Re: {Tidal Potomac Fly Rodders} Leaders for saltwater

Danny - After years of tinkering with tons of different formulas for trout leaders, I've adopted a simple formula where the butt section is always the same and sections beginning at 2x can change depending on the desired length of the leader.  I use Maxima for the butt sections and Rio Powerflex for the rest.  If conditions call for it, I'll use Rio Fluoroflex Plus for my tippet.  90% of the time, I follow this general formula:

No matter how long the leader is, I start with this:
(.017 - 10'') (.015 - 18'') (.013 - 18'') (.010 - 18'')

Then, depending on desired length, I tinker with the rest of the sections.  For this example, let's say we're using a 9'10'' leader w/ 4x tippet.  I'd use:
(2x - 12'') (3x - 18'') (4x - 24'')

Now if I wanted a shorter leader, I'd shorten each of those sections but try to keep them proportional.  Maybe:
(2x - 10'') (3x - 14'') (4x - 20'')

And if I wanted to go longer, I'd lengthen the sections out a bit.  Maybe:
(2x - 14'') (3x - 20'') (4x - 26'')

Some people make hand-tied trout leaders as difficult as rocket science.  After years of thinking that way, I now like to keep it simple.  There are probably leader formulas out there that perform better, but this system has treated me well for the past few years.  If you're really interested in some of the specific leader formulas that were developed by experienced fishermen, google George Harvey or Joe Humphries.  You'll probably find some of their formulas online.  I used those formulas until I simplified everything and went with this new system.  Hope that's enough to get you started.

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