[Mike Barrio]

I frequently get asked which strength of leader to use. Should the decision be made by the size of the fish, or the weight of your fly line, or the action of your rod, or what?

Personally, I think the decision is made based on the size of your fly and in leader diameter not breaking strain. A good method to use is the "x" rating system marked on most leader spools. This is a measure of diameter.

Take the size of your fly, divide it by three and this gives you the correct "x" rating ....... so a size 12 fly goes with 4X leader, a size 14 with 5X, size 16 also 5X and a size 18 fly would be 6X etc, etc.

How do you make the choice folks?

Best wishes
Mike

[Stuart Smith]

i use 6lb sightfree for most of my fishing because it thin for it strength.if im fishing lures and boobys i go up to 8lb because of the hard takes

i dont fish many flies smaller than 16 if i did i mite use thinner but i hate braking off in a fish so its better to be safe than sorry

stuart

[Richard Tong]

I generally use 5X Frog Hair which is 4.9lbs I think and have never been snapped with this due to a clean break. This is fine for most of the flies I use from a 12 to a 20. Below this I will use 6X. Darrel Martin uses the 'rule of four' so take 'x' ratingand multiply x 4 so 5X = size 20,4x = size 16 etc. But as long as it turns over well,knots well etc use whatever you think you can get away with

Richard

[Ben Dixon]

I generally use the heaviest tippet I can get away with that still allows a fly some freedom of movement.  Once down to size 18 I am usually on 6X.

Worth thinking about what weight of outfit is being used, regardless of fly size I would be reluctant to go down to 6x on a 7wt outfit as a stiffer rod provides less in the way of tippet protection.

I tend to check the diameter / fly weight by using what I think is about right the holding the tippet up between my thumb & forefinger, if the fly drops straight down it is too heavy for the tippet diameter, if the tippet stands up straight holding the fly in the air the fly is too light for the tippet.  If the tippet curves in a small U shape then drops the fly and tippet are a fairly good match.


Cheers

Ben

[oor44wullie]

Hi folks,

Away to demonstrate my ignorance here. Can you equate from an "x" number directly to a breaking strain?

Thanks Mike...

[Mike Barrio]

Hi "OOR44WULLIE"

Not accurately I'm afraid, because different products and brands can and do have different breaking strains for the same diameter ....... BUT I think "the rule of 9" is probably close enough to be useful

THE RULE OF 9  =  9 minus the "X number" = approx strength or breaking strain

( Diameter in inches - X number - approx strength by "RULE OF 9" )
.003 - 8X - 1 lb
.004 - 7X - 2 lb
.005 - 6X - 3 lb
.006 - 5X - 4 lb
.007 - 4X - 5 lb
.008 - 3X - 6 lb
.009 - 2X - 7 lb
.010 - 1X - 8 lb
.011 - 0X - 9 lb

Hope this is useful
Best wishes
Mike

[Barry Robertson]

My undertsanding of the X is thats its for posh people who fish rivers 


I have always undertsood things better as say i fish a 4lb leader rather than i fish A 8x leader, i think its an american thing 

[Alex Burnett]

My undertsanding of the X is thats its for posh people who fish rivers  


I have always undertsood things better as say i fish a 4lb leader rather than i fish A 8x leader, i think its an american thing  

No Baz that's X-Factor  

Alex

[Mike Barrio]

I like your style Baz!

Going back to my original point, I tend to get asked this by beginners or folk that maybe don't fish a lot So the idea of the thread is to come up with a simple method to work it out that will hopefully help folk to catch fish and not get broken too often.

I guess we should really add some metric leader/tippet diameters to this, as this would be useful too

( Diameter in inches / Diameter in mm / Approx diameter in mm - X number - approx strength by "RULE OF 9" )
.003"/0.076mm/0.08mm - 8X - 1 lb
.004"/0.102mm/0.10mm - 7X - 2 lb
.005"/0.127mm/0.12mm - 6X - 3 lb
.006"/0.152mm/0.15mm - 5X - 4 lb
.007"/0.178mm/0.18mm - 4X - 5 lb
.008"/0.203mm/0.20mm - 3X - 6 lb
.009"/0.229mm/0.23mm - 2X - 7 lb
.010"/0.254mm/0.25mm - 1X - 8 lb
.011"/0.279mm/0.28mm - 0X - 9 lb

So .......... If we are going to fish with a size 12 fly, we simply divide the 12 by 3 and you get a "4X" diameter material. 4X should allow that size of fly to move well in the water, it should cast well and a 4X diameter product should knot well against that size of hook.

How does that sound folks?

Cheers
Mike

[Barry Robertson]

OK i suggest for a beginner the stronger the better for stillwaters anyway, the stiffer line will aid in turnover and less tangles!
I normally fish grand max 9.5lbs, it sound alot but technically its the same od as say 6lb shite free!
Maybe in a flat calm i might drop down to 7.5 grand max, again it sounds alot but its pefectly fine! The fish dont mind!
I think 9.5 grand max is the same as say 5lb maxima!
Grand max basically gives you more pulling power for OD of line!

Go buy some now and dont look back!

[Mike Barrio]

Cool

What is the diameter of Grand Max 9.5 lbs as a product Baz?

And the diameter of Grand Max 7.5 lbs?

Let's see if it fits the theory

Cheers
Mike

[Mike Barrio]

I would imagine that you are using Grand Max Riverge Baz ... and not the newer Grand Max Soft Plus?

Cheers
Mike

[Barry Robertson]

Ok after looking throught the box while sipping my tin of beer!

Grand max riverge 9.5lbs .210mm
Grand max riverge 7.5 lbs .185lbmm
Riverge 9lbs    .210mm

[Mike Barrio]

Hi Baz

I haven't used any Grand Max products, but those diameters would suit me fine I think

If I were mainly fishing with size 8 to 10 flies, which divided by 3 would make it "3X" territory, your Grand Max Riverge 9.5 lbs product would be fine for me and I might possibly fish the occasional size 12 fly with it.

If I were mainly fishing with size 12 to 14 flies, which divided by 3 would make it "4X" territory, your Grand Max Riverge 7.5 lbs product would be fine for me too.

Great stuff
Cheers
Mike

[Barry Robertson]

Iam not really into all the X stuff but that wee division by 3 is new to me and pretty handy actually!
I never realised thats how it was worked out so cheers for that 

[Mike Barrio]

Cool, great stuff

Cheers
Mike

[Hamish Young]

All the Riverge stuff is good, Euan and I were introduced to it on the banks of the Thurso ten years ago (jings... was it that long ago  ) and, despite trying many others, I've stuck to it ever since. Bloody expensive leader material though 

I use Orvis tapered leaders with Grand Max as my tippet - no issues to date, but I go down to the 4.75lb for river use and occasionally elsewhere too.

H 

[oor44wullie]

Thanks for the reply Mike. Not been on the forum for a little while so apologies for not replying.