Keeping a leader floating

It seems like a trivial issue, but it's constantly screwing up my presentation. My fly floats just fine using Frog's Fanny and my fly line floats too, but I can't for the life of me keep my leader on top. I'm using Rio Powerflex Trout leaders and after a few casts they sink almost immediately, even brand new ones. Is there anything I can treat the leader with to keep it floating. I tried using Loon Aquel on it a couple times, but every time I do, the leader becomes very coiled after so I stopped doing it.

I really like a furled leader with the floatant butter you rub into it.
http://www.cutthroatleader.com/
Sorry if this spammy but man they are nicer than those monofilimant ones.
They have a dry or nymph version. I like them both.

Stretch your leader to remove memory then treat with red or green mucilin. Makes a huge difference.

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Originally Posted by jma233

Stretch your leader to remove memory then treat with red or green mucilin. Makes a huge difference.

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This is good advice.

The specific gravity of nylon makes it heavier than water. All mono leaders are going to sink when they break surface tension, fluoro is even worse.
You can treat with some floatant which wont last very long, straightening helps keep the leader from breaking the surface tension, as does a good presentation of course.

This is straight from the enginerds who source the stuff.

You don't even have to stretch the leader to remove the coiling. You only need to run it between your somewhat pinched thumb and (choose finger here) while holding it under some tension. Suggesting a try at stretching could cause someone to pop the skinny end of the leader if it tapers to a small enough tippet end.

The friction of the pinched fingers adds heat to the poly and holding it linear (not letting it recoil) while it cools is the trick. It only takes a second or two. If the water's really cold (and thus the tippet cooled significantly) you may need a few draws between the pinched fingers before the coiling disappears.

Loon Aquel used to work for me, but I haven't fished in 10 yrs, maybe the formula is different. Also, if the water is broken (riffles etc) or foaming it's gonna pull the leader down much easier than if you're on a glassy flat. Broken water is where presentation is a bigger deal for leader/tippet float, but you probably knew that already.

fish streamers and nymphs! problem solved! and youll catch more fish!

i'm a fan of using a pinch on indicator half way up the leader

I like that the leader sinks, makes less of a shadow, using the little pinch on gives you a nice anchor point to mend the line.

So I took TeleHoar's advice and got some Cutthroat leaders. I just spent a day of the Middle Provo with them and here are my first impressions: When properly treated with floatant, they stay up and keep your fly line up amazingly. This dramatically improved my drifts and mending. I did notice that that had a harder time turning over. I really had to fling it and exaggerate my stops to get them to properly unfold in the air, but to be fair, I haven't got the tippet length dialed in yet and it was somewhat windy yesterday. The biggest issue I am concerned about is stealth. With the leader being roughly the same color as my fly line, I feel like I'm not putting enough invisible line between my fly line and my fly. I can't count how many times I've matched the hatch on the Provo, presented the fly well on a 9' 6x leader, got nothing, then added 3 feet of tippet and suddenly started catching fish. Jury is still out on this aspect, but it's something I'm worried about.

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Originally Posted by Dickeymotto

I really had to fling it and exaggerate my stops to get them to properly unfold in the air..

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Sounds like it's forcing you to cast properly.

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The biggest issue I am concerned about is stealth. With the leader being roughly the same color as my fly line, I feel like I'm not putting enough invisible line between my fly line and my fly. I can't count how many times I've matched the hatch on the Provo, presented the fly well on a 9' 6x leader, got nothing, then added 3 feet of tippet and suddenly started catching fish.

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You may be missing something here. I'd bet that the reason you are getting more eats with a longer leader is not the stealth factor. The longer leader is allowing you to get a better drift. You may not see the difference in your drift from a 9' leader to a 12', but the trout do. IMO, the fish don't give a shit about fly line on the water. The length is what's helping you.

If you are really anal about your leader staying on top, check out the floating leaders from Airflo.
Furled leaders are for the birds.


Snapped already mentioned the bottom line concerning keeping your leader floating: get a good presentation/drift. For me, that comes from a longer or finer leader and mending, in the air if possible.

You wana make sure the end of your flyline is indeed floating...and the Powerflexes might use a stiffer material..ie I'd pass on those for the middle of the road leaders. Also when going thru the PITA tying your own routine...you can use whatever you want = floating. Think ak_PM has the right way to recover, both in theory and in practice....fish hardly get turned off with larger bits of floating crap where the thinner but longer shadows are what puts a scare into them....fwiw.
Sorry...didn't know what I was replying to in the initial REPLY...;-)

Good option: fish skagit lines and sinking heads, don't worry about leaders