Power Gum

[Wildfisher]

can't say I've noticed any prolems with casting it but then I tend not to fish with a 24' clyde style leader :shock:

Apart from when fishing a nymph to a spotted fish (not really a mainstream Scottish murky water  tactic) I am starting to wonder about really long leaders, especially  for  dry fly.  I have fished 15 feet most of the season and have caught no more  fish that when I fished  12 feet the season before.  

[Clan Ford]

I reckon my average leader is around the 14ft mark when fishing the Earn but maybe only 9ft (or less) on the smaller streams.  I think that the open spaces of the Clyde might actually allow fishing of longer leader - its not too often that you need to cast under the canopy. 

I don't think that you can argue, the further from the fly line you put the fly the less likely you are to spook the fish.  it all about balancing casting ability, enviromental factors and I suppose leader construction.  I'm sure that a length of power gum will effect your presentation and I suppose the longer the leader the more the effect.  My casting is so poor I'm unlikely to notice :roll:

Norm

[Wildfisher]

Still off topic - I am puzzled just how a longer leader reduces drag. Drag is a result of line and / or leader travelling at a different speed from your fly. Surely the way to reduce drag is to improve your line control. These  speeds  are determined by the rate of flow at the point of contact, not the  thickness of the rope. Chuck a twig or a log in at the same spot they drift at the same speed. I know this, I just tried it on the famous  Don!  

Watching Ollie Edwards on his DVDs cast his dries  on a  9 foot leaders drag does not seem to  be a great problem.

[haresear]

A long leader doesn't by itself minimise drag. What does (apart from line control) is having a relatively supple material built into construction of the leader. The longer this supple material is, the less is the effect of cross-current drag. Mostly this suppleness comes from the fairly long fine tippet, although you could tackle stiffness at the butt end of the leader by using a furled leader  :worms
In windy conditions I might struggle to turn over and cast with accuracy a 15 foot or more level mono leader of say 6X diameter. I would on the other hand find it easier to turn over the same length of leader with a butt section of say 8 feet tapered to about 4X to which I attach about four feet of 5X. and finally three feet of 6X

I find the long leader lets me get enough of the fine supple tippet built into my leader, but still allows me keep the thick butt or end of the flyline downstream of any fish I can see rising or in the water.


Alex

[Malcolm]

It's more than just flexibility although that is an important factor.

A fly line has far more bulk than thin nylon. So if a fly line is pulled by the current the the leader has to follow. If a piece of thin leader is caught by the current then it has much less influence on other parts of equally thin leader.

[Highlander]

Not a great fan. Tried it many years ago when it first came out. Got the impression it was for peple that could not control the strike.
Tight Lines

[Clan Ford]

You are correct, it is all about controlling the strike.  That is not a problem if your a fishing with a 4 weight rod and 5lb tippet but drop to 1lb tippet so you can fish your size 28 aphid imitation and then you really need to work hard at not breaking off on the strike - that is where power gun comes into its own.

Norm

[Wildfisher]

To eliminate drag, surely use shepherds' crook or wiggles in fly line - this is independent of cast length?

I agree. Surely   good casting / Line control technique  gives more options  over a wider range of wind / water conditions.

[Wildfisher]

You are correct, it is all about controlling the strike.  That is not a problem if your a fishing with a 4 weight rod and 5lb tippet but drop to 1lb tippet so you can fish your size 28 aphid imitation and then you really need to work hard at not breaking off on the strike - that is where power gun comes into its own.

Norm

I just got a spool of 22lb. It's about  the same diameter as the tip of  a 5wt fly line and VERY supple. I'm going to order some lighter stuff too.