Leaders

[granters]

Was just reading an old thread about leader choice form a year ago. Wondering if everyone still favours Maxima? (my own favourite too). Or are there any new thoughts or developments in the last year. Incidently i had some terrible experiences with 15lb flurocarbon (Fulling Mill). Lost count of the amount of flies i lost with the knot slipping

[elwyman]

I think you'll find out that maxima is still very much a firm favorite.

Having said that I splashed out on some Seaguar Hard Fluorocarbon this week - thought I might need it for fishing some heavy tubes this weekend.

I've used various flurocarbons for trout & sea trout fishing and have come to the conclusion that there is some absolute rubbish on the market - water knots snapping unless the turns bed down perfectly. Fulling Mill is one of the better ones IMO!

[jock]

I only use maxima. I got confused a few years ago when they brought out different shades. I then had to decide not only what breaking strain but what shade as well....took me hours to decide....I was spoilt for choice ;D
I dare not even look at other nylons, if I did I would get so confused I'd never go fishing

[granters]

same here jock. I get lost with all this 2x 7lb diameter chameleon stuff. Maxima, one spool of, whatever colour you choose to give me, thank you very much. That's how it should be!

[hardygem]

it's got to be Maxima every time for me, It does the job and doesn't cost the earth. Perfect!

[speycaster]

clear maxima for me to , keep it simple

[kercock]

Own brand Cabelas or Basspro from the states,fluorocarbon,faultless,200yd spools.braw. ALL you need is a credit card !

[hornet]

I normally use Maxima but have also bought a spool of Seaguar to try when using bigger tube flies.

I have never been broken when using Maxima but thought i would try the Seaguar when my Maxima ran out.

So i will see how it performs.

Hornet

[storlaks]

I use Seaguar all the time and never been let down. The diameter/breaking strain comparison to Maxima is a big plus for me. You can use 19lb seaguard for the same diameter as 10lb maxima.

[tynespeycaster]

Agree Seagur is excellent, only problem with using 19lb BS is if you get snagged, it's so hard to break off!!!

[Sloggi]

Use Seaguarall the time - fantastic - and never had a slipped knot or breakage.

[leo]

I usually use Maxima but now use Seagur for back end/spring fishing with big tubes, and the chance of a big fish. I imagine though it could get expensive if you changed your leader lots ! (at £10 for 50 m)

[wilbert]

I am a seaguar convert and have been for 2 years or more now. Ok it isn't cheap but you can make 20 to 25 leaders out of each spool and because it is stiffer than Maxima I dont get as many wind knots and therefore use less leaders.

Posted by tynespeycaster on Today at 9:10am
Agree Seagur is excellent, only problem with using 19lb BS is if you get snagged, it's so hard to break off!!!

You want to try breaking to 30 or 35lb stuff its like a tow rope.

Maxima is hard to break due to the amount of stretch it has but it cant match Seaguar for abrasion resistance. For me maxima has been pushed off its perch and seaguar is top dog, not everyone will agree but more and more are converting.

[johnny]

Seaguar gets my vote too, it seems to be less prone to abrasion and lasts ages without a change but I still have spools of 12 & 17lb Maxima 'Broon' as back up.

[scotty]

i use fulling mil for the seatrout 8lbs, berkley vanish 17lbs for the salmon.

scotty.

[speycaster]

i llhave to try me some seagaur by the sound of it then

[ceilidh]

I agree with the problems with high breaking strains and snagging. Although the leader will usually break at the knot at something below its rated strength, this is still putting far more strain upon the line than would ever be the case when playing a fish. I sometimes wonder if this could not damage the line itself?

Since the average core breaking strain of most salmon lines is between 20-25 lbs, is there not a danger of breaking the line rather than the leader when using 30 lb leaders?.

Talking about snagging, I havn't seen many people using otters for some time, nor have I seen them advertised in the tackle catalogues, though it's easy enough to make your own. Lacking all else, a beer bottle and a piece of cord will suffice! Over the years otters have saved many of my favourite flies for me, not to mention soaked sleeves.

[ibrox]

Otter! what is this and how does it work ?

cheers
Mike

[ceilidh]

Mike, I am sorry that I don't have a digital camera and am not IT savvy enough to post a sketch, though doubtless other members will know what I am talking about and be able to do this.

Basically, an "otter" is a weighted, semi submersible, object which you attach to your flyline, when this is snagged up somewhere beyond wading recovery reach. You then stand upstream of the snagging point and pay out (a lot of) slack line, so that the current makes the otter 'swim' down the line to a point where it is directly over the snag. This approximates to what would happen if you had been able to wade out to this position yourself.

Once the otter is in this position, you can begin to 'work it' as if you were holding the line yourself, by increasing and decreasing the tension on the line and moving slightly upstream or down stream.
More often than not this successfully releases the fly.

The simplest otter of all is a plastic disc, with a slot from the diameter, into which you slide the line, leading to a small central hole, just big enough to allow the line to slide freely, but small enough that it will not pass over the fly. Obviously, there must be some means of closing the entry slot (such as a strong elastic band hooking over two small slots upon the circumference) so that the line can't slide back out of the otter. These were sometimes attached as 'freebies' to the cover of Trout & Salmon, but I haven't seen any of these for a while. If you are making one from wood, a small insert of lead at 90 degrees to the entry slot helps it to swim better.

Otters do, however, need a certain amount of current to carry them out to the fly and will not work in very slow water or back eddies.

[ibrox]

Ceilidh ,

Thanks for the reply. Now that you have explained it in detail, I now know what your meaning.

Thanks again

Mike