Leader lengths

[Taxman]

I read an interesting article from a longtime fly shop owner today.
He reported that in the 80's 9' leaders were standard and 15' were a close
second. Now he doesn't even sell 15' leaders and the 7.5' are top selling. A
marketing stroke of genius by Rio? Provide buyers with leader while at the
same maintaining price while delivering less leader!!!! lol. Seriously
do most of the senior members use longer leaders?

Thank You,
Ohoopee

 

[NCHillbilly]

I like at least 10', usually more like 12'-15'. Short leader=lots of drag=no hits. I like my leader to land in a big wad and slowly uncoil. I can't imagine fishing a dry fly with a 7.5' leader.

I usually buy 9' 3x leaders and use them as a starting point to add tippet. Fishing streamers and tightlining nymphs, usually shorter, but for dry flies, it's gotta be long. Even with tightline nymphs, I've usually got about 25' of 20# mono above my sighter, and about 6'-7' below it.

 

[gobbleinwoods]

How much fly line to you add between the backing and the leader?

 

[NCHillbilly]

How much fly line to you add between the backing and the leader?

All of it. The only time I ever see my fly line when I'm tight-line nymphing is if I put a bigger fish on the reel and he strips line. The long heavy mono leader doesn't sag and have a bunch of water resistance like fly line. A lot more sensitive, too. Fishing nymphs without an indicator is a short-range game, because you have to have complete control and contact at all times. I'm usually drifting the nymphs straight under the tip of a 10' rod.

 

[BeefMaster]

Depends on what I am fishing for and how I am doing it. I run 12 to 15 foot when fishing dries, Anywhere between 8 to 15 nymphing. If I’m fishing salt water it depends on the fly and the skittishness of the target. I may run anywhere between 5 to 12 feet. In the river chasing bass and striper I run 5-8 feet.

 

[splatek]

I use whatever leader the water calls for

 

[fishingtiger]

dry fly fishing, I prefer 9-12ft. streamer or nymph fishing 7.5 works.