Leaders for bass poppers... what you got?
- Thread starter Josh
- Start date
Honestly, I use the leftover butt ends of my heavier tapered trout leaders (about 4'), and add 0x to 2X fluoro (11-15 lb) to whatever length I want.
To me, it feels like the stiff butt section helps turn the big flies over. Plus, I just hate adding still-useful plastic to the waste stream.
The hi-test tippet is more in anticipation of having to hurk the line off snags in bass cover than worry of breaking off a fish. It's only fluoro because I happen to have a bunch on hand and I like the smaller knots.
To me, it feels like the stiff butt section helps turn the big flies over. Plus, I just hate adding still-useful plastic to the waste stream.
The hi-test tippet is more in anticipation of having to hurk the line off snags in bass cover than worry of breaking off a fish. It's only fluoro because I happen to have a bunch on hand and I like the smaller knots.
What northern says is spot on.
I go with about a rod length leader (8 feet for me). Two feet or so of 30# maxima, a couple feet of 20 pound maxima and the remainder 1x mono tippet. I feel like a non slip loop knot is very useful with such a heavy tippet, but the bass don’t seem to care if the leader is big and it allows me to pull hard on fish and to retrieve errant casts from the reeds.
I go with about a rod length leader (8 feet for me). Two feet or so of 30# maxima, a couple feet of 20 pound maxima and the remainder 1x mono tippet. I feel like a non slip loop knot is very useful with such a heavy tippet, but the bass don’t seem to care if the leader is big and it allows me to pull hard on fish and to retrieve errant casts from the reeds.
I think leader material is important to your bass presentation. I only use fluoro for divers and sliders, anything going subsurface on the retrieve.
For poppers I always use mono because it floats. I hate fishing poppers on fluoro. If you give a long pause, 30-60 seconds, a fluoro leader sinks and creates a subsurface bow between the floating popper and line. The bow creates slack in your strip set and has a tendency to get caught on subsurface vegetation.
For poppers I always use mono because it floats. I hate fishing poppers on fluoro. If you give a long pause, 30-60 seconds, a fluoro leader sinks and creates a subsurface bow between the floating popper and line. The bow creates slack in your strip set and has a tendency to get caught on subsurface vegetation.
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I use berk big game. 4’ of 40lb, 2’ of 35lb, 1’ of 25lb, 1’ of 20lb then like 18” or so of tippet. Usually 15lb or 12lb for lakes or larger topwaters. For smallmouth I’ll use 10lb maxima or floro tippet. Do an Albright for tippet to end of leader or loop to loop of perfection loops. lately I’ve been using tippet rings and like them.
As it was taught to me, I started with this as a base formula and then can play with proportions and lengths. I did that but mostly came back to this basic configuration.
As it was taught to me, I started with this as a base formula and then can play with proportions and lengths. I did that but mostly came back to this basic configuration.
I think that is one of the most important lessons I've learned in fly fishing, if you want to use big flies, you can't use wimpy leader. Glad you asked that question Josh.
This is so true and can really frustrate beginners or intermediate folks who ignore it or are unaware...like my Dad sometimes! I'll remind him and he'll say he knows, but some excuse or another.
I’ll admit my hang up is being to lazy to put a proper leader on.
Words of wisdom right there.
I'm adding this note to myself a few years late because I always think I wrote down my leader formula in this thread, look for it when I forget, and then realize that I didn't post it here.
I tend to use something like 3 feet of 30#, 2 feet of 20#, then 2 feet of either 10 or 15# mono/flouro (I use flouro because I have it for gear bass fishing). But I don't think the exact formula is all that important. Just some amount of thick/heavy down to 10-15#.
I tend to use something like 3 feet of 30#, 2 feet of 20#, then 2 feet of either 10 or 15# mono/flouro (I use flouro because I have it for gear bass fishing). But I don't think the exact formula is all that important. Just some amount of thick/heavy down to 10-15#.
Trade secret on an open forum. Hiding in plain sight.
I have a leader building kit, and in it, I have a rite in the rain notebook with all my leader formulas. It comes in handy
SRC&Bassbum
Steelhead
For poppers on my 7 or 8 wt 9’ I tie my own leaders of Maxima ultra green or clear. I go 8ft total. 4 ft of 30 lb, then 2 ft each of 20 and 12 lb. Seems to do fine in turning poppers over and can hold up to pulling the fly off a lily pad if the weed guards fail me