How to straighten a leader well

[salmonfan]

I have only been fly fishing for a year and used the same leader all year pretty much as I still spin cast too. When I did replace it, I had a hard time straightening it out and it was pretty curled up and useless. I am sure if I had taken my time and tried to really straigthen it, I may have had better luck but I am wondering what people do to straighten them? Are the pieces of leather I read about worth it, or do you just use your fingers? Do you straighten it before you tie it on? Thanks for any input.

[Lornce]

Run it carefully across a piece of rubber, like a bit of inner tube. Be sure not to generate to much heat and do it in stages. It will straighten pretty quick but if you get it too hot the material will loose its integrity. There are commercial straighteners that are basically two pieces of rubber that you clamp the leader in between and pull it through. Chunk of inner tube with s slit in it works great.

[lifesaflyin]

use a furled leader or the clear poly leaders
http://www.airflofishing.com/buy.cfm...s/75/yes/60513.

they are are all loop to loop connections so changing leaders and tippets takes about 10 seconds.they have virtually no memory.

than use your fingers the straighten out the tippet by pinching hard and pulling it quickly just enough to heat up a bit but not burn you.

[Rick.]

Best way I've found is to hook into 3 to 4 lb. Rocky. Works every time! LOL. Good fishing. Rick.

[densa44]

Before I got a very cool device from the fishin hole I just pulled the wet leader through a pinch in my waders. Make sure it is wet, so you don't over heat it with the friction.

[gilbertslake]

Originally Posted by lifesaflyin

use a furled leader or the clear poly leaders
http://www.airflofishing.com/buy.cfm...s/75/yes/60513.

they are are all loop to loop connections so changing leaders and tippets takes about 10 seconds.they have virtually no memory.

than use your fingers the straighten out the tippet by pinching hard and pulling it quickly just enough to heat up a bit but not burn you.

There is an old trick I learned years ago for straightening leaders. Put the leader in hot water for about 30 seconds then remove and run it through the leather slowly a couple times, then put it in cold water for 30 seconds. It worked for me. Something to do with allowing the 'memory' in the leader material to revert when in the hot water.

[bobalong]

I use an old 3 layer leather archery finger tab

[silverdoctor]

There is a tool for it, didn't know til last week.

Or you can just do it like I do, pull hard through your fingers til you're cut to the bone and bleeding like a stuck pig. Hurts like hell but works great

[Don Andersen]

salmonfan,

You don't need any "tools" - you already own them.
Pull the leader slowly over the pad of one thumb with the other hand. May take a couple of strokes.
Hot leaders die fast - tools kill leaders. If it gets hot in your hand, you learn to slow down - it hurts.

Been doing this for about 50 years - tried the tools - turfed 'em - just more junk to carry.

Don

[onthefly]

As mentioned you can buy a "leader straightener" tool or use the techniques mentioned... I just pull a new leader tight a few feet at a time and hold it for few seconds, it will straighten out more as your fishing. I would also mention I find higher quality leader (i.e. Rio) to straighten out better then the cheap ones.

[Albertafisher]

Originally Posted by Don Andersen

salmonfan,

You don't need any "tools" - you already own them.
Pull the leader slowly over the pad of one thumb with the other hand. May take a couple of strokes.
Hot leaders die fast - tools kill leaders. If it gets hot in your hand, you learn to slow down - it hurts.

Been doing this for about 50 years - tried the tools - turfed 'em - just more junk to carry.

Don

That's what I do and it works all the time.

[Daceminnow]

Originally Posted by Don Andersen

salmonfan,

You don't need any "tools" - you already own them.
Pull the leader slowly over the pad of one thumb with the other hand. May take a couple of strokes.
Hot leaders die fast - tools kill leaders. If it gets hot in your hand, you learn to slow down - it hurts.

Been doing this for about 50 years - tried the tools - turfed 'em - just more junk to carry.

Don

yep. never ever entertained looking at any sort of "tool" for this purpose. run the leader between your thumb and index finger, 12" to 24" inches at a time. simple.

Dace

[Christofficer]

The point of generating the heat on the leader is to stretch it straight afterward. I bought one of those leather things but I made the smart choice and bought it at canadian tire for like 2 bucks. lol. The important part is to stretch it after you heat it. Fingers work fine too.