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Which leader should I use?
- Thread starter lampern
- Start date
The "X" is the diameter. The bigger the number, the smaller the diameter. The Umpqua leader is clearly superior for most purposes. It is thinner (4x vs 3x) and also has a higher rated breaking strenth (6 lbs vs 5.5) The courtland leader looks to be poor quality. A 3x nylon leader can be expected to have an 8 or 8.5 lb breaking strength. Scroll down the link below for a chart for Orvis leaders.
https://www.fishusa.com/Orvis-Super...MI-5Gdnbj49wIV7RvUAR2qjQ79EAQYFSABEgKVB_D_BwE
https://www.fishusa.com/Orvis-Super...MI-5Gdnbj49wIV7RvUAR2qjQ79EAQYFSABEgKVB_D_BwE
pjciii
Senior Member
I would go with 4x. Once you get to 3x and higher you may as well fish for sharks.
Either one is fine. I use a commercial leader as a starting point, it gets mostly gone after a few months anyway. For nymph fishing, either one is good to go. For dry fly fishing, I would tie that 4x one to my line, then tie about three feet of 5x tippet to the end of it. I'll usually change leaders about once a year. The rest of the time, I'm just constantly adding tippet as it get used up. I usually carry tippet material in everything from 1x down to 6x.
I use 3x and 4x for nymph fishing all the time. Sometime 0x-2x for streamer fishing. Usually 5x for dry flies, sometimes 6x if I really have to. I don't think the tippet diameter matters as much as folks think sometimes, especially if you're not drifting a dry fly. Trout will hit spinners on 12 lb test Trilene.
pjciii
Senior Member
So far i have stayed Around 4 or higher. The fingers and my eye sight make it difficult In certain on water Knot tieing. I agree with the size comment. Unless it is a natural trout Stream with lots of pressure. Like smithgall state park.
OwlRNothing
Senior Member
Have you tried furled or braided leaders? I loved the Orvis braided floating leaders, but they apparently don't make them any longer. You can still find furled leaders though and they're almost as good - and you probably only need one or two per year. I used to go through the mono ones pretty fast due to abrasion on rocks and eventually cutting up them until they didn't cast well. Of course, that was before I used a loop tied in the end of 'em.
I used them a couple years until I finally got fed up and literally burned my whole stash of the infernal things. They're too limp and were always wrapping up around the end of my rod and forming massive spontaneous knots and tangles constantly. Very aggravating.
Tight Lines
Senior Member
If you are trout fishing around here, either one is fine. It really depends on where and what you are fishing for with a leader...
If you are catching stockers or really hungry native fish either of those is fine. The Umpqua is the better of the two brands. I'd be using 5X + tippet with either of those.
Your leader should not get much play, it is your tippet that matters...if I were out west I'd be using a 5X because of the size flies and the sensitivity of the trout. Tippets are typically 5-7X out where I fish mostly. That matters for two reasons...it affects how your fly behaves on or in the water and the trout are more wary with small flies.
Tight lines, show us some fish pictures. Leader pics are boring.
BTW if you want to spend a lot for leaders buy fluorocarbon leaders...more invisible in the water, and more abrasion resistant. The down size other than cost, is that they don't stretch as much so are easier to break off or hurt a fish...
If you are catching stockers or really hungry native fish either of those is fine. The Umpqua is the better of the two brands. I'd be using 5X + tippet with either of those.
Your leader should not get much play, it is your tippet that matters...if I were out west I'd be using a 5X because of the size flies and the sensitivity of the trout. Tippets are typically 5-7X out where I fish mostly. That matters for two reasons...it affects how your fly behaves on or in the water and the trout are more wary with small flies.
Tight lines, show us some fish pictures. Leader pics are boring.
BTW if you want to spend a lot for leaders buy fluorocarbon leaders...more invisible in the water, and more abrasion resistant. The down size other than cost, is that they don't stretch as much so are easier to break off or hurt a fish...
It also doesn't float, so not good for dry fly fishing. I ran flouro for a couple years, and figured out I couldn't really see any extra benefit for the extra cost, and went back to mono.
Tight Lines
Senior Member
That's true. I typically use flouro nymphying which is when it is most beneficial...I use mono or braid for dry fly fishing...the real benefit is very small leaders and tippet out west IMHO
OwlRNothing
Senior Member
Never had that problem with 'em. Now, I tried tenkara fishing for a year, and if you snagged one of those leaders and yanked on it, you could count on spending five minutes untangling it. I always ordered my regular furled leaders six feet long, 5X though. I fished mainly small stuff and never needed a really long one. Maybe that was the difference?
Tight Lines
Senior Member
I use flourocarbon 100% saltwater fishing also...
I can see that. I use it on casting and spinning reels for deep vertical jigging and drop shotting and such.
When I seemed to have the most trouble was fishing small, overgrown creeks where you're just casting however you can, often with very poor form and no room for a proper backcast, just to get a fly on the water. Maybe I was using too long of ones too? I usually run ten-twelve foot leaders even on little tiny water, to keep from lining those spooky little fish, and to get a better drag-free drift without mending all the time.
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