Everything But The Fly - Stealthy Tippets, Leaders & Lines

by Richard Fieldhouse

Morning,

Every so often, I like to drop in a communication about leaders (and fly lines - wink, wink) which we've just received back into stock - that you may not have thought about - or even know that we stock.

We only stock tippet, leaders & lines which I have actually used myself - the ones that we do stock are the very best (in my opinion) there are.

We had 2 big boxes (and 1 small one) arrive with us on Monday:

  • One of the boxes was full of brand new Furled Leaders - from The Furled Leader Company in Wiltshire; and the other
  • One was from Snowbee and included their wonderful Camo Tapered Leaders and some specialist tippet - which I now use all of the time for my dry fly fishing;
  • I'm keeping the contents of the small box a secret for now - all good things come in small packages!

We've just added everything to the website, you can find out more about each of them below:

Let's start with the tippet and work backwards:

The feature which first drew my attention with this tippet is that the thinnest - 8X which will thread through even the smallest of hook eyes - is still really strong, with a breaking strain of a whopping 2.1lb, which is more than enough for the wild trout in these parts!

What I've found amazing about this tippet - notwithstanding its super high knot strength, even on my dodgy knots - is its limited stretch factor (apparently it's 22-24% of elongation - who knew!), this may not sound that big of a deal, but I've found that it has reduced the amount of fish lost on a dry fly, but it still has sufficient stretch to avoid losing fish in the fight when using barbless hooks.

This tippet is supplied on super-narrow 50m spools that join together - and are colour-coded so you get the correct diameter every time - at just 65mm diameter, they easily slip into any fly vest pocket.

Available in the following sizes | breaking strains | diameters | length:

  • 3X | 8.5lb | 0.21 mm | 50 meters
  • 5X | 6.5lb | 0.17 mm | 50 meters
  • 6X | 5.0lb | 0.15 mm | 50 meters
  • 7X | 3.7lb | 0.12 mm | 50 meters
  • 8X | 2.1lb | 0.09 mm | 50 meters

I know that tippet can be a very personal choice - in the end it usually comes down to knot strength and suppleness - why not give this a go if you've never tried it before.

It really is good stuff (and great value)! 

The next link in the chain (or cast) is the leader ...

The leaders job is to transfer the energy from the fly line to your fly in the most effective way possible.

Here you have two distinct choices (usually based on where you will be fishing), either:

  1. A Tapered Leader - these are your general purpose (fish anywhere) leaders, ideal for larger rivers and all stillwaters - where you have plenty of room for a back-cast; or
  2. A Furled Leader - the perfect leader to use if you need to get your fly turned over in as little space as possible - i.e. when you are fishing un-manicured water and have no room to perform a regular back-cast.

Let's start with the Tapered Leader - as it's the one the majority of anglers will use:

9' Camo Tapered Leaders

We chose these specific tapered leaders as they have a unique construction - they start with the high stretch Camo coloured section, tapering to a clear tip and are designed purposely for dry fly and light nymph fishing, providing maximum stretch to absorb the harshest of takes on the finest of stealthy light tippets.

We chose these specific tapered leaders as they have a unique construction - they start with the high stretch Camo coloured section, tapering to a clear tip and are designed purposely for dry fly and light nymph fishing, providing maximum stretch to absorb the harshest of takes on the finest of stealthy light tippets.

Please Note: Each leader is only available in packs of 3, in sizes 4X, 5X & 6X or a Mixed Pack of 3 which includes 1 of each.

Specification of the Camo Tapered Leaders and their profiles can be seen in the table below:

Furled Leaders

These 6' 6" Dry Fly Furled Leaders are designed specifically for targeting Summer Trout. Crafted to deliver a perfect blend of flexibility and strength, these furled leaders provide a smooth turnover for the most delicate of presentations - even if you have no (or very little) room for a back-cast!

Crafted with the discerning angler in mind, these leaders offer unparalleled casting precision and exceptional durability. Whether you're navigating delicate casts or challenging fishing scenarios, these furled leaders are engineered to enhance your fly fishing experience. Trust in their dedication to quality and experience the difference that expertise brings to every cast.

We now have these specialist furled leaders in the following colours and tapers:

  • Hampshire Chalk White - 6'6" Regular (for 4X to 6X tippets)
  • Hampshire Chalk White - 6'6" Ultralight (for 6X to 8X tippets)
  • Reed Green - 6'6" Regular (for 4X to 6X tippets)
  • Reed Green - 6'6" Regular (for 4X to 6X tippets)

Each leader comes equipped with a tippet ring through-and-loop installed, adding convenience and extending the life of your leader by allowing easy tippet replacement.

Just add a few feet of level tippet to your furled leader and you're ready to go.

*** Make presenting a fly in a tight space a breeze - grab your Furled Leader today ***

The final link in the chain (or cast) is the fly line ...

 

Present Your Flies Like 'Thistledown' ...

A lighter weight version designed for rods of #1 to #4 weight. This weight-forward fly line is rated at 1wt to 4wt and has a shorter, lighter profile, providing super-delicate presentation with the lightest of rods.

  • Colour: Olive / Buckskin
  • Density: Floating
  • Total Length: 90'

The ultra-thin diameter - half that of a conventional fly line - creates minimal drag when casting. That means the line speed can be maintained throughout the casting action and delivers the fly (or flies) precisely where required, with minimal effort. As its drag coefficient is so low, even in a strong cross-wind, this line will cut through and deliver.

This is the perfect line for fishing those smaller rivers and streams - it makes it really easy to get the best presentation,especially when using smaller flies on lighter gear!

*** Go on, treat yourself - these lines are what summer dry fly fishing is all about! ***

If PVC Lines Are Not Your Thing ...

We've been really lucky and received a few more silk lines from Ian, the majority are specifically for presenting small flies on any river, with a double-taper 8wt which would be ideal for the "classic stillwater" enthusiast.

We've only 1 each of the following available:

So, why should you use a silk line:

  • They have mo memory - completely limp
  • There's no stretch - improved hookups
  • They are denser than plastic fly lines and therefore much thinner; and
  • Thinner lines mean much less wind resistance
  • They float better than plastic fly lines - they float on the water surface, not in it making roll casts and mending line much easier
  • You get 3 lines in one; When fully greased it's a floating Line, grease everything except the tip and you have a midge-tip line, don't grease it and you have an intermediate/sinking line.
  • They can last a lifetime - so long as they are cared for and stored correctly a silk line can last a lifetime - and indeed will get better with age

*** Each of our Silk lines are shipped with a handy box (to keep them in when not on the reel), a microfibre cloth (to clean/help dry them), and full line care instructions *** 

These lines are made in the UK (in Sheffield, Yorkshire to be precise), by a bloke called Ian:

If you would like to know more about the use and care of silk lines we have a dedicated page here.

 

Tight lines & have fun in the sun.

 

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