Slide Inn Q&A #5 - Leaders for Streamer Fishing with Kelly Galloup

Brody Blood asks:
" How long of a leader do you use for fishing big articulated streamers off a 200 250 grain streamer line? Do you build your own? What's your recipe, and what's the importance?"

[@Doug-ie6zc]

For a guy that’s just starting you give out a lot of information. Thank you

[@captainkoo]

Your advice has never let me down ! Outstanding ! Thank you !!

[@americanfisherman9781]

Great video! I really enjoyed the q&a and the answers.

[@toddbaker4712]

Thanks! Straightforward and simple.

[@jeffwilson4166]

Really appreciate your knowledge and patience with us.

[@4492573]

Great video… for largemouth bass in Ponds , I use a 8wt floating line with a 64” mono butt section and then a blood knot to 26” of mid section then 18” tippet. My mid section and tippet I use fluorocarbon. It’s works great. Many people over think leaders. It’s the business end of the line but don’t over complicate it. Personally I believe allot of old fly fishing tactics are out dated. With this new rods with ultra fast blanks and the new shooting lines with 39’ heads. The game has changed and fly fishing is much easier today. Thanks you.

[@1Troutguy]

Thanks Kelly, always love learning from you, I watch your videos to learn how to High Stick Nymph and Stream fish, Its like having an expert by my side. BTW I just received my High Stick Drifter 10' 5Wt from St. Croix you designed. Keep the videos coming and i'm thinking of coming to Montana to fish your great river, I may come see you, Im in Colorado.

[@robbiesflytyingchannel]

Man, this video helped me a lot! I Use a full sinking line and my leader was way too long. Great video....thanks

[@jamestollack4431]

Perfect, exactly what I was wondering also. New to sinking lines and big streamers, but LOVIN IT! lol

[@NickAndCaroline]

Really good distinction made on setups. My friend told me always fish a short leader, but I fish a floating line so it’s gotta be a little longer and tapered. Thanks. It didn’t seem right so I never listened haha. Edit: these older videos still have good intel!

[@ahumandalek3922]

*I bought these and used them at the river where I get snags often they have done a **enjoyable.fishing** recommend great job of not breaking along with some strong line I purchased as well. They are super durable and easy to use.*

[@SultanofSpey]

Hi Kelly. Seeing this for the first time. I generally only streamer fish when the river is wicked high...as a last resort. In that case, I usually resort to my tried and true steelhead tactics which is the tradional concentric arc swing of a known distance stepping down river each cast. I can see now that's a fairly narrow minded approach. I guess I have lots to learn about streamer fishing for trout.

[@rudyelizondo1935]

Perfect video man, I have been fishing for years and the leaders info is great, I usually mess up when Casting big bug flies or streamers. I’m glad you mentioned to use heavier n shorter leaders

[@eggsalad0071]

Thanks, always wondered your take on leader length. Bob Linsemen. basically gave me similar advice.

[@nicksandoval4618]

Great video 👍🏽I am wondering if you did any diving in lakes? And if it would be possible if you could tell us your approach on fishing streamers in lakes? Thank you 🙌🏽

[@kenmartin1211]

Can I ask about using Sink Tips off Floating line when fishing streamers. I use a 7 wt that has floating line on it and attach a 10' 3 IPS Sink Tip with 15'' of 20lb to 15'' of 10 lb to Streamer. Would I be better just using a sinking fly line ?Thank You!!

[@brianamado4366]

Recently I've just been running 18-24 inches of 12lb fluro straight to my fly and it works. Im also lazy and don't feel like tying leaders.

[@rodneil5920]

Hey Kelly, really enjoy your Q&A series. May have missed this answer in previous video. If I did, sorry for repetitive question. My question is how do you prevent articulated flies from fouling? The design of fly and or cast style or combination to prevent fouling. Thanks for your time. ALSO, do you still have the streamer instructional week at Slide Inn ? Thanks again, Rod Neil. Knoxville Tennessee

[@TheSlideinn]

Hey Rod, There is no way to stop the fouling of streamers, it is just part of the game. Anytime you put a hinge point in a fly it is bound to bind up at some point. Anyone who tells you different is a liar... once you get more comfortable casting streamers it does happen less, but it will always happen. We do still have our streamer schools as well, they are the last 2 weeks of September and the first 2 weeks of October.

[@joesanders6898]

Do you ever use a furled leader when fishing streamers with either a floating line or sinking line? If so, how would you employ one with a small unweighted streamer like a wooly bugger?

[@mikeking453]

Thanks for the video

[@markBUMP]

Hello. My name is Mark. I'm wondering how do you pick the right type of water to fish when your nymph or steamer fishing?

[@justmyopinion6486]

I live in S. Louisiana. Just got back into fly fishing. I do a lot of s.w. fishing out of a kayak. Do you have any tying video's for sac-a-lait(crappies) also can you illustrate how to make a leader?Thanks Charlie Mutter

[@OldVetUSN72]

More of a question about line- Airflow Streamer Shovelhead 8/9 wt. Would you recommend this for lake fishing pike/ small musky flies on 8 and 9 wts ?

[@rouryglen]

One question kelly . Are 8 foot sinkng polyleaders connected to a floating line ok for presenting deer headed streamers ? Love the videos .

[@hobbyoftheday4017]

I'm not super experienced but last weekend I was using flurocarbon to make my leader ( 4' of 30# 2' 20# 2' 14#) and it helped get my streamers to sink alittle. Granted I was bass fishing and there wasn't a lot of current. Hope that helps

[@joeboirier63]

thank you

[@jasrobsny]

+TheSlideinn what's your opinion on sinking leaders on floating lines?

[@pbgd3]

As opposed to tossing on a bit of split shot I find them annoying. Floating line normal leader formula you can fish surface toss a terrestrial add a dropper fly move into an area and want a steamer cut that rig off steamer on toss it out there. Won't sink fast enough pinch on some shot a bit up the leader. Otherwise you're swapping leaders to swap presentation. I would just use a sink tip line with a different reel and carry two reels with me at that point.

[@Hondocracker]

This mans knowledge is endless... very impressive. I wonder he has or would do a video strictly on bull trout ? I would be forever grateful.

[@hotpoker4212]

Greetings from the Emerald Isle of Ireland 🇮🇪🇮🇪, what is the difference in the leader setup, when fishing fast flowing rivers,and Stillwater lakes,

[@paulkremer5054]

Kelly: Very new too streamer fishing and wanted to ask what is your preferred choice in tying flyline too leader. I’m reading about loop to loop connections, nail knots and now I just read and tried doing a clinch knot right too the fly lines loop🤔. I cut it off and decided to go back with a new loop too loop using 12lb maxima to my floating RIO big nasty. I used a perfection loop for the loop on the leader. My set up is a 9’ Reddington predator with a 7/8 Ross evolution XLT. Is there a better or Galloup preferred knot for connecting with my set up ? What length of leader should I stay within? Overwhelmed to say the least, but I am hooked and the tug is my new drug in streamer fly fishing. Many thanks, and I appreciate your long time devotion too the sport. I’ve learned immensely from your videos. Respectfully. Paul

[@TheSlideinn]

Paul, I was slow to the show for loop to loop, connections, didnt trust them but I started using them on my sinking lines about 5 years ago and have not had one fail so I use them now. I started using them on my dry rods too but must admit I prefer a nail knot especially on my light er rods. Thanks, Kelly

[@paulkremer5054]

TheSlideinn. Many thanks Kelly. Be Well Paul

[@jealee7799]

What size streamers do you use on that short leader?

[@DroneMichiganPro]

What is that picture behind Kelly? I remember it was in an ad sometime ago. I always thought it was cool! Very bad ass!

[@mizzula1984]

That is a picture of Big Horn River in Montana.

[@quintili1]

I know this is an older video but perhaps you could answer a question for me. What knot do you like to use to connect the 20lb Maxima to the 12 lb Maxima?

[@TheSlideinn]

Joseph I use a blood knot but what ever knot you like is fine, pretty strong stuff. Thanks for watching, Kelly

[@iklink]

What if I put a section of sink tip on a spin rod (like ultralight). Can I still have 9 ft leaders to a fly? Sink tip is not considered a weight right?

[@briggs13a]

when do you use floating line. I only wade

[@FISHBLUERALPH]

What is the short length of orange material at the end of the butt section?

[@BeautifuLakesStreamsBiologists]

That is the fly line

[@iklink]

Do you have like super sink or something?

[@BrianOHanlon]

Fifteen foot retrieve with longer leaders, stream pattern is probably not going to have chance to sink down into the zone that a streamer fishing sinker fly line is going to occupy - with tendency of streamers to float back up towards surface. Un-weighted streamer patterns and using fly line to pull down larger streamer patterns. Interesting explanation, and has very little to do with using swing of fly in arc, as with salmon patterns. Bearing in mind, lighter weight hook, Aberdeen style took in articulated streamer patterns, doesn't give fly a lot of weight to make its way down to deeper zones either, without influence of sinking fly lines. This shorter leader is really a revelation. It's not that often, that this point is covered in several texts, which do feature a heck of a lot of streamer patterns and fishing conversation.

[@1Troutguy]

Yo Brian, Im going to Listen to the expert, Kelly! why don't you do your own video if you think your way is better. Your way will catch a fish here and there Kelly's way will catch more.

[@michaelrollo6518]

I have a question can I tie a fly with out a vise

[@TheSlideinn]

Sure you can, its a lot harder but you can and many did in the old days. Most notably Lee Wulff tied both with and without but was famous for his flies and his lack of a vice. Lots of people made there own , frequently out of needle nose vise grips. It can be done for sure. Thanks for watching. Kelly

[@roblacitinola866]

Great info, the hula girls the shit...:)

[@imaxfli]

Short answer would have been....we use a 3' leader/tippet......sooooooo.......

[@ronnybohack]

Dont talk about line in pounds.. talking about diameter is the way to go.

[@jeffthepeaceguy]

Kelly, Love the info, but I feel you need to cut back the number of times you repeat yourself. This 8 minute video could have been just as informative at 2 minutes. Just saying. Jeff

[@1Troutguy]

A Good Teacher always repeats themselves, most people don't get it the first time its said. when its said in different ways it makes sense. I guess your just a better listener then most people. (yeah right)