Last Thursday I caught and released this fish on a Lake Michigan tributary. I am very sure that the BlueSky furled leader was the major reason why I was able to land this fish.
The battle lasted nearly twenty minutes, and included several runs, the longest was over seventy yards. The built-in shock absorbing ability of the BlueSky leader helped to keep the six pound tippet from failing. The most critical moments happened while I was gripping the BlueSky leader trying to bring the fish in the last few feet, as the fish was going nuts. The fish was over 16 lbs. and 33 inches long.
Thank you for making such great furled leaders.
Bob Arwine
Thank you very much to Fish Alaska Magazine for honoring our furled leaders as the Best Of The Best.
I ordered a furled leader for my 4 wt. line last week before I headed out to the Henry’s Fork to fish. I just want to let you know how much I like the leader. I’ve never thrown a furled leader before and was/am surprised how well it delivers the fly to the water. As technical as the Henry’s Fork can be, I never once felt that my presentation was a problem. Thank you for a great product.
Greg Westcott, Grandville, MI
Hello Jim,
Here are a couple of photos of beautiful rainbow and brown trout that I caught earlier this year. Both were taken on a 6 wt Sage XP rod and BlueSky furled leaders. We were fishing a very heavy weighted wooly bugger, but the leaders turned the flies over extremely well.
Thanks again for the products. I hope that you enjoy the photos.
I am absolutely certain that these are the finest leaders ever made.
This year I am going to put them to the test and fly fish for BIG Tarpon with them. At the end of May I will be fishing the famed coastal waters of Boca Grande. Last year we had multiple shots for these brutes. So I am going to put your saltwater leaders to the test! Build them strong for me!
J. H. H., Orlando, Fla.
I ordered some of your leaders a few days ago, I was curious about all the good comments, so I gave them a try. I ordered the medium, the stillwater and the spey.
For my light speyrod I've been looking for the best matching leader for a very long time. Now I'm able to make the most delicate casts without any effort. Absolutely perfect.
The medium is perfect at our smaller rivers, great stuff! I will test the stillwater for seatrout this weekend, I'm sure I'll like it.
Forget all those polyleaders, braided etc. These will not be last furled leaders I buy from you. Many thanks for your great products.
Cheers, M. Stoeck, Germany
BlueSky Hand Furled Leaders. If you have never tried a hand-furled leader, you have no idea what you are missing! BlueSky leaders are perhaps the finest furled and twined leaders in the world ... in our humble opinion. These are sensational and we would be hard pressed to go back to other types of leaders.
Steve Hoagland
www.flyrodreel.com.au
www.derekmckenzie.com.au
Your furled leaders are a fantastic product! Once I get other people to try them, they're hooked.
A.J.H., Ypsilanti, MI
Jim,
I've been fishing exclusively with your leaders for some time now. Big flies or small, windy or not, they work. I did lose a leader to savage handling by someone I'd loaned a reel, they'd replaced your leader with some sort of mono leader...I didn't discover this until I was a couple of miles and a thousand vertical feet from the car. I realized I'd been taking many qualities of your leaders for granted..lack of spray, gentle landings, and easy turnover of the fly. I learned a lesson about loaning equipment (again) and have my loyalty in your leaders reinforced. Thanks again for making an exceptional product. I have attached a photo...note the skinny water in the background; presenting a fly took delecacy I could not hope for with a mono leader.
Best regards,
Lou Patterson, Longmont, CO
Hi Jim,
I received the leaders in the post yesterday- this is a faster service than most companies based in the UK- congratulations!!
I eagerly went out to my local tailwater to try them and I am very impressed- they turned over my size 20 dries against the breeze with ease and enabled me to make some very tricky presentations to difficult hard fished brownies- I caught several including a fish of around 20 inches which is massive for this water. Thank you - I will be using your products in the future.
Cheers Jon.
Your leaders are the best to be had. We catch large fish on your leaders with 5 to 6 pound test flurocarbon tippet and we no longer break them off.
P. M. E., Malvern, AR
I'm finally replacing the furled leader on my main 4-wt rig (with which I do about 90% of my fishing - about 80 days a year) after FIVE years of superior performance. That says it all, really...
D.K.A., White City, Oregon
I'm a happy repeat customer. Your leaders are far superior to anything else I've used.
L.H.P., Longmont, CO
Dear Sirs,
I recently passed the rigorous Federation of Fly Fishers Casting Instructor Certification test. During all components of the test, which included 20 to 75 foot casts to small targets and 50 foot on-the-water roll casts, your BlueSky medium furled leader helped me pass the test.
I recommend your great leaders to anyone interested in improving their casting.
Bob Arwine, FFF Certified Casing Instructor.
Met a guy on the Beaverkill that couldn't talk enough about how good your product is. (It also helped that he cast further than anyone else that day)
R.P.B, Ramsey, NJ
We've given the furled leaders a thorough testing and become enthusiastic converts.
On reservoirs and ponds we particularly liked the way they turned over our flies, which enhances casting accuracy when targeting small pockets in weedbeds and submerged and partially submerged tree branch tips.
They turned over our small bluegill "Bullys" as well as the large poppers and deer hair bugs that we fish for bass yet handled the heavily weighted flies and full-sinking lines that we used on the Buffalo River in Arkansas. On that trip we caught a twenty-inch river smallmouth bass that weighed 4.25 pounds.
Furled leaders allowed us to experience the pleasure of casting under the diverse conditions fly fishers often face.
We're mighty impressed. Thanks again.
Terry and Roxanne Wilson
Just tried one of your leaders out of curiosity. Well, guess what? I am ordering more. They are fantastic.
M. H. Odessa, TX
Dear BlueSky Flyfishers,
I have been fly fishing for 25 years and your furled leaders are the best change I have seen for bass fishing. Turnovers are perfect. The ease of casting large poppers is vastly improved resulting in many more hours of fishing time.
R.I., Penhook, Virginia
Finest casting, most versatile, durable leaders I have ever used!
T.R.B., Boise, ID
I have been using the your furled leaders for the past two years and they are without a doubt the best leaders I have ever used. I have been fly fishing for the past fifty seven years in fresh and salt water and I wish I had the use of them years ago. I also use them in the winter and so far have not seen any ice build-up.
Ed Saltzman, Grand Lake, CO
Gentlemen,
I recently received your 0-3 weight ultra light, and 3-5 weight light leaders, and they are the best dry fly leaders for small stream and creek fishing that I've used to date. I had little or no problems casting size 14 to 20 dry flies in moderate to still wind conditions with my 7'5" Simcik 2-3 weight bamboo rod. With the Orvis braided leaders I've used the past few years, there is spray on the cast, and they don't extend fully in moderate wind conditions; but your leaders leave no spray, and they carry the fly all the way forward, and gently too - in all but gusting wind conditions (I can't ask for everything with a 3 weight).
I think I'll order a few more of your fine leaders - enough to see me through the season, after which my English Setter "Bogey" and I will begin our annual quest for ruffed grouse and chuckar partridge!
Wishing you great success with your fine products,
A.M., Salt Lake City, Utah
I've been using your light leader for a few years now and I love it. I'm just getting a few more for a new rod that I'm about to get.
J. L., Homewood, AL
Great Products! I love the leaders for my saltwater fishing.
J. H. H., Orlando, FL
Two rainbows caught on first use of leaders - including 2 pounder on 3 weight rod/line - great product! THANKS
G. J., Rochester, United Kingdom
To BlueSky,
These leaders are very convenient. I don't have to dig around in my vest, or worry if I have the right leader. With your furled leaders, I am ready for all line weights and tippet sizes.
M.C., Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Thank you for the prompt response.
I received the leader today. In the past few years, I have noticed a sad decline in customer service and work ethics within our great nation; I am happy to say that through companies such as yours, the service I grew up with in the Midwest lives on.
Thank you again, you have a customer for life and many referrals through me.
Sincerely; J. E.
Gentlemen-
I just spent the past two days flyfishing the Indian River here in East -central Florida. The fishing was great partly due to the fact that I was using my new coil keeper that I recently purchased from your business. I have tried many different devices to control my flyline whether in the boat or wading. Nothing has been so valuable and easy to use as the coil keeper. Yes, I still use your furled leaders, and have one of the original saltwater leaders on from earlier this year. They are a joy to cast and virtually indestructible.
I wish you much success in your business and know that you will continue to do well as long as you continue to produce such fine quality products.
J. H., Orlando, FL
Dear BlueSky,
I have been searching for your product for a long time and am excited to have found exactly what I was looking for.
J.C., Kalamazoo, Michigan
Dear BlueSky Flyfishers,
The furled leaders are everything you said they would be. They cast great!
B.H., Mequon, Wisconsin
Jim,
Great talking to you last week! Since we talked I have made 2 trips to the Williamson River by Klamath Falls Ore. I've got to tell you guys that your furled leader on my 6 wt. Sage sure turned those big Hex patterns over beautifully. The first night I landed a 6 lb. Rainbow and two days later I landed a 5 lb.Brown.
P.S. I also broke off a much larger fish at dark.
J.N., Medford, Ore.
Dear BlueSky,
I have been looking for a source for furled leaders for 6 years. Thank you!
M.L., Ellistville, Indiana
Love your leaders. The best I've used. Thanks
D. K., Tulsa, OK
To: Jim Hauer, BlueSky Flyfishers
Re: Experiences with BlueSky Remarkable Furled Tapered Leader
Having been involved in the flyfishing retail industry for the last twenty-five years, I've had a unique opportunity to experiment with all kinds of different tackle and techniques in the adventure of enjoying my fly fishing and trout fishing experiences more.
When it comes to lines and leaders, I've sold thousands! And I always enjoy making comparisons as new products come on the market. I now and then return to trying knotless tapered leaders in new tapers and configurations as they are offered from season to season. Sadly, I've never been persuaded to change from my hand-tied leaders. Working with various taper formulas over the last thirty years, I've settled on three or four "hand-tieds" for the situations I face in my spring creek fishing here in southwest Wisconsin (and off-season, in northeastern Iowa).
A special concern of mine has always been the best leader taper for roll-casting, mostly because the stream I live on (famous Wisconsin spring creek, Black Earth Creek) has some extensive brushy stretches that can only be fished successfully roll-casting.
It's with that though in mind that I tried out BlueSky Remarkable Furled Tapered Leader made by BlueSky Flyfishers in a Lightweight version on my favorite #4 double taper.
Simply said, BlueSky Furled Tapered Leader is the best, absolutely the best leader, I've ever used. Better than any hand-tied I've ever made! With it I've been able to roll-cast heavily weighted #12 Hare's Ear Scuds and #10 Maribou Leeches with precision, total roll-out and no collapse; with delicacy and no water spray. All with the effort of, say, an easy false-casting stroke! And by solving the tough roll-casting test, it necessarily solved every other test demanded for the kind of flyfishing I do.
Its spiral woven construction lets it literally "swim" through the water. With dries, the construction helps sink the leader just below the surface, eliminating surface shadows while appreciably minimizing drag, as a greased tippet helps to float the fly naturally. With nymphs, the furl allows the water to flow through and around the leader (simple, but amazing!) so it actually takes on the pulse of the current, thereby accentuating fly movement while helping to pull down a long tippet to sink nymphs deep, quick.
And with BlueSky Furled Leader I now have three-leaders-in-one for my spring creek fishing. As situations demand, by tying a taper of shorter or longer strands of 4, 5 and 6x to the base 5'9" furl, I can fish a brushy-stretch short 8-footer, my standard 10-footer, or a deep nymphing 12-footer.
Now I can't wait to try BlueSky Mid-Weight Furled Leader with those tough-to-turn-over bigger and heavier flies on my 6-weight outfit!
I swear on my oath as an aspiring bamboo rodmaker, I will never hand tie another nylon leader for the rest of my life. So help me.
D.F., Cross Plains, Wisconsin
Prior to now, I thought that braided leaders were the softest things to land on the water. Furled leaders prove that theory to be totally false. Our collective hats are off to you.
C.S. Souderton, PA
Hi Jim
Just to let you know I received the leaders. It was the fastest mail service from the U.S. I have ever had. Congratulations on your speedy service, the leaders look impeccably built. I will even use one on a small brook where I can't even get a rod. I tried the cast by hand test it works. I laid out 15 ft. easily with tippet attached right from this spot where I would have hung up in a tree branch to get near the water. I'll send a photo of the results. Cheers and well done guys.
K. L., Oldham, England, UK
To BlueSky Flyfishers,
This is a reorder of the furled leaders. They're great!
J. M., Maryland
Just back from fishing. Had never tried prior to my last order. The best leaders I've ever used for brook trout. They never spooked the brookies.
W.C., Virginia
I have enjoyed using your furled leaders on my 3wt and 5wt rods. I wore one out on the 5wt but it lasted much longer than conventional tapered leaders. I lost the 3wt in the trees fishing for Brook Trout on the small streams in the Shennandoah Mountains in Virginia. Looking forward to using your leaders on my 7wt and 9wt rods fishing for Rockfish (Stripped Bass) and Steelhead.
J. D. H., Arlington VA
Thank you John,
I have been using a braided leader that came with my new 3-wt line, for about 6 months now. After using your furled leader on my 5-wt line, and seeing how much better it performs, I've changed to the light furled leader on my 3-wt also.
There really is a BIG difference! Thanks again for a great product! Thank you again for your great customer service, and assure you that I will be a repeat customer because of it. Keep up the good work, and I wish you success in the future.
L. S., Charlotte, North Carolina
I love your leaders. This is the second one I have bought. It is all I use. Thanks for a great product.
R.M.B., Grundy, VA
I have been using your furled leaders on three of my 'boo' rods and I must honestly tell you that they are the best damn leaders I have ever used.
I was at the Coulee Region TU Banquet in La Crosse last night. A set of your furled leaders had been donated as one of the prizes. When I asked some people at my table if they had ever used them, a couple guys said the furled leaders had been the biggest improvement in their casting since they started fly fishing. So, I thought I should give them a try.
R.K., La Crosse, Wisc.
This is a reorder. I tried your "special offer" last fall and they're great leaders. This order is for my son and son-in-law.
P.P., Big Canoe, GA
I've used your leaders for about a year, and will use nothing else. I recommend them to anyone who will listen.
L. P., Longmont, CO
Great website! The world of flyfishing needs more informative & special purpose sites like yours- keep up the good work!
C.D.C., Chestnut Hill, MA
