tiistai 27. marraskuuta 2012

Leader materials


Leader- Choosing suitable materials for pike fly fishing leader


There are few different kind of leader materials that suits for pike fly fishing leader in my opinion. I want to share my user experience with pros and cons about the leader materials that I have been using in pike fishing. 

Predator Fortress type of mixed dyneema and braided metal. These type of materials are very supple, easy to knot and thickest materials are quite reliable but can be cut off (happened to me twice with thickest diameter). I have made a long leader because when leader starts to fray it´s easy to cut the damaged part off. These type of materials tends to move fly straight forward especially when the fly is tied in to a hook. So I don´t use it with my slinky baitfish imitations that are tied into a hook.

Knottable nickel-titanium leaders came to me as a new product this season. I tested 25 lb version of the Knot 2 kinky . Kink free and quite stiff. Helps to get side to side swim with hook flies. I was very excited about this product until it snapped off twice during casting. And because of the thin diameter it tends to cut pikes soft tissue next to the mouth. Maybe the same product in a thicker diameter would be better?

Climax toothy critter type of Plastic-coated steel wire that can be knotted. I use only the 50lbs version of the product. When the wire is new its almost impossible to make it break. Down side is that it gets kinked easily and the plastic coating wears off quickly.  Needs to be replaced every now and then. I use a clinch knot when attaching lock in to the wire and secure it by melting the knot´s coating. This material is stiff enough to help the slinky hook flies get the side to side action.

I have been using large cross locks and large snap locks for leaders. Neither one have never been broken with a fish. Solid knot between the lock and leader helps to get side to side swim.
Metal of the swivel can be tired and break so I have given up using them in pike fly fishing.


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