How to make Tapered Furled Leaders

The photographs show the jig set up to produce 52" leaders.

First ensure that all the cut lengths of dowel are sanded smooth, with no sharp edges.

Mark out the baseboard as follows:

Mark two points 2" from one end (A & A¹) and about 2" from the edge. Drill clearance holes for the wood screws, and countersink the holes from the rear.

Along the centre of the board mark points at 6"(a) and 8"(b). Also 4’3"(c), 5’3"(d) and 5’10"(e). Drill pilot holes for a cup hook at each of these points.

Along the left side, mark points at 1’0"(B),1’6"(B),2’0"(C) and 2’8"(C).

Along the right side, mark points at 1’6"(B¹) 1’10"(B¹), 2’10"(C¹) and 3’4"(C¹). Drill clearance hole at these points for the wood screws. At the back of the board countersink all the holes. Drill a pilot hole in the base of each length of dowel. These can then be screwed into place. I also fitted two battens at each end, on the back of the board, to stop it sliding on the bench.

For the MkIII jig the measurements for the dowel placeings are:-
Left hand side. 1'0”(B), 2'0”(C), and 3'6” for the extra dowel.
Right hand side. 1'6”(B1), 2'10”(C1)
For 42” leaders the extra dowel is ignored. It only comes into play for the 52” and 60” leaders} It is also possible to make a 36” leader by making another cup hook position at 4'7”.
I have been asked for such a leader by people fishing small streams, using a short fly rod.

Grind or file one end of each "S"hook to a point. Smooth these ends with some fine emery paper. Then squeeze each end in a vice to almost close them. (This is to avoid them slipping out of the screw eye when spinning.) Then file or grind a flat on the outside of the pointed end. This will make it easier to remove the loops after twisting.

The only other tools required are; one dubbing needle, one fine latching hook (mine was a spare from a knitting machine) a 1½-2oz weight and a pair of sharp fine scissors (or a scalpel, or razor blade will do). Lastly a reversible electric drill (cordless is best, 500-1000RPM)

After much trial and error, I have settled on the following materials for making the leaders. For a floating leader I use 1½lb & 2lb co-polymer. For a neutral density I use 1lb, 1½lb & 2lb nylon. For a slow sinking leader I use 2lb fluorocarbon. For a fast sinking leader I use 2lb fluorocarbon and copper wire. The copper wire must be about 6thou diameter. At 7thou it starts to be too stiff, and at 5thou it is too fragile. Shellac coated is best, as it reduces any flash. For a hi-vis nymph leader I use 8/0 and 6/0 Uni-thread, with the insertion of a short length of fluorescent wool as a sighter. For a Salmon leader I use fine Kevlar, or fine terylene braid.

First fix the two short dowels at the 2" points, then screw two cup hooks into the tops.

For a 42" leader set the dowels at: Left, 1’0" and 2’0". Right at 1’6" and 2’10". The centre cup hooks will go in at 6"(a) and 4’3"(c).

For a 52" or 60" leader the dowels will be set at: Left 1’6" and 2’8". Right at 1’10" and 3’4".The cup hooks at 8"(b) and 5’3"(d) or 5’10"(e). Consult the tables at the end for the number of turns required at each stage, according to the fly line size.
(If using the MkIII Jig, the dowels will be permanently fixed)

To make a leader first tie a 4-5" blood loop in the end of the thread, and place this over the left hand cup hook(A). Wind round the fist dowel(B) and back round the cup hook. Repeat this the required number of times (consult table). Then take it past the outside of B to the next dowel(C) and round this back to the first dowel. Do not go round the dowel, but drop the spool between the first loop and then back to the second dowel (this will lock the thread). Repeat for the required number of times. Then take the thread past the outside of the second dowel and round the cup hook(c,d, or e) and up to and round the dowel on the opposite side(C¹), back round the cup hook and up to the dowel on the left side(C). Drop the spool between the loop and back round the cup hook up to the first dowel (repeat this if two loops are required). Go past the outside of the first dowel and round the second dowel(B¹) back to the first dowel. Do not go round it, but drop the spool between the loop to lock the thread. Repeat this for the required number of turns. Then take the thread up to, and round, the cup hook(A¹) on top of the dowel. Back to the dowel and drop the spool between the loop, and back to the cup hook. Repeat for the required number of turns. Tie a 7-8" loop on the end and slip this over the cup hook. Try not to get the two loop knots opposite one another. Do not pull the thread too tight when winding. Just tight enough to stop it sagging.

This may sound a bit complicated, but try a dry run with some string, and it will soon seem easy. Remember to lock the thread where necessary, and make sure that each stage has at least one turn less, in order to produce a taper.

First slip the loops off the four dowels, then check that the tension is even throughout by gently pulling the strands sideways two or three times. If you have missed locking a loop, throw the lot in the bin, as it will take ages to sort it out.(Kevlar could be worth saving)

The twisting of the thread can be done in one of two ways. If space in limited use method one. If you have plenty of room, use method two.(you will need at least 2’ at the head end, about 6’ at the tail end, and about 3’ clearance on one side) Method two is the best method if you have the room.

Carefully insert the pointed end of one "S"hook through the loops on the left had side(A). Insert the screw eye in the drill. Put the "S"hook into the screw eye, and keeping gentle tension on the drill and start it spinning. You will need about 120 turns per foot, and the thread should shorten by about 10%. From this point on YOU MUST KEEP EVERYTHING UNDER TENSION. If you put too much twist in it will tend to furl back on itself, even under tension. Just reverse the drill until you have the required 10% shrinkage. Carefully slip the "S" hook out of the screw eye and onto the centre cup hook(a). Repeat the operation on the right hand side, taking care not to let the threads go slack.

Carefully remove the hook from the screw eye, and feed the point through the loops of thread on the other hook. You now have both sides of the leader on the one hook.

** Keeping it tight, place the hook in the screw eye, reverse the drill and start spinning. At first it will start to lengthen. Then it will shorten.(this should take about 40-80 seconds, according to length, at 500RPM) When it is back to it’s original length stop the drill, remove the hook from the screw eye and hang the weight on the "S"hook. Loop this round the first dowel, while you insert another "S"hook into the loop at the fine end of the leader. (The dubbing needle is useful here) Then hold the leader up by this end and allow it to start untwisting. After a few seconds gently touch the weight on the floor. Repeat this until it stops spinning, taking care not to let the loops slip off the hook. If you do it will start to unwind, and you can bin it. Carefully insert the latching needle through the loops at the thick end(fig 1), and remove the loops from the "S"hook.( do not let the loops slip off, or it will unwind) We now need to lock the threads at this end. Slip the leader into the latch (fig 2)and carefully slide the end loop over this. At a point about 1½" from the end loop, slip the latching needle in-between the two twisted strands (fig 3). Place the sliding part of the loop into the latch and pull it through. You now have a locked loop about ½-¾"(fig 3). Repeat this at the fine end.(you will need to use the dubbing needle to separate the two strands) You can make your loops larger or smaller, as you wish.

Next add a short (2-2½’) leader to the fine end. This needs to be 10-20% lighter than the furled leader.

[ The fine end of your furled leader will be six times the breaking strain of your thread if you only have one loop at the end, and ten times if you have two loops.]

You can then add whatever leader you want to this.

Carefully insert the hook into the loops on the left hand side(A) and place the hook onto the middle cup hook(a). Insert a hook into the loops on the right hand side(A¹) and walk round the jig to where you have placed your drill about 3-5ft beyond the end of the jig. Place the hook into the screw eye in the drill and Check that the threads have cleared the cup hook(c,d or e) and that there are no loose threads. Start the drill and spin until the leader has shortened by about 10%. At 500RPM a 42" leader will take just over two minutes, a 52" leader about 2½ minutes and a 60" leader about 2¾minutes.Walk back round the jig, keeping everything under tension, and placing the middle of the leader round the cup hook(c,d or e). Keeping it tight, check that the two "S"hooks are level.( if you do loose tension at this point you will see a horrible tangle. BIN IT! It can be salvaged, but will take ages) If not walk back and spin it a bit longer. Then carefully transfer one loop on to the other hook. You should now have both sides on one hook. You can now proceed from ** in method one.

Tie about 5ft of fine nylon to the end of your tippet. Tie a fly on and cast it overhead from the end of your finger. You will be surprised how it will turn over and lie in a straight line. Just try this with a tapered nylon cast. If you can get to do the same you are a far better caster than I am.

Now you have mastered the technique you can play around with different materials. You will notice that in some cases the butt end of your leader is a bit thicker than the tip of the fly line. If you are not happy with this, miss out the last loop on the right hand side.( this will give you a slightly slower taper, and maybe even a better turnover)

You can even try hybrid leaders, like mixing nylon and Uni-thread

Floating. For dry fly. Material Co-polymer. 2lb & 3lb.B/S. Grease to keep floating.

Neutral density. For use with 3 fly cast. Material Nylon monofilament. 1lb & 1½lb B/S

Slow Sinking. For 3 fly cast or lure fishing.Material Fluorocarbon.

Fast Sinking. For deep lure fishing. Material. Fluorocarbon and Copper wire.

Very limp wet fly. Material. Uni-thread.8/0 or 6/0 Green or Grey.

Hi-viz Nymph. Material Fluorescent Uni-thread. 6/0 or 8/0 Orange or Chartreuse.

Salmon. Material. Kevlar or braided Terylene.

These measurements and number of turns are only a suggestion. Try experimenting.

Schematic path of thread. Note that one loop at end gives six times the breaking strain of thread. Two loops would give ten times the breaking strain.

Making the fast sinking leader requires a slightly different technique. My first attempts at this kept snapping whilst I was putting in the first twist. It finally dawned on me that copper wire does not stretch, unlike all the other materials.

The answer was to anchor one end only. To do this, after winding all your required loops of thread, feed the copper wire through the blood loop of the thread on the left hand side until both ends reach just past dowel C then twist the two ends around one or two of the strands of thread towards the cup hook (c,d,e) Do not pull too tight, and make sure that there are no kinks in the wire. Then thread the copper wire between the strands and take two or three more turns.

Repeat this on the right hand side. You can then proceed as before. After spinning for a short while check that the ends of the wire have not come loose, and re-twist if necessary. Take care not to overtwist while spinning or the leader will break near the end of the copper wire.

When you have finished making the leader you may find some short ends of wire poking out. Just cut them off as close as you can.

If the butt end seems a bit too thick, leave out one loop between Aı and Bı.

I hope you have as much fun as I have making these, and you should fine your casting and presentation will improve. It may sound a very complicated procedure, but you will be surprised to find that even the fast sinking leader only takes about 20minutes to make, at most. If a group of anglers get together and share the cost of the jig and materials, the finished product is not too expensive, and well worth the effort.

This shows how the copper wire is twisted round the threads. Note that on both sides it is twisted over the thread towards the centre.

Following on from an idea by Louis Noble, I developed a forward taper leader for river fishing. Having a forward taper helps the turnover when fishing a short line. Also it stops the flies falling back on the leader when fishing at long range, and fishing into the wind.

To make the leader I had to modify the Mark111 Jig. It meant adding two more posts to enable the forward taper to be built in. On the left side add another post at 4ft 8in, and on the right side add a post at 4ft 2in.

The procedure for making the leaders is the same as before, but extra loops are added in. On the finished leader the butt end is only marginally thicher than the tip, but it swells out to a fatter middle section then tapers off at the tippet. The heavier middle section can be moved nearer to the butt or tip end according to ones taste. I have designed them with the weight closer to the tip, but this is easily changed, by swopping over the middle two loops on each side. This moves the weight closer to the butt end.

I have designed sizes to suit lines 2, 3-4 and 5-6. Also a 7 and 8-9 for sea trout fishing.

All the leaders are 60in long, but could be made shorter or longer, as desired. Below is a table for the suggested leaders. The important thing to bear in mind is the weight of each section of the leader, rather than its diameter.

The following leaders are made from co-polymer. The Hi-vis (for nymphing) have fluorescent orange or yellow 6/0 or 8/0 Uni-thread added to the middle loops on each side. I also add a small fluorescent wool sight-bob, but this is optional. The neutral density leaders are made from nylon, but can be made to float by greasing.

When adding the Uni-thread, on the left side knot the Uni-thread at the end of the second loop, take three turns around the third loop, making sure that you lock the thread into the next loop at each turn.

Make sure that you have not put tension on the thread, as Uni-thread has almost no stretch. Loop the end two or three times through the loop and clip off the surplus. Just anchoring one end reduces the risk of breakage. Repeat on the right-hand side. Then spin the same as for the other leaders, taking care not to over twist. (10% shrinkage required)

The 3-4 neutral density leaders would be the equivalent of knotting together nylon of 10,15,24,18,9 and 6lb breaking strain, but remains much more flexible because it is made of fine strands instead of one thick one. Also there are no knots to catch on any debris.

Add a further length to the attached tippet, up to 5ft long, of a lighter breaking strain. To add a dropper, tie a loop in a length of nylon and loop over the leader above the knot,and then slide down to the knot. A second dropper can be added, if required, by looping it through the loop at the end of the tapered leader.

The result is a weight forward leader with only one knot to catch on any debris. It is also ideal for Czech nymphing, by adding two further short lengths to the attached tippet. The droppers, made of short lehgths of nylon, being looped over the main leader, and slid down to the knots.

For the Sea Trout leader, add about 3-4 feet of 8 or 10lb nylon to the tippet, then loop a 10lb dropper over the leader, and slide down to the knot. A third dropper could be looped through the loop at the end of the tapered leader section, if required.

I discovered, when testing a prototype leader, that I could cast up to five yards further than normal. So it would appear that these leaders are ideal for long-range reservoir fishing. Using one or two flies, a competent caster may achieve another ten yards.

These leaders will be available from Meadow Fishery shop at www.meadowfishery.co.uk or phone 01244-300236.