Help on leader!!

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I like to make my own leaders because it is fun, I think they work better and they save money. I think you will especially apreciate hand tied leaders compared to tapered leaders for nymph fishing with a strike indicator. With knotless tapered leaders the strike indicator slides down the leader very easily as it gets smaller the farther it slides. I have found that using "leader" material to make leaders is a little less expensive than tippet and works just as well. I use tippet only for the end. For nymphing leaders I start with about 6 1/2 feet of 20 or even 30 lb test leader, then 2 1/2 feet of 8 lb test leader then 3x tippet to my first fly and 4x tippet to the dropper. By the time you get the knots tied it makes about a 9 foot leader to the first fly. The long section of non tappreing very heavy leader holds the strike indicator wherever you put it but you can still move it up or down the leader according to water depth and speed. I put my split shots if I use them at the end of the 8lb test leader. The knot between the leader and tippet keeps the split shots from slidding down. I also make my own dry fly leaders but I don't think that the difference in the performance of hand tied leaders for dry fly fishing comared to knotless tappered leaders is quite so pronounced. Good luck.
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