It's all about the fluorocarbon...

This whitey couldn't resist a perfect clouser presentation on fluorocarbon

Whether I'm fishing clousers in the spring to hungry white/smallmouth bass, chucking big gnarly jointed streamers at bows and browns, or delicately presenting a swimming nymph to a school of carp, my fly will be tied on to the end of a straight up piece of fluorocarbon.  Not only will casting and turning over these gaudy hunks of meat become much easier, You'll have more power and confidence to end the fight as soon as possible and get your fish back in the water to catch another day.

Many fly fishers only use the tapered leaders because that is what's sold in the stores.  I know I did when I first started out with a fly rod.  I thought,"oh, here's a leader they have conveniently labeled for me so I know what I can catch with it."  Blah!  I appreciate the fact that there are certain circumstances when a leader will make or break your day on the water.  To me, it only matters in nymphing and dry fly fishing...That's it!  I was oblivious to just how versatile the sport could be in the context of catching a wide range of fish species with very little learning curve.  With all the possibilities that exist, why would you decide to limit yourself to a leader specific to one species?

This time of year, I only carry fluorocarbon, tie on a 9' leader as needed, and go catch fish.  Here are the six (6) reasons why I use straight fluorocarbon leaders in almost all circumstances:

1.  No knots:  I hate it when things get caught up on the knots in my leader.  Whether it be line, slime or debris, they can be a hassle.  Not any longer!

2.  No tippet:  There is no more need to consistently add more tippet once you've cut it down.  Just put on a new leader after you wear it down a bit and you're good to go.

3.  Easier to cast:  It takes a bit getting used to, but it is much easier for me to cast than with a tapered leader.  I would even argue that my fly casting overall has improved since using it.  Casting a distance and turning over that fly, especially with big flies, is no longer an issue.  I would suggest everyone try it at least a few times to see if you like it.

4.  Stealthy:  It's been said that fluorocarbon line is less visible under water than its mono counterparts.  I'm not a fish, and I've not conducted any underwater visuals to test this hypothesis.  I take their word for it considering I catch a lot of fish.

5.  Fighting power!:  I prefer to fight fish as quickly as possible in order to lessen the stress put on their little fish bodies.  Fluorocarbon gives me the strength and confidence I need to make short work of my adversary and get them back in the water to freedom.

6.  Abrasion resistent:  I started using fluorocarbon leaders on all of my walleye rigs when an influx of hungry northern pike were making walleye fishing a bit of a chore.  You'd hook a northern, and after a few seconds, you'd be tying on a new hook.  Once I started tying my rigs with fluorocarbon, catch rates were up and lost fish went way down.  Then I started using it for big rainbows and northers on the fly, and the results spoke for themselves. Coincidence?  I think not!

Not a flashy tip by any means, but a good one if you want to improve as a fly fishing enthusiast.  Remember, it's ok to try new things, and it's ok to fail.  That's the only way we'll get better at our craft.