[fredaevans]

got three of them delivered to me today. VERY, VERY COOL product. Have been using the Airflo's for a long time but have busted off more fish than I care to remember. Interior core of the AF's (per package) is 12# material. I'll take their word for it but I'm hard pressed to 'believe it.' The AF package says their sinking leaders are 5 or 7 foot long ... maybe if you have a defective ruler.

The Rio's are 12' long (come in several different sink rates) and are 12' long. Far thinner than a regular sink tip and have a 24# center core. Doubt these babies will bust in two.

Will load up a couple of rods and 'field test' them this weekend.
fae

 

[Rick J]

Fred,
You must be using the trout version of Airflo. They have Salmon/Steelhead that is rated at 24# or there abouts and think they might even have one rated at 40# (maybe saltwater version?)

 

[fredaevans]

Actually was using the salmon/steelhead version

of the airflo 'leaders.' That's why I was so surprised to have as many as two breakoffs in one day (and on back to back fish).

 

[pmflyfisher]

Fred, those big chinooks have broken 20 lb test on me with out even trying, and I only had 30 pounders running away, not a Rogue 50+ pounder.

 

[fredaevans]

Hal, don't I wish they breakoffs were on Kings.

Nope, just normal size summer run steelhead. I'd do a triple surg. knot from the "12#" AF leader to short run of 10 or 8 pound maxima main line for tippet material. All breakoffs were above this knot. At the knot, I'd have thought that it was a lousy tie job. But in each case it was the 'heavier' material that gave it up.

 

[BigDave]

Fred - I use these extensively as well and they are a great product. I use a triple surgeons as well but have noticed that the mono core becomes very brittle after a while. I have gone to blood-knotting a short peice of 20# maxima onto the mono end of the sink-tip to prolong it's life. Maybe this will help

 

[fredaevans]

Dave that may be a great suggestion.

You can 'tie' on the tippet material anywhere you want; doing so 'above' AF's 'leader' material may be just the ticket. Will give this a try .... but with the new RIO's at hand I'm more interested in giving these a go due to the higher rating of the centeral core material (24# vs 12# material).
fae

 

[t_richerzhagen]

Non-slip loop

I had 15# maxima go before the AF core. It was a new leader. Sunlight and use do have a damaging effect on nylon. I use a 10# maxima tippet most of the time, so do not think there should be any problems with the AF, if they are made right.

There have apparently been a few problems with the core of AF lines, is this another quality control problem?

Fred - the AF Salmon/Steelhead is supposed to be 24#, at least that is what my packages say. They have a heavy salmon that has a 40#core.

 

[fredaevans]

"Fred - the AF Salmon/Steelhead is supposed to be 24#, at least that is what my packages say. They have a heavy salmon that has a 40#core."

Wow! These suckers I'm buying here in Ashland must be WAY OLD. Still have one of the packages and it's the salmon/steelhead extra fast sinking (which it does) and it says up to a max. of 12 leader material.

But, just one more 'proof' that Medford/Ashland is at the very end of the fly fishing food chain. Ain't the internet grand?!



Actually, should say ''Isn't Simon grand.''
fae

 

[SpeyFitter]

Hey Fred, Of the 12 foot Rio Sinking Leaders that you picked up, what sink rates do you have?

I am looking at getting a few of the 12 foot, 7 inch per second rio sinking leaders for Winter fishing when my local shop gets them in. I am curious to see if they will be adequete to get down for the Winter fishing I do. I am hoping they will for the most part, so I won't have to cut my Grandspey, although there will be the day where the water is high and coloured and the only thing that is called for is 15 feet of LC13 (or the new Rio type 8 on spools if my local shop gets that in anytime soon?) and a slightly weighted popsicle.

Thanks,
Scott

 

[Guest]

Another thing to consider is that they are marketed as leaders. At $9.95 retail they should not be expected to last as long as a fly line tip will. I have many different lengths, densities, and line strengths from Rio, Air Flo, and Loop and I've never been disappointed with any of them. But, they will not last indefinitely. If you use one on a fairly regular basis I would plan on replacing it annually. If you have several and switch off between lengths or density you should be able to get several years from each, but even if almost never used they will break down eventually just like any other monofilament. Keep them out of sun and heat and they'll last longer, but again not forever.

 

[fredaevans]

Scott, purchased two of the 7'' per second

and one 5" ips. Loaded up two of them last night as we're headed over to the Chetco for the weekend (hopefully the river won't be blowen out by the storms that are coming in over the next few days.

If so then they'll get a good work out the weekend of the 21-22 her on the Rogue.
fae

 

[beau purvis]

sink leaders

as i have stated a few times on the pages; i use airflo. got one yr and 70 hot steelhead on the regular[24lb]salmon with one nonslip loop knot at the leader end. but i say why mess around ! buy the extrastrong salmon[40lb]. i am sure these things are so good that everyone will be offering them and the choices will multiply and the qaulity will only improve.i like the 10 ft but i will probablyly add a 12 to my arsenal just in case i start to feel inadequate and start to 2nd quess my tried and true.
beau

 

[flytyer]

Scott K,

I've cut my 10/11 GrandSpey 16 feet from the tip and put in a loop on the belly end and the tip end. I love the way it casts 11 weight sink tips! It just picks them up and powers them out to over 100 feet easily if you do your line placement properly. The sinking leaders with a sink tip should allow us to fish in those deep runs that fly fishers have tended to avoid, but that gear guys have taken many fish from in the winter. Get the fly below the sink tip and do so without having to lead the hook, making casting a far nicer affair.

 

[fredaevans]

Now that I'd never thought of .... anyone tried this combo?

"The sinking leaders with a sink tip should allow us to fish in those deep runs that fly fishers have tended to avoid, but that gear guys have taken many fish from in the winter."

Sounds like it would be an ackward rig to cast, but I said the same thing before I started 'splicing in' extra fast sinking leaders below a full floating line.
fae

 

[flytyer]

Fred,

It would be much easier than casting leaded flies, like some spey casters do.