BEFORE YOU CAN FLY FISH, YOU MUST FIRST LEARN HOW TO CAST. This takes time and a lot of practice. The last thing you need is tackle that works against you. Furled leaders will help both beginners and experienced anglers cast farther and more accurately.
BlueSky Fly Fishing is a family-owned business specializing in making fine and affordable furled leaders. I have tried their leaders, and they are not a gimmick: they really work!
What Are the Advantages of a Furled Leader?
There are several advantages to using a furled leader. According to BlueSky’s head designer, Jim Hauer:
“There are numerous advantages to the furled leader design which, when compared to conventional monofilament (either knotted or knotless) outwits few disadvantages. Nylon monofilament leaders rely primarily on their stiffness to effect a smooth transfer of power from the fly line to the tippet and fly. A furled leader uses its mass and suppleness. These characteristics of suppleness and mass can help to provide important and noticeable effects and improvements in one’s casting and presentation. Tighter casting loops, resistance to so-called wind knots and the ability to turn over the fly even at short distances is some of these effects.
“Because of their suppleness, furled leaders help to reduce surface drag. The furled leader also acts as a shock absorber protecting against over striking and preventing light tippets from breaking while playing a fish. The leader behaves much like a spring, storing and releasing energy as force is applied or relaxed.”
BlueSky offers furled leaders for every type of fly fishing: trout, steelhead/salmon, salt water, and bass/pike/musky. If you cast to it, BlueSky offers the appropriate furled leader.
For more information about furled leaders, check out their website, www.blueskyfly.com.