"Conan the Librarian" wrote in message
om...
"So how do youse guys go about setting up leaders for fishing a
light rig like that? Most of the factory-made taper butts seems to be
about .021, but that seems a bit too big for matching up to the line
(.019 looks more like it). Does anyone make a knotless tapered leader
that matches well with a 3-wt, or should I just roll my own?"

After a fair amount of experimentation this summer I have come to rely on a
furled leader for my 2 and 3 weight rods, going to hand-tied with SS or
Maxima for my 4 weight and above rods. I love the way the 3wt rod I have
casts with a furled leader - very nice, delicate delivery. So far, one
leader lasted all season and will work well into the next. A fair return on
the rather spendy investment these leaders demand (I paid about $10 for a 9
foot, 3 weight design made by an Olympia WA manufacturer stocked by my local
shop).

A couple things I found. First, use a surgeons loop to add about 12" of 5X
tippet to the looped end of the furled leader. I then blood knot 3 feet or
so of 5X or 6X tippet to that. The end loop in a furled leader seems
delicate to me (though I have had no problems despite a few 16" smallies,
numerous panfish and a couple browns in the 14" range). Once it tightens up
on the tippet connection it is a pain in the a** to open it back up,
requiring an awl or bodkin (or 2). With the "sacrifice" 5X as a
semi-permanent connecting piece I only had to work the loop twice all
season.

I found the furled leader didn't present too much "spray" on a forward cast
and what spray there was shook off on a single false cast - fine for dries.
The leader is FAR more supple than any mono construction I have tried and
works superbly for soft-hackle and wet fly presentations "down and across" a
la Nymes. I don't think a furled leader is a very good choice into a wind,
but then neither is a 3wt! For my apps (small streams and ponds, flies to
size 12 wet or 14 dry) this combo is tough to beat.

YMMV

Joe C.