For extreme situations, leaders as short as 1 foot or as long as 15 feet are sometimes used. Shorter leaders are needed when fishing nymphs or streamers with a sink-tip line. They help get the fly down to the fish quickly in deep, fast water and are good for casting in tight situations. Extremely long leaders sacrifice accuracy but can improve dry-fly success in deep or clear water. In deeper water, fish have a wider field of vision at the surface and are more likely to see a nearby fly line.
Braided leaders are more supple than their mono counterparts and therefore turn over very nicely.
They're also very porous, which allows you to dress them to float or sink. Mono leaders are not porous, and are generally more popular than braided leaders. The following discussion refers to mono leaders, which we recommend. Tippet Size Be cautious of charts or formulas that define required tippet size for a given hook size. While these can guide you in your initial selection, you must cast the fly and observe the results to determine if your choice was a good one.