader the diameter of a fly line is not going to fit into many fly eyes. :lol:

Two things are worth mentioning.

1) I stated above "for the most part". I can make two leaders of the same diameter and length, one of stiff material and one of soft material. If you do this you will discover that the stiff leader keeps a more open loop, slightly but still more open, and therefore it does deliver the fly a little straighter and perhaps a touch farther. Still, make a tapered leader and a non-tapered leader, both of the same butt diameter, and you will see that the non-tapered leader cast the larger fly sooooo much better/farther. To this point, the junction of the leader to the fly line is a factor in how stiff the overall leader is. The theory is that if the connection is hinged ...... OK talked about leader stiffness. Still, if this was so important, then why is it that ALL OF THE HIGH END FLY LINES now use a loop to loop connection. Even the line makers seem to recognize that a hinge or if you will leader stiffness is not the most important thing.

2) Let's look at fly lines. The best big fly lines have a long "belly" with no taper and a short front taper for a tip. I offer the Lee Wulff Ambush fly line as an example of works for me. The best dry fly lines have a shorter belly and longer tapered tip section. This is the normal fly line.

In summary, it may be an overstatement to say that tapers and unnecessary, but for what Larry was doing, the only thing they really do is reduce the diameter to a point you can tie the fly on.
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Re: Fly Leader Taper Statement ?

Postby Henry Schmidt » Fri May 10, 2013 6:37 am

Thanks for taking the time to give me such a detailed explanation archer. Very interesting, we certainly make leader construction more complicated than we have to don't we. Much help, now to get out and experiment some!
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Re: Fly Leader Taper Statement ?

Postby puckfisher » Mon May 13, 2013 6:09 pm

Don't know much about physics, but agree with stiff heavy leader for throwing big flies. Tapered leaders are mandatory however when throwing small flies. And not just for loops to reduce drag. Obviously, a large size tippet will not fit through the eye of a number 18 midge. If you have too long a piece of 6X tippet it will crumple when it reaches its destination and your presentation will spook sipping trout. If you have to go to 12 or 16 ft. leaders that some situations demand, tapered leaders are the only way to deliver a small fly in any kind of wind. Have been tying my own tapered leaders for years, utilizing Maxima (stiff) for my butt sections then modifying remaining sections with blood knots as I taper to my final two feet or so which may be mono or fluorocarbon with differing characteristics. Peacocks? 5 ft. of straight 40# maxima.
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