# easy way to make your own furled leaders



## wabi (Jun 14, 2008)

A friend sent me this link today and I gave it a try. Very simple process, and it works! I might caution to keep the loose ends separated and straight or you will have a tangled mess. 

[nomedia="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pbcVaEe3RIs&feature=player_embedded"]YouTube- Building Furled Leaders Without Jigs or Tools[/nomedia]


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## flytyer (Jan 3, 2005)

Sweet! I've made them using a jig and it's a pain. This looks easy. I'll have to try this method.
Thanks for the link.


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## Liquid Assets (Jul 6, 2008)

has anyone tried this yet? Would love some reports


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## mullskinner (Aug 20, 2007)

Liquid Assets said:


> has anyone tried this yet? Would love some reports


i use them on my 6' 2wt ..they work great ...you can make them shorter or longer depending on your rod length or wt. you can make them for pennies ..


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## CWG (May 12, 2010)

Liquid Assets said:


> has anyone tried this yet? Would love some reports


I've made a few based on that video, shared the link.
I made some from 4# test, and 6# 
the best being some red colored 6# mono. 
I will never, ever buy another leader. Ever. 
I think I'll even try some short versions drifting for huge erie cats on my UL, about 3' of furled but reverse- the lighter one twist side to my 4# line and the heavy side to the jig when drifting.

I made the last two (finished length 7') outside, once folded for my start point, I ran the two ends over chairs and even tho' they twisted it was easier than the short practice ones I made.
Try it, you'll love it.
my 3# greys and cahill reel close out combo


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## wabi (Jun 14, 2008)

I've made a few now and I am slowly figuring out ways to make it easier. 
(proof the theory is true - give the hardest job to the laziest man and he'll figure out the easiest way to do it! )

I make them outside in my yard. I start the twisting process, then put one of the two tag ends of line on each side of my body keeping them separated. As I twist I slowly walk through the grass letting the ends trail behind me (this helps keep them straight).
So far it seems that a "soft" line works much better in actual use than "hard" mono. The best is perhaps a copolymer line. A hard mono will have memory coils after it's stored on the reel.  
The 60/20/20 formula (60% butt/20% mid section/20% tippet) seems to work well.

So far I've had the best luck with some 8# copolymer line I had on hand. It seems to be well matched to my 6wt Ross FlyStick rod with a FW6F line. I also made one for my 3wt out of it but tapered the tippet to 4# copolymer - a bit heavy, but it will fool panfish.  Guess I'm going to have to break down and buy a spool of 6# copolymer, the 4# was just a bit too small for me to work with. 
The copolymer will take on a few memory coils on the reel, but a simple stretching easily removes most of them. A few casts (and hopefully a few fish caught) and they soon lay out nice and straight on the still water of the ponds and lakes I frequently fish.


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## Liquid Assets (Jul 6, 2008)

Awesome, thanks everyone. I made one last night (only about 3 feet long) and it came out nice. I am targeting HUGE grass carp so I need them a bit longer. I will probably start with 10# mono. I like the idea of a copolymer as some fluoro seems to be pretty stiff. Thanks again!


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