"riverman" wrote in message
...

I'll try your advice out, Wolfgang. I always hate to cut off all that
clean leader, but I should consider that the knot could quite easily be
putting off fish, and a shorter length does affect the drift. A lot
depends on what thickness the end of the leader is: if its a 5x leader
with a foot or so of original end still on it, and I'm using a 5x tippet,
I'll fish it until the tippet is down quite a bit. If its a 3x or 4x
leader with a 5x tippet, I'll change tippet (or tie on another section of
5x or 6x) when it gets down to about 18 or 20 inches. But I'll start
experimenting with longer tippets.

I do find that, over time, the leader-tippet setup develops its own
character. I have some setups that just seem to work better than others,
from a combination of kinks, old windknots and varying lengths of tippet.
They become a lot like hand-tied leaders, and I get 'attached' to some and
actually feel a pang of remorse when I have to cut them off. But then
there's that little thrill of satisfaction when I get to rip open a
brand-new package. :-)

A question of my own: I always go down 2 numbers when tying on tippet:
I'll start with a 3x leader, then tie on a 5x, and then maybe a 7x. Or
I'll start with a 4x, and tie on a 6x. Or I'll go 5x-7x. Is this standard?

I don't believe there is any meaningful standard. I think your second
paragraph above goes to the heart of the matter. You experiment until you
find an arrangement you find satisfactory. In my own case this has resulted
in ever decreasing reliance on knotless tapered leaders; they just don't do
anything very well. I do still occasionally use them because I'm too lazy
to keep myself supplied with hand tied leaders. When I do resort to them, I
always lop off a couple of feet at the tippet end and rebuild from there.
Knotless leaders are produced by a drawing process. I think the stresses
involved make the tippet end virtually worthless. As often as not, I've
found them to be badly out of round and with serious flaws in the surface.
The material also tends to be considerably softer than the Maxima tippet
material I use routinely. The Maxima tippet usually cuts through the weaker
leader when I try to tie them together at small diameters.

I carry tippet in four sizes; 2, 3, 5, and 8 pound test. I don't know what
the "x" designation for these is......easy enough to find out if one is
interested, I suppose. When setting up with the butt end of a new knotless
leader I cut it about where the 5 pound Maxima more or less matches the
diameter and tie in a foot or so. I follow that with 18-24 inches of the
three pound and then 30-40 inches of the two pound. Voila. I end up with
something on the order of ten to thirteen feet of leader......suitable for
most of what I do.

There can be no doubt that carefully determined leader setups will work
better in some situations than others, but I've found that slight (and
easily managed....with practice) adjustments to casting strokes will, in
most situations, compensate quite nicely.

In short, and is applicable to most of the controversial issues in fly
fishing, it ain't the fiddlestick that makes the music......it's the
fiddler.

Wolfgang