Of Curlys, Leaders, and Fly Lines

[Josh Graffam]

frank where did you buy the hends from... sorry for the dumb question

[Frank Muscente]

Thanks Loren!

 Josh, I found them at   fishingmegastore.com I think something like 7 Euros which is around 10 bucks.

[John Killinger]

The shipping from that place is $31.00!

[Kalvin Kaloz]

That sites prices are not in euro it is British pounds 6.99 GBP is 11.25 USD... I only point this in case you make a larger order!

[Alain Barthelemy]

This is the taper I measured off the leader, it is probably correct within about 20%.  I think the leader is a bit shorter and thicker than quoted on the package, but as you know, it is tough to measure in thousandths of an inch!  I have bought them from Fly-tying Boutique and Celtic Flycraft.  Flyfishingpoint sells the correct material to make your own, called JMC Kamoufil.  FT Boutique's Phil Holding is a super nice fellow and ships fast, you can receive your goods in only 3 days.


Location (ft)   Diameter (in)
0   0.025
1   0.025
2   0.025
3   0.023
4   0.023
5   0.023
6   0.023
7   0.023
8   0.023
9   0.023
10   0.023
11   0.023
12   0.023
13   0.023
14   0.023
15   0.023
16   0.022
17   0.02
18   0.017
19   0.015
20   0.014
21   0.012
22   0.011
23   0.01
24   0.01
25   0.009
26   0.009
27   0.009

[Domenick Swentosky]

Alain, you are awesome.  Glad to see you are posting again.  Love your approach.  Thanks for the diameters.

Enjoy the day.
Domenick

[Frank Muscente]

Actually got 4 for 63.00 USD includes shipping. I see now they are out of stock!

[Alain Barthelemy]

Domenick, thanks, that's really nice of you to say.

Frank, that's a good deal.  Be careful when you "unspool" them.  They are so long they have a tendency to tangle.  I baby my Hends leaders and wrap them on a Maxima spool (big end sticking out) in between outings.  The other benefit of the spool method is that when you take it off the spool, you are simultaneously stretching it a bit.  The Camou mono is a unique material and seems to have a worldwide reputation for limpness and stretch.

[Frank Muscente]

Thanks for the tips Alain. Have you fished the formula you posted vs. the Hends yet?

[Alain Barthelemy]

Frank, I have been on a leader odyssey for about 4 years, and have built about 50 or so, but not the exact Hends Camou taper, yet.  I like my current tapers better anyway, and in my opinion, they outperform the Hends.  The knots don't bother me too much.  The 9m length is excessive, you should always try to wade to within about 6m.  I actually tried a couple out in the yard tonight I am anxious to test on stream tomorrow.

Then again, what do I know?  I've never competed!

[Loren Williams]

Alain,

You liking them is all that matters!

[Frank Muscente]

Alain, If you don't mind me asking how are your current leaders formulated?  I need to get to a stream fast like nd get a line wet too!!

[Alain Barthelemy]

mm    cm
0.51   65
0.43   160
0.33   125
0.25   90
0.23   60

This gives a nice 5m leader that works, just add tippet.  There are literally endless other varieties, but this is a good starting point.  I don't think you will see this specific formula online anywhere else.  Choose the mono you like best to make this up.  Most of the manufacturing web-sites (Orvis, Maxima, Frog Hair, Rio, JMC) will tell you about the properties of their mono.  I use Maxima and Rio the most.  I hope this helps you out, now get out there and fish! 

For other questions, please send me an email    alain.c.barthelemy@gmail.com

[Louis Martin]

Alain, very interesting and useful information.  How do you connect your leaders to your fly line?  I'm still wondering about folks who "store" them--when the leaders go on, and when they come off, and how.  

It seems to reason that a loop to loop might not transfer power as well as a direct connection, so I'll probably try the Whitlock splice with the Hends--if the butt's not too big.   Or I may have to resort to a nail knot, I guess.  Ugh.

Zach, for most trout leaders the glue splice is easy as pie.  I did make a tool to do it, embedding and  super gluing a sewing needle into a piece of dowel pin, with the point in and the eye out.  You have to have the right size needle, one that you can work into the end of the fly line that also has an eye big enough to get the tippet end of the leader into the eye.  

First rough up about three eights of the very butt end of the leader with some medium sandpaper.

Next start a tunnel in the end of the fly line.  You may need to use a bodkin or needle to do this, and sometimes you can just stick the eye of the needle tool right in, twisting and pushing to work it in.  Go in say three eights of an inch, or whatever looks good. Push through the wall of the fly line and put about 2 inches of the tippet through the needle tool's eye.  Pull the tippet into the leader, grab it where it comes out the end of the fly line and pull the whole leader through up just to the last three or four inches.  Put some Original Crazy Glue (Al Caucci's choice for this kind of splice) on the roughened up end, and carefully draw it into the line.  Admittedly, this is the tricky bit.

You ideally want the butt inside the hole, but you need all three eights of glued leader contacting the inside of the fly line, so you don't want to draw it in too far.  And if you pull too hard you pull it all the way out, curse, and start over.  I've taken to tying a knot in the very end of the butt, roughing up the line ahead of the knot, then clipping a little wedge out just in front of the knot.  I can pull to the knot, cut the leader butt in the center of the wedge, then pull the tiny bit left of the wedge into the hole  after it begins to set, stretching the line a bit just at and behind the hole.

A little super glue in the hole and you're set for the season.  I especially like this for dry fishing with very light tippets, especially if you have the chance to hook a nice fish (Tricos, midges, etc.).  No jamming a knot on a guide and breaking off with a last minute lunge at the net.

I used to use the Caucci glue splice, which, unlike the Whitlock, works on knotted leaders, but got lazy and started just buying Rio knotless rather than fussing with all those blood knots, and soon moved to the Whitlock splice.  The Whitlock splice also seems to float a little better, especially if you seal the fly line at the end with some flexament.  

I've never had one of these splices fail on the stream in about ten years of using them, but if you use them always give a pull to test as you straighten your leader, and put a new splice in each season.  I have pulled a few of a previous year's out by hand at the start of a season, when testing them.  Be sure you use fresh glue, too.  That can make a world of difference.

I hope this helps anyone who might want to try this.  PM me if you want more detail.



 

[Dejon Hamann]

With your blessing of course Alain, I'd like people to ignore this and ask any questions in the open.  You're scientific, detail oriented analysis of fly fishing technique and tools is just to valuable not to share with the whole community. 

For other questions, please send me an email    alain.c.barthelemy@gmail.com

[Alain Barthelemy]

Dejon,

Yeah sure, whatever.  I only mentioned that because the emails come to my phone with a "ding," but the forum posts do not.  I was on the river all day today, and my phone dinged a lot!

Alain

[John Killinger]

You shouldn't have taken your phone with! I was at Guard Drill today.

[Frank Muscente]

Do you guys normally boil the Hends leaders right out of the pack before you use it?

[Louis Martin]

Alain, thanks for the 4 buck "Hends" recipe.  I just made one to beat up before I actually start fishing with the 15 dollar model.  Your posts have been most instructive and helpful.