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2. Fly Fishing Gear
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3. furled leaders, redux

Last fall I dived into the furled leader thing; the first few were for personal use and then pretty soon I was 'loaning' leaders to fly-fishing buddies. It looks like I'm embarking on a cottage-industry,gone so far as to create a custom leader board/jig to set the loop-pegs as needed for length and taper. Since I do some serious woodworking I employed 2 lengths of "T-track" in the leader-jig as a means of placing the pegs- just set them at desired distance then tighten down the toggle on the t-bolt running through the dowel. The whole board is 10' long, hinged in the middle for transport or storage.
I'm using 'invisible' sewing thread for the lightest leaders, this stuff is approx 6x equivalent. For Steelhead leaders I'm using Berkley Vanish fluorocarbon in 1# test with number and length of loops adjusted for whatever my buddies request.
something to do during this non-winter thing we've got going in west Michigan...

The Roguerat

I Peter 5:7 "Cast your cares upon Him..."

Cool. It's fun to make your own stuff.

After pricing furled leaders from commercial makers at $ 12-14 each, I figure on self-made units @ about a buck- and-a-half each...and mine are custom-made to length and taper as well. Not knocking the factory ones, just more fun to make my own- the way I want or need to.

The Roguerat

I Peter 5:7 'Cast your cares upon Him...'

FF offers so many outlets for creativity. And with a venerable purpose. Very satisfying.

I spent an hour today making up 4 leaders from 1 lb test ice-fishing fluorocarbon line, special 7-footers for nymph fishing this spring. They're 5-step taper with a micro stainless-steel ring for tippet tying, the Shorb loop I tried on prior efforts just doesn't last very long. This is a break from eye-straining sz 18 BWO's- another get ready for spring fishing thing.

I think (hopefully) the browns and rainbows in The Rogue will say 'yes' to these offerings!

The Roguerat

I Peter 5:7 'Cast your cares upon Him...'

Here's a new furled for me for 2013 to play with. Short, furled mono with a very tiny swivel in the end loop. Now I just tie on tippets for my sink-tip presentations. I have tied some longer, about 5.5 fters with the tiny swivel on the end loop. I believe a 3 ft tippet, and a dry fly, and they won't sink the dry. And the teenie weenie swivel says it is rated at 50 lbs.!!

Sayfu-

you'll have to tell how this works. I've used the 'micro-small ring' on end of furled leaders to tie on tippet but never a swivel.
Also heard that swivels are great for streamers, giving a more lifelike action in the water.
Has anyone use the so-called micro-snaps, sort of a clip-on thing that snaps over eye of a hook. Ad says it 'floats with a dry-fly.'
I used these years ago for fast switch-outs with crappie jigs, then forgot about them until now.

Finally seeing some sun here in W Mich, after a February with 28% of available sun...and 72% overcast the rest of the time.

The Roguerat

I Peter 5:7 "Cast your cares upon Him..'

I'm still in the experimental stage with my twisted, mono leaders after corresponding with Entoman, and what he has been doing in creating them. But what I do with the very small swivels..about this long (....)with the small eyes is I put it on a piece of leader that I then "furl" (actually just double and twist, and the swivel goes in the first loop that I start twisting. I twist the length, and then overhand knot near the end to retain the twists. This is my second twist section that is of a smaller diameter mono than my somewhat longer butt section that has no swivel. I nail knot on the butt section then 2 turn blood knot tie the mid section onto the butt section that has the swivel in the end loop, and I want that loop very small that contains the swivel. Then it is just tie on a tippet to the swivel. It is my feeling that I am going to be able to fish dry flies even with the swivel. I will get a good float before the sink of my tippet pulls under the dry fly. But this setup will be used with a 6 wt. using bigger searching dry flies. I will use the ring for my small fly fishing. The swivel eliminates twist, and will assist in eliminating a fish that is twisting attempting to free the fly. And the primary use is with streamers, and wet flies. A short butt can easily be constructed with no other taper, just include the swivel for use with a sinktip line. Any questions shoot me a letter on the subject.