Twisted leaders are an underutilized tool that can help you catch more fish.
By
Saltwater Sportsman Staff
Updated: December 28, 2012
How to Make Your Own:With a little practice, you can make your own two-section twisted leaders with ease. This method is based off a 5- to 6-foot leader. 1) Start with approximately 20 feet of mono. Put the ends together to divide the length in half so that the middle point can be found. Crimp this midpoint and put your right hand between the two strands while holding the crimped end with the index finger and thumb of your left hand. With your left hand, begin twisting the crimped end toward your body between right thumb and finger. At this point, the two ends should start rolling together.
2) Keep the strands separate to avoid tangling while twisting. When both sections have been twisted down to the ends, hold them and make a small overhand knot to prevent unraveling.
3) Divide the leader into two parts by folding it over, making two-thirds of the length doubled and one-third not. Crimp the doubled end to form a four-strand loop, and then begin twisting just below this. The two sections of doubled line should twist up on themselves to create a four-strand butt section. At the base of this, tie a three-turn overhand knot and be sure it seats down tightly. Then clip the tag of the knot. This should produce a 5- to 6-foot twisted leader consisting of two-thirds butt section with four strands and one-third tippet section with two strands. Attach your tippet with a loop-to-loop connection or no-name knot and you are ready to go.
