Abstract:
A fly line leader made from a single length of monofilament line that is folded upon itself to provide at least four strand portions that are twisted together. The leader has a loop at each of opposite ends thereof provided by the single length of monofilament line with the result of no enlargement at the transition from the main portion of the leader to the loop. The monofilament line preferably is nylon with a cross-sectional diameter in the range of 0.1 mm to 0.5 mm. A simple twister mechanism is described whereby the fisherman can make his own leader matched to his own preferences by selection of line stiffness, line diameter, and degree of twisting.

Description:
This application is a divisional of U.S. application Ser. 08/911,030 filed Aug. 13, 1997. 
    
    
     FIELD OF INVENTION 
     This invention relates generally to fly fishing and more particularly to a multi-strand, twisted, tapered, leader made from a single length of monofilament line as well as a method of making such leader and an apparatus for making the twisted leader. The strands of the leader are twisted together except for a minor portion at each of opposite ends thus providing a multi-strand, twisted, tapered, leader having integral therewith a loop at each of opposite ends thereof. 
     BACKGROUND OF INVENTION 
     Fly fishing is enjoyed by many and quality manufactured equipment is available. Fishermen in some instances hand make their own flies. The rest of the equipment including leaders is commercially premanufactured. 
     Fly line leaders that are braided are known and for this reference may be had to pages 48 and 49 of a catalogue of the Orvis Company Headed “Orvis® Spring Fishing and Outdoor 1995 Authentic Products of Lasting Quality for Over 100 Years”. 
     The known braided leader has excellent fishing characteristics, but it is expensive because it requires complicated and expensive factory installed machinery to manufacture the same. This known leader has a loop at each of opposite ends thereof, one for attaching to the loop end of the fly line and the other for attaching thereto the loop end of the tippet. To form these loops the leader end portion is folded back upon itself and the free end interwoven with or braided into the main length of the line. This results in an enlargement in the line near the loop end. 
     These known leaders are available in specific lengths of 7½, 9, 12 and 16 feet. 
     SUMMARY OF INVENTION 
     An object of the present invention is to provide a leader that is simple and inexpensive to manufacture and yet has excellent fishing characteristics. 
     A further object of the present invention is to provide improved characteristics in a leader made from a monofilament line. 
     A still further object of the present invention is to provide a simple easy way to make a fly fishing leader whereby the individual fisherman can make his own as needed and with characteristics desired by that individual. 
     A still further object of the present invention is to provide a relatively inexpensive leader that can be individually custom made incorporating characteristics as dictated by the fish to be caught and/or the fishing conditions as well as in any reasonable length that may be desired. 
     A still further object of the present invention is to provide a simple apparatus for making applicant&#39;s twisted tapered leader. 
    
    
     LIST OF DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic elevational view representing step one in making a leader from a single length of monofilament line; 
     FIG. 2 is a diagrammatic elevational view of the monofilament line attached to a twister mechanism and represents steps  2  and  3  in making the leader; 
     FIG. 3 is a diagrammatic view representing step  4  in making the leader; 
     FIG. 4 is similar to FIG. 3 representing step  5  in making the leader; 
     FIG. 5 is a top plan view of the twister mechanism taken essentially along line  5 — 5  of FIG. 3; 
     FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken essentially along line  6 — 6  of FIG. 5; 
     FIG. 7 is a view of a partially completed twisted leader of the present invention; and 
     FIG. 8 is a view of a completed twisted tapered leader of the present invention. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring to the drawings FIG. 1 illustrates a single length of monofilament line  10  suspended from a fixed in position anchor hook  20 . The monofilament line  10  has respective opposite ends  11  and  12  and mid-way therebetween the length of monofilament line is looped one and one half times (i.e. 540°), as indicated at  13 , around the anchor hook  20 . The monofilament line, preferably nylon, thus as illustrated has respective first and second strand parts  14  and  15  each of which is approximately half the length of the single stand  10 . 
     A twister mechanism  30 , to be described in more detail hereinafter, is diagrammatically illustrated in FIGS. 2,  3  and  4  with certain operative details thereof shown in FIGS. 5 and 6. The twister mechanism  30  is shown in its simplest form comprising a drive gear  31  meshing with a pair of planetary gears designated respectively  32  and  33 . These gears are located within a suitable casing or housing  34  and by any suitable bearing means are journalled for rotation on the housing. The planetary gears  32  and  33  have respective centrally disposed recesses or through holes  35  and  36  into which the ends  11  and  12  can be inserted. The strand ends  11  and  12  are anchored to the planetary gears by suitable wedging mechanisms, for example a tapered pin such as a toothpick, designated respectively  41  and  42 . 
     Gear  31  of the twister mechanism has a drive shaft  37  secured thereto and projecting therefrom beyond the casing and which can be readily inserted into the chuck  40  of an electric power drill. 
     Referring now back to FIG. 2, with the ends  11  and  12  anchored to the respective planetary gears (described briefly above with reference to FIG. 6) gear  31  is driven via shaft  37 . The planetary gears  32  and  33  rotate (both in the same direction as best seen with regard to the gear rotation arrows  55  illustrated in FIG. 5 providing a twist to the respective strand parts  14  and  15 . In the same direction as seen from strand rotation arrows  56  in FIG. 2) By way of example a twist of about 200 revolutions per meter length of nylon strand has been found to be suitable. The amount of twist can vary substantially depending upon the characteristics desired for the leader. Less twist provides a softer leader and one with less mass while more twist results in a stiffer leader and one with greater mass. By selecting the amount of twist and/or the diameter of the monofilament line, which can vary from 0.1 mm to 0.5 mm, one can make a leader with desired characteristics. Each leader can thus also be adapted to the fly line which can vary from a #2 to a #14. The weight of unit  30  (or weights attached thereto) is sufficient to keep the twisted strands  14  and  15  straight. Typically the unit will be from 4 to 6 ounces in weight. 
     With strand parts  14  and  15  each twisted the desired amount and with a hook  50  inserted into the loop lower portion  13   a  (FIG.  2 ), the hook is pulled down and attached to the twister mechanism. By way of example the hook  50  may have a threaded stem  51  which threads into a threaded recess  38  in the gear  31 . This is diagrammatically illustrated in FIG.  3  and with reference to the same the strand part  14  has now become strand portions  14   a  and  14   b  and strand part  15  has become strand portions  15   a  and  15   b . Each strand portion is approximately one quarter the length of the initial single strand and each strand portion has an equal amount of twist. It will be apparent there are in this illustrated embodiment four strand portions to be twisted together. 
     With the arrangement as illustrated in FIG. 3 the free hanging leader twister mechanism  30  (suspended from the hook  20  by the four twisted strand portions) is allowed to rotate freely and it is permitted to do so until it comes to rest. The direction of rotation as seen by rotation arrow  57  in FIG. 4 is opposite to that of the initial twist in the strand parts  14  and  15 . Created by the foregoing is a multi strand leader with a loop  60  at one end provided by two strand portions  14   a  and  15   a  merging as continuations thereof into respective strand portions  14   b  and  15   b . At the other end there is a loop  70  where strand portion  14   b  merges into strand portion  15   b . The other two strands terminate adjacent loop  70  in the free ends  11  and  12 . 
     The strand portions which have been twisted together form a twisted leader of a desired preselected length from a single length of monofilament line with such single length providing a loop at the respective opposite ends of the leader. The leader may be in the range of from 1′ to 20′ in length. The thus formed leader is illustrated in FIG.  7  and in reference to the same there is the loop  60  at one end and the loop  70  at the other end. The strand ends  11  and  12  are secured to the leader by for example knotting, e.g. a needle knot, or otherwise suitably anchored to prevent unravelling. Before being secured these ends  11  and  12  are preferably unravelled back to different lengths to provide a tapered leader which comprises four strands, then three strands, then two strands all formed from the single length of monofilament line. 
     The finished product is diagrammatically illustrated in FIG.  8 . The tapered leader comprises a first portion from A to B of four strands, a second portion from B to C of three strands and a third portion from C to D of two strands. Integral with the leader are loops  60  and  70  at respective opposite ends thereof. 
     The term integral herein, with reference to the loops, is meant to exclude constructions of forming loops by knotting, tying or interweaving. The loop is the result of the path followed by the single length of monofilament line from one end  11  to its other opposite end  12 , i.e. a portion in the transition from one strand portion to the next. 
     The leader of the present invention can readily be made by a fly fisherman to suit his needs. The number of turns per meter length of line can be varied so that the leader may be soft or stiff or most anything therebetween. Nylon monofilament line can be purchased as a limp line or a stiff line or most anything therebetween. The nylon as mentioned can also be purchased in diameters ranging from 0.1 mm to 0.5 mm. The maker of the leader can experiment using these different variables to construct a leader having characteristics as may be desired. 
     The twister mechanism is a simple device that might for example be 2″ in diameter, have a thickness of ½″ to ¾″ and weigh about 4 ounces to 6 ounces. 
     The casing  34  comprises a pair of plates.  34   a  and  34   b  held in spaced relation by a spacer  34   c . The spacer  34   c  may be a continuous wall, i.e. an annular sleeve or a number of posts and the unit is held together by a number of threaded fasteners  34   d  or other suitable means. The gears have hubs that project into recesses or pass through apertures in the plates. The Plates and gears may be metal and nylon bushings may provide suitable journals for the gear hubs. Alternatively the gear hubs themselves may be made of a nylon material or the gear hubs may be metal and the plates made of nylon. 
     The leader described and illustrated in the foregoing comprises four strands twisted together with those four strands being provided by a single continuous length of a monofilament line fold upon itself. There may be additional strands if desired and additional planetary gears may be added to the twister mechanism permitting twisting those additional strand lengths. Thus one can make a leader with more than four strands, e.g. 6, 8 or even more. 
     Some advantageous features of the present invention include: 
     1. The leader is better balanced in mass and flexibility to the fly line than any leader on the market today; 
     2. It has a loop-to-loop system without the use of any extra components like braided end loops; 
     3. The action of the leader can be chosen according to application by using limp or stiff nylon material or a combination of both; 
     4. The leader can be produced by the individual fisherman to his own liking; 
     5. A self produced leader is inexpensive; 
     6. The leader has extraordinary floating quality because of the locked air in the twisted surface of the leader; and 
     7. The leader has extraordinary sinking quality when the surface of the leader material before twisting and the twisted surface of the leader is coated with sinking material.