[dropcap]W[/dropcap]ith tenkara very much in the news, it brings to focus another ancient practice related to fly fishing that could use a brush-up in your vision of things. Think furled leader.
Background
With horsehair, then silk being the only available leader materials for the chalk stream aristocrats of the 1800s in England and Scotland, furling the horsehair / silk strands made break resistance lines out of brittleness and durability out of weakness, helping a nobleman’s brown trout and Atlantic salmon ‘catching.’
Today
Today’s furled leader detractors are prone to exaggerate the inherent differences of it from single strand mono, braided and Fluorocarbon materials. Namely, furled will spray on a forward cast and pick up. True, but not as much a braided, generally. A furled leader will pick up dirt over time. True, but not as much as single strand knotted leaders.
Other than those complaints, often magnified, furled leaders are remarkably under utilized in every fishing situation thinkable.
About furled leaders
A furled leader has no memory (none at all, zip, zero) and remains limp throughout its long life, multiple seasons for some – not hours or a few days for single strand. A season of fly fishing is normal for avid saltwater anglers or an Alaskan season or steelhead season – longer for trout patriots.
The taper, butt to tippet along with the limp factor of furled leaders produces much tighter loops, longer distances when called for, much better target control and way, way softer lay down of any type fly.
Do what you want with a furled leader: stuff it in your pocket, throw your used one in the trunk until next season, leave it in its original packet for two years or after the season wrap it around the reel for a couple of years. It has no memory and will be ready for action ‘right now,’ always.
In addition furled leaders don’t kink and have vastly superior shock absorption compared to any single-strand leaders or associated knots tied to address shock. Think Bimini.
How they are made
“Furled leaders are created from monofilament, fluorocarbon fishing line or fly tying thread. This material is wrapped around a jig in a series of interlocking loops which creates the taper of the leader. The leader is also created in two halves.
Each half is then twisted while under tension. Both halves are twisted in the same spinning direction. The halves are combined together and allowed to untwist under weight or tension. As the two halves untwist, they furl together to create the final structure. The ends of the leader are then finished to hold the leaders furl. The leader is attached to the end of the fly line and tipped with tippet before use.” – Brown
One of the best vendors of Furled Leader is BLUESKY . . .
Tim Flagler, Tightline Productions, has become the default voice of the fly fishing industry. We call him the “Explainer.” Watch and listen to this video. It will put you in the informed circle on furled leaders.
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