Drag-Free Drift [Hardcover]

Joseph A. Kissane (Author), Steve A. Schweitzer (Illustrator, Contributor)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 1, 2002

Design, materials, knots, casting

Includes LeaderCalc CD with tables for every variation of leader

Fly fishermen often pay too little attention to the eight or nine feet of monafilament that connects their hundred dollars of gear to their fly. But this least expensive component-the leader-is the one most directly connected to fishing success. To fool a trout, a leader must drop a fly lightly on the water and then let it drift naturally, without drag. This groundbreaking work reveals the principles behind leaders that catch fish and provides everything you need to start tying your own, including the ideal proportions of butt, taper, and tippet, the best materials and knots for various applications, and how leaders can be modified and adapted. It also covers techniques of casting to minimize drag and enhance presentation.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Steve Schweitzer developed and produced the LeaderCalc CD. He lives in Denver, Colorado.

Joseph A. Kissane is an engineer and fly fisherman. He lives in Chicago, Illinois.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 192 pages
• Publisher: Stackpole Books (January 1, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0811705277
• ISBN-13: 978-0811705271
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.2 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #486,456 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Good but..., July 20, 2005

By 

E. R. Martinez "Patagonia fan" (Buenos Aires, Argentina) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Drag-Free Drift (Hardcover)

... a little too much technical information which makes the reading a bit heavy for those of us with no technical background. Nonetheless I am now making my own leaders following the book's recipies.

4 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I haven't read this book, January 6, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: Drag-Free Drift (Hardcover)

Leaders are one of the few pieces of gear that make an enormous difference in fly fishing. Judging by equipment sales, there are some people out there who would like to buy some piece of gear that would make them better fishers. The leader is far and away the most likely to allow you to buy an advantage. The obvious example being the Harvey Dry Fly leader, which guarantees you at least as much drag free drift as a week at the best fly fishing school. There are many other examples. My advice though is to search out a formula for a leader for polish nymphing, and get Presentation by Gary Borger. It has the best chapter on leaders I have read, and a few hundred other worthy pages to boot.