In most years the rivers would be low and getting lower by now and I would be fishing midge and aphid patterns in small sizes, I would be fishing fine and far off using Varivas Yamame leaders, to these I would add a two to three foot tippet, giving me a leader of fifteen to eighteen feet. these leaders cast beautifully without having to have to much line outside the rod tip!
Varivas Yamame Tapered Leaders
Keiichero Iwai, Japan’s master of Yamame Trout fishing, developed these leaders with VARIVAS® as the ideal leaders for pursuing these fish in mountain steams with light tackle. It is easy enough to find lightweight rods and reels that can deliver on delicate presentation however, there was always a difficulty to find the hooks to tie tiny flies, tippet to connect them and leaders long enough and fine enough to present a tiny midge to the easily spooked Yamame. With this background, VARIVAS® brought together know-how and expertise to create what is probably the world’s most delicate dry fly presentation system.
Yamame Leader
Yamame Leaders were developed with presentation in mind – 14 feet long and available in 4X to 8X, they are ideal for use on chalk streams when presenting tiny flies to easily spooked fish. With 43% butt, gradual taper over 17% and long point of 40%, they are made of pure nylon so have low / no memory and are very supple.
Clear / Taper:- 43 : 17 : 40 (%).
This one is my favourite!
Varivas Flat-Butt Yamame Leader
Flat-Butt Leaders are the latest innovation in tapered leaders – with the sole aim of providing the fly-fisher with delicate presentation and ideal turn-over.
12 feet long and available in 4X 5X 6X and 7X, they are ideal for use with the dry flies used on our chalk streams. With 55% butt and a gradual taper over 28% with a relatively short point of 17%.
These unique leaders have a flat butt for additional suppleness and ease of knotting – the yellow-coloured butt and taper make these leaders highly visible to the fly-fisher while maintaining stealth with a clear point section. Produced from pure nylon, they are supple from butt to point and have no memory, making them ideal for delicate presentation.
Taper:- 55 : 28 : 17 (%)
Varivas Tapered Leaders
Varivas Tapered Leaders are the ultimate in knotless leaders for the discerning fly-fisher. They provide the ideal solution to specialist fly fishing situations. Some manufacturers produce tapered leaders as 15 foot stock then cut them into 6 foot, 7.5 foot, 9 foot or 12 foot lengths. Varivas however, takes a different approach by designing each different leader for its own specific application … giving the fly-fisher the optimal taper profile to best suit the situation, produced with its taper ratios always in proportion to leader length. ALL VARIVAS TAPERED LEADERS are “Resin Coated” and “Non-Stress Coated” to ensure low memory, abrasion and water resistance, and prolonged life for both fresh and salt water applications.
Varivas Standard
Camouflaged with a green butt section and a clear tip to aid stealth. Available in 7.7 foot, 9 foot and 12 foot lengths in 0X to 7X. With 40% butt and a gradual taper over 40% and 20% point. Ideal all rounder for stealth and river use.
Varivas All Purpose – Fluorocarbon
Sensitive, powerful and durable. Available in 9 foot, 12 foot and 15 foot lengths from 0X to 7X (depending on length). The 9 and 12 foot leaders have 45% butt and a gradual taper over 25% with a longish 30% point whereas, the 15 footers come with a 55% butt, tapering over 30% with a 15% point making them very suitable for deep lake situations.
Varivas Specialist Dry Fly
Available in 9 and 12 foot leaders in 4X to 7X weights. With 50% butt, 20% taper and 30% point this configuration provides a fine supple butt, super long point ideal for delicate presentation.
Varivas Underwater Nymph And Wet
Available in 7.5 and 9 foot leaders in 0X to 3X weights. With 20% butt, 30% taper and 50% point this configuration provides a short butt and long taper for rapid descent of wet fly or nymph.
Varivas Salmon / Light Seawater
Suitable for the heaviest fresh and salt water species such as salmon, sea trout, sea bass, stripers, tarpon and bonefish etc. Produced from clear material with a heavy diameter, long butt section to turn over the heaviest flies. Available in both 10 and 15 foot lengths to provide for the needs of spring and late season low water situations is offered in all weights between 20lb (-4X) and 6lb (3X). With 60% butt, 25% taper and 15% point this configuration provides a long, heavy duty power butt section to withstand aggressive action in tough conditions.
Varivas Lake Retrieve
The profile of these leaders has been developed specifically to get small flies to depth as quickly as possible by having a long point – with fine supple butt section in combination with the super long point are ideal for delicate presentation of buzzers and nymphs
14 ft Leader available in -2X to 5X with the taper ratio of 20% butt, 22% taper and 55% point
FREE Varivas Leader Wallet worth £8.00 if you buy 20 or more Varivas Leaders!
Varivas Leaders, Tippets and Fly Tying Hooks are all available from Fly Fishing Tackle Co UK
Line management made easy from Berkley! For loading line onto your reels these two Spooling Stations are among some of their best-selling classics, easy loading and supreme line lay guaranteed!
The Classic Reel Spooling Station is intended for home use, while the Portable Line Spooling Station does what it says and can be used anywhere. They are both easy to use, produce excellent line lay and make line loading very easy.
The Smith Creek
The Smith Creek
