French Leaders

Hoppy

Hoppy

Administrator
Staff member
Joined
Apr 21, 2008
Messages
2,048
Location
UK
For the last year or so, French Leaders for Trout & Grayling fishing have become popular, however the use of these has been kept somewhat secret.

In the Fly Fishing & Fly Tying book by Jaromir Karafiat and Mirsoslav Machacek (Well worth a read - available for Celtic Fly Craft) the leaders are explained. However you need a long rod 9.5ft to 11ft with a low aftm rating 2-4wt.

The authors also sell the leaders - but at around £10 - £15 each, plus an indicator they are somewhat pricey - but they are easy to make!!

I simply used a 15ft tapered leader - available for around £2 - for a Leeda or £4.99 for a Riverge - tapered size 4x or 5x. Attached to a small ring i.e



From this i attached 1m (3ft) of 5lb line attached to an indicator (see below)

For the indicator - simply loop two ends of braided backing with the leader rings at each end. The length of this was around 8inches. Then colour red and yellow with permanent pens!

Now attach another tapered leader - a 9ft version this time - tapered down to around 2lb (7x). (I cut around 2ft of the thick end off this - (trying to mirror the diameter above the indicator).

This is it - a French leader for about 1/2 the price!

So its easy - i will try to do a pic of this later!

Hoppy;)
 
Hoppy

Hoppy

Administrator
Staff member
Joined
Apr 21, 2008
Messages
2,048
Location
UK
Ribblerod,

Thats right, except the last nine ft can be reduced by arounf 2ft!

You arent casting any fly line using this method!

Hoppy
 
K

kjenkins

New member
Joined
Nov 12, 2008
Messages
26
Location
Abercynon
That must be the "short Nymphing" Version Hoppy!!:rolleyes: even though it is just as effective!

For the big rivers we use leaders which are 3.4 - 4.5 meters long, which are tapered down from 40lb down to 7-8lb JMC camofil, with a small piece of "Airflo Floating Miracle braid (the Core inside the braid)" as the indicator, with maybe 5-6 foot of nylon to two small nymphs or even one in the very slow water.
With this, you don't cast any fly line and you watch the indicator on the water and wait for it to twitch or stop.

In the Czech nymphing book:-
http://www.celticflycraft.co.uk/acatalog/Czech_Nymph_Book.html
It has the set up of Previous World Champions such as Pascal Congrad (spelling sorry), this shows their set up for windy and calm conditions.

The set up is more aimed at the distant nymphing side of things for the slower water, as opposed to the shorter one Hoppy was Describing which in the DVD shows the be used in "fastish" Kind of water.

Sorry to take over your description Hoppy :)

Kieron
 
Last edited:
Hoppy

Hoppy

Administrator
Staff member
Joined
Apr 21, 2008
Messages
2,048
Location
UK
Keiron, I think??? That my leaders are as long as the one you have described?

Total length for mine (as per book Hends book) is 15ft (4.5m) + 3ft (1m) + 7ft (2.1m) = 25ft - that is 7.6mtrs!!!! (plus the indicator). Having looked at the Riverge leader the thick section is around the right diameter to convert to 40lbs!

The other Czech nymph book describes huge lengths, that i just wouldnt consider!!!

I will try it on the Dee Friday, or the Dove tomorrow, or the Teme Thursday!!!!

Or at the weekend on the Eden!!

Come on!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hoppy:D
 
Hoppy

Hoppy

Administrator
Staff member
Joined
Apr 21, 2008
Messages
2,048
Location
UK
kjenkins said:
Dont knock them untill you try them ;) :rolleyes:
Click to expand...
How long are we talking Keiron??? I saw one around 15mtrs! But i'll stick with 7.5mtrs for the time being!

Hoppy:D

Ps re Jobs - its a bit like Batman - wherever there is crime we will need a hero!!!!! (well some policemen!):D and at the minute no one is being murdered so im quiet!
 
S

silverinvicta

Guest
Hopster said...I quote, ["and at the minute no one is being murdered so im quiet!"] end Quote

Not famous last words.......I hope ????? :rolleyes:

:D:D:D:D:D

Si...............:eek:
 
Hoppy

Hoppy

Administrator
Staff member
Joined
Apr 21, 2008
Messages
2,048
Location
UK
Doh, me and my big mouth!!!!

Better turn my phone off!

Hoppy;)
 
R

Ribblerod

New member
Joined
Sep 5, 2008
Messages
998
mm, casting no flyline? I don't think this stuff is for me. Its more than half the fun personaly.

You know with these so called advancements we often have to give something else up.

Take for instance deerstalking there are now some who use lazer rangefinders windmeters and personal handheld computer to calculate Trajectory, wind deflection etc. enabling them to shoot acuratly to far greater ranges, but they miss out on the nervous belly crawls that make stalking what it is.

Just wondering if how should be balaced against why?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top