# Leader for redfish



## shallowskiff (Jan 13, 2017)

I am fishing in the low country of SC. 
What weight leader do you guys start with and the final tippet wt. that the fly will be tied to?

I will be fishing an 8 wt. rod.


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## Flyboy (Aug 26, 2019)

5ft 40lb mono -> 3 ft 20 lb mono -> 2ft 12lb fluoro, perfection loop on the butt and double Uni knots all the way down


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## Shadowcast (Feb 26, 2008)

It really depends on several factors....usually water clarity and spookiness of the fish to begin with. Yesterday I caught a red in Tampa Bay using about 5 ft. of 40# connected to 4 ft. of 20# in really clear water. That being said there were other fish where I felt a more delicate presentation could have gotten the bite. I think if you get down to 10 or 12# tippet, you should be good. With our pressure in TB, I drop down to 8# when the water gets super clear and super low.


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## scissorhands (Apr 8, 2012)

Pretty much the same as the guys have mentioned earlier. 3-4ft 40lb. 2-3ft 30lb. 2-3ft 20lb is my pretty standard recipe. For spookier fish it just gets longer, adding 1-3 ft of either 16 or 12 lb. My favorite material is Seagur blue.


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## hillcharl (Feb 7, 2011)

scissorhands said:


> Pretty much the same as the guys have mentioned earlier. 3-4ft 40lb. 2-3ft 30lb. 2-3ft 20lb is my pretty standard recipe. For spookier fish it just gets longer, adding 1-3 ft of either 16 or 12 lb. My favorite material is Seagur blue.


That's exactly what I use around here


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## BrownDog (Jun 22, 2019)

Flyboy said:


> 5ft 40lb mono -> 3 ft 20 lb mono -> 2ft 12lb fluoro, perfection loop on the butt and double Uni knots all the way down


similar here, usually 12 is what I go down to, one change is I’ll make the butt section 4 instead of 5 feet.
”in general” I don’t see too many leader shy fish and a little shorter leader makes it more manageable. I have caught fish on pretty short leaders.


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## shallowskiff (Jan 13, 2017)

Thanks guys for the help.


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## Cameron.S (Sep 3, 2020)

If I’m fishing around oysters with a 7wt I’ll use 1-2ft of 40lb floro 2ft of 30lb then 2ft of 20 or 25lb double uni for the knots 

if it’s in grass or open water start at 30 then 20 then 15


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## shallowskiff (Jan 13, 2017)

Cameron.S said:


> If I’m fishing around oysters with a 7wt I’ll use 1-2ft of 40lb floro 2ft of 30lb then 2ft of 20 or 25lb double uni for the knots
> 
> if it’s in grass or open water start at 30 then 20 then 15


Plenty of oysters where I have been fishing. 
Thanks


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## Stownsend (Feb 14, 2019)

This time of year in Charleston I use 6-7 feet of 40lb mono with 5-7 feet of 12lb fl or mono on an 8wt, for 6wt I drop butt down to 30lb.


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## crboggs (Mar 30, 2015)

Flyboy said:


> 5ft 40lb mono -> 3 ft 20 lb mono -> 2ft 12lb fluoro, perfection loop on the butt and double Uni knots all the way down


Alternatively...40 > 30 > 16 if you are throwing larger flies that need to turn over. Its also easy to add some 12 to the end of the 16 to extend the tippet if you go to smaller flies.

Be aware of the diameter and stiffness of the leader sections as you step down from the butt. You want a gradual reduction...

If you are doing a good job of stopping your rod tip but the leader is not rolling out, then your fly is too heavy for your leader/tippet combo...


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## tailwalk (Nov 20, 2016)

I generally use Rio saltwater mono and tie 5' of 40, 2' of 30, 1' of 20 and 2' of 16. You could use a similar diameter fluoro for the tippet, or the whole thing if you want. This turns over well for me on 7-9 weights


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## permitchaser (Aug 26, 2013)

I like 3' of 40 to 3'of 30 then 20. You can use the 20 for dingy or oysters then put a couple of feet of 14 floro. Remember floro sinks. I tie it all together with blood knots. Don't forget loop knot on the fly


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## Copahee Hound (Dec 21, 2017)

Call me lazy, but I just buy the SA 9' 12lb & 16lb leaders at Fin to Feather


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## Wombat Charters (Jun 10, 2019)

30 mono, 20 mono, 16 fluoro. All 3 - 3.5 ft. Very simple formula.


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## JustSomeDude (Apr 11, 2020)

I was playing around with leader formulas for my 8wt and came across this article: Making a Redfish Leader | MidCurrent. It's a solid read by Chico Fernandez and it's worked well for me. Cliff Notes: 


*Butt* = 5 feet of 40-pound
*Mid* = 3 feet (about 2 feet of 30-pound and 1 foot of
20-pound)
*Tippet* = 2 feet of 16-pound


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## crboggs (Mar 30, 2015)

Chico Fernandez's book has several leader recipes in it for redfish in different situations. Its worth the investment.


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## Seymour fish (May 13, 2018)

crboggs said:


> Chico Fernandez's book has several leader recipes in it for redfish in different situations. Its worth the investment.


CR, good stuff. Tailoring the leader to the conditions gets esoteric in the LLM high winds. Often need 6-7’ of 50, 2’ of 30, 1-1/2’ of 20, and 15 tippet with 1/60 oz lead in the fly to preserve accuracy.


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## Steve_Mevers (Feb 8, 2013)

I don't like the loop connections on the fly line so this is what I use. I tie a 6 inch piece of 30lb Hard Mason to my fly line using a nail knot and coat it with Pliobond (makes it go through the guides better) and tie a perfection knot at the end for a loop to loop connection to my leader. I like longer leaders, perfection knot on end of leader using 6' of 40lb Ande, blood knot to 2-3' of 30lb Ande, blood knot to 3' of 20lb fluorocarbon. If I need to go lighter on the tippet I just cut off some of the 20lb and blood knot a piece of 15lb. I like to fish about a 12' leader unless conditions don't allow it.


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## BrownDog (Jun 22, 2019)

Stownsend said:


> This time of year in Charleston I use 6-7 feet of 40lb mono with 5-7 feet of 12lb fl or mono on an 8wt, for 6wt I drop butt down to 30lb.


so you are throwing up to a 14ft leader (possibly plus tippet) for redfish?


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