Homemade Lead-core leaders...

[Teifi-Terrorist]

Some home-made lead-core leaders that can be easily made.

Here is a step-by-step that I hope will help someone.

This is a good material I have found for constructing them, but use what you're comfortable with.



The kit comes supplied with a splicing needle.

Start by drawing the fabric up the lead, exposing about 8-10cm.



Cut the lead, and this will leave you with a hollow braided sleeve section.
Next, take the splicing pin/needle and hook it in where you cut the lead, just before the lead starts again.

Then thread the needle up the core about half way up.



Push it out the side of the braid and take the hook section of the splicing needle up to the end of the braid and hook it on.



Before hooking it on to the end you may wish to put a steel ring on, instead of attaching your nylon straight to the braid.

Then pull the needle back down the core of the braid along with the loose end of the braid.



When the needle is completely pulled out you will have the loose free, and the top section will have formed into a loop.



Before cutting push the scissors in tight to the braid, this will enable the loose end to be tucked neatly inside the braid.



Super glue. Job done.

You can make them into whatever lengths you want, and with 10 metres on the spool there's plenty of room for variation.

Cheap and Cheerful |\

TT.

[allypally]

Years gone back, i made shooting heads for fishing nymphs and weighted fish imitations on rivers (muddlers) Iused cortland kerboom braid,lead impregnated trolling line,in lengths between 1ft to 2ft,looped at each end,and amnesia on reel for shooting line,was not for distance but to present these flys fast in deep fast water,think about it if you put a smalll arseley bomb on your fly rod,and loaded some nylon on spare spool to use it will cast,so adapt to fish with fly rod by putting weight over length, no need to false cast ,but get your flies down quick if you like type of river fishers booby, this was on a 9ft norwich m400 rod rated 3 to 5 weight and it worked good
The idea came from an American book by Joe Humphries,a proffessor in fly fishing in pennsylvania state university,thats what he used it for,but if memory serves me this was an old livebaitfishers method of presenting livebaits with the fly in Pennsylvania
Will post title of book later on in week,see if i have any of the line left

[fredaevans]

Well done, but have to ask.

Given 'lead core' is stiffer than heck, why not use T-8, T11, or T-14 which is flexable and won't take you off your feet if it hits you on the back of the head (yes, been there and done that!!:})

Very few 'here' would even consider using lead core line, save for fishing in a lake. For river fishing (moving water) it's 'T' that 'rules.'

fae

[allypally]

Given 'lead core' is stiffer than heck, why not use T-8, T11, or T-14 which is flexable and won't take you off your feet if it hits you on the back of the head (yes, been there and done that!!:})

Very few 'here' would even consider using lead core line, save for fishing in a lake. For river fishing (moving water) it's 'T' that 'rules.'

fae

Fred could you get the tungsten line 15yrs ago,used more of a roll cast flick to cast,if i try this method again will look at the tungsten

[Teifi-Terrorist]

Given 'lead core' is stiffer than heck, why not use T-8, T11, or T-14 which is flexable and won't take you off your feet if it hits you on the back of the head (yes, been there and done that!!:})

Very few 'here' would even consider using lead core line, save for fishing in a lake. For river fishing (moving water) it's 'T' that 'rules.'

fae

To be honest Fred I would have to agree with you nowadays, and have got some T14 myself. However, these 'T' lines are quite a new addition to this side of the pond, coming to vogue over the last few seasons - I wouldn't have said that they're that well distributed now, I got mine from the US.

If nothing else the above would serve as a decent step-by-step for constructing braided leaders, or the leadcore leaders should 'T' lines be hard to source.

TT.

[Ted]

Hi,
I was wondering under what circumstances you would use such a leader and in what length for normal Sea Trout fishing? I use the sewincaster lines but have had no cause to use the Di6 sink tip yet on the Tywi.
Ted

[fredaevans]

To be honest Fred I would have to agree with you nowadays, and have got some T14 myself. However, these 'T' lines are quite a new addition to this side of the pond, coming to vogue over the last few seasons - I wouldn't have said that they're that well distributed now, I got mine from the US.

If nothing else the above would serve as a decent step-by-step for constructing braided leaders, or the leadcore leaders should 'T' lines be hard to source.

TT.

(:,
Sorry almost missed your post.

One of the regular posters on UK boards (posts as Sagefly) 'custom builds' these. From what I gather he has a hell of a business going supplying these.

fae

[Teifi-Terrorist]

Hi,
I was wondering under what circumstances you would use such a leader and in what length for normal Sea Trout fishing? I use the sewincaster lines but have had no cause to use the Di6 sink tip yet on the Tywi.
Ted

To be honest Ted, I too have had little reason to use the Di6 sink-tip, but in a heavy spate, or in a fast run etc. where you need to get the fly down quickly into a e.g. 'pot' then the line would certainly come into its own.

Much the same can be said for the T14, lead leaders etc. carrying them in a range of lengths would allow you to cover almost every possibility, with the beauty of making them yourself being that you can justify and achieve this quite quickly and cheaply.

A prime place to use these leaders would be at any point where you require to get your fly deep quickly. For example, say if you were fishing a run, and you knew where the 'holding pot' was, the pot was say 4ft deep but in a very fast current. Then these heads would come into its own. You may also be fishing off a high bank straight into deep water, where normal lines may take a very long time to get down to the required depth - remember, these lines would sink around 4 times faster than a wetcell 2! These are extreme examples, and, perhaps, examples where the longer lengths would be utilised. There are, however, examples where the shorter lengths i.e. 3-8ft can be used, and in such circumstances would replace a normal sink-tip or certainly add variety to your sink-tip set-up. e.g. you may have a fast current on your side, with a deep holding section on the other with no, or very little current. The sink-tip set-up would allow you to get at these fish, whilst the floating line body would allow you to mend, allowing the sink-tip to get to your desired depth etc. without the line and fly being dragged out of the taking section before achieving the required fish holding depth.

All in all they're a handy bit of kit to carry with you.

TT.

[Ted]

Thanks TT. Yes, your points make sense. I think that most of the time, as a visiting fisher, my knowledge of the deep pots and holding spots is very limited. Although my knowledge does increase year on year, my coverage of the water is always going to be more hit and miss than someone who fishes regularly and knows the lies. Ted