The leader is another item that is required to cast effectively. Like the taper of fly lines, leaders also have a similar design for the same reason. The gradually taper allows the leader to transfer energy in one specific direction – towards the fly. A leader is divided into the butt section, the taper, and the tippet. At the butt section, a leader is widest as it is composed of monofilament in the 20-40 lb. range. The taper of a leader is the engineered gradual reduction of the diameter of the leader – basically, the leader “tapers” from the butt section to the tippet. The tippet of a leader is the finest diameter portion of the leader and for which the leaders is rated.

For smaller streams, many anglers prefer short leaders due to the minimal casting space available. For larger streams, many anglers prefer longer leaders to separate their fly line from the fly. The compromise to consider when selecting a leader is this: ‘the longest leader you can effectively control’ vs. ‘the shortest leader you can use without spooking the fish.’