Welcome to The Best Fishing Help Since the beginning, mankind has sought fish as a food source. To most, catching fish was simply a means to an end. To some, the pursuit was the awakening of an instinct that drew them to the water in search of the thrill of the "tap - tap" that only a true fisherman really understands. This website is dedicated to those fishing enthusiasts who want fast information on different types of angling as well as a one stop shop for all of your fishing needs. Locating Information The information in this site is split into 2 categories, the links at the top of the page will lead you to the best prices on the gear you need and the links to the left showcase articles and information to help you catch the most fish. This site is intended to be the collective works of many anglers who wish to share their fishing knowledge. If you would like to contribute, feel free to send us an email and we will consider publishing your information. We appreciate you telling your friends about this site. If you would like to link to our site as a benefit to your visitors, please do so. We always appreciate your comments and suggestions for how to make this site a better resource of fishing information. Please contact us with your input.

  Fly Fishing Lines - Leaders and Tippets

The leader consists of a monofilament line which has a heavier butt end to attach to the line and a thinner, tapered end, referred to as the tip or tippet, which attaches to the fly. This leader is meant to serve as an invisible link between the fly and the line and is less likely to deter the fish than the line attached to the fly by itself. It also accentuates the soft landing of the fly on the water.

A good leader must be thicker where it joins the line and with a degree of stiffness. A limp or soft leader will not lay out straight and hence impedes a nice presentation of the fly. The diameter of the thin end, or tippet, is varied and is chosen according to the conditions.

The strength of the outfit is completely reliant on the breaking strain of the tippet, being the thinnest part of your rig. The size is usually indicated by a number and the letter X. Tippet size also influences the delivery of the fly and a good balance is required between the weight of the fly and the diameter and weight of the tippet.

Two types of leader are available, being the knotted and the knotless. The knotless is a single piece of monofilament tapered during manufacture, the knotted type is constructed using various pieces of monofilament knotted together, the latter being the most popular due to its delivery capabilities. The leaders are usually manufactured in 2.3m and 2.7m lengths.

Although the previously mentioned number and X method of identifying leaders is used, the more common method of ordering leaders is to quote the length and breaking strain. Length is important as a leader which is too short will not present properly and will make the fish suspicious. The butt of the leader should be easy to attach to the fly line and usually consists of a loop. At the end of the day's fishing the leader will more than likely be much shorter than at the start. The making of leaders from monofilament is a skill and there are as many different styles as there are fishermen, being made for the conditions encountered and to suit the other equipment of each angler.