When Salt Water Fly Fishing For Blue Fish, How Do I Attach The Steel Leader? ?
February 25th, 2010 | How To Fly Fish | 4 Comments »I’m assuming that a steel leader must be attached, as in regular fishing(baitcaster, ect.), but im not completely postive. As I’m sure you can tell, I am new at salt water fly fishing.
I want to basically fly fish for blues and stripers while walking down the beach…casting lures with my penn spin reel has caused too much problems since the lures are light wieghted.
Also, if you can suggest types of line to use….and if buying a small gaff for retrieving the caught fish would be a good idea or not. ( I’m leaning towards yes on the gaff)
thanks in advance.
I am not a salt water fisherman, but I have seen references to two different techiques to attach steel leaders to a fly leader for pike/muskies: 1) direct tie using an an albright knot 2) use a tippet ring and a tyger knot (looks a lot like a two turn clinch knot) to attach the steel to the ring. I have no personal experience with either technique, but it might be a place to start looking.
Gary
I’ve never used a wire leader fly fishing for blues i have used a smaller tapered tippet so it get trapped between the teeth that seems to look
When surf casting I have never used a gaff on fish either beaching them or a net works just fine
References :
I am not a salt water fisherman, but I have seen references to two different techiques to attach steel leaders to a fly leader for pike/muskies: 1) direct tie using an an albright knot 2) use a tippet ring and a tyger knot (looks a lot like a two turn clinch knot) to attach the steel to the ring. I have no personal experience with either technique, but it might be a place to start looking.
Gary
References :
Mastering Pike on the Fly by Barry Reynolds is the source for the Albright knot idea.
http://www.animatedknots.com/albright/index.php?LogoImage=LogoInFisherman.jpg&Website=www.in-fisherman.com
this might help
References :
If your steel leader is covered with plastic, there is a really easy way to attach it to your line. Take your leader and cut it a bit longer (maybe 6 inches) than what length you want. Take 3 inches from one end and make a loop, twisting the end down the leader like a twist tie as best you can. You should have a smallish loop with the remaining leader twisting down the length of the leader. Holding it as tight as you can, take a Bic lighter and melt the plastic of the twisted over part together. It only takes a few moments, dont burn all the plactic off! Repeat for the other end. It is then easy to tie your line to one end of the looped leader, and place a swivel on the other.
References :
Caught Blues and a shark off the beach in Sandy Hook NJ with this set up.