An often overlooked step in getting rigged and ready to fish is straightening the leader.  Most Trout leaders consist mainly of butt material with a short taper and tippet.  The butt material is the stiffest portion of the leader and it holds the most memory.  Whether we pull a fresh leader out of a package or pull it off the reel the leader is stored in a coil which causes the material to “remember” its coiled shape.  Leaving the coil works against us in several ways.  First, a leader with a memory problem is more difficult to cast in that it is less aerodynamic.  Second, a coiled leader makes casting accurately very difficult because the coils don’t unroll to a consistent length.  Third, a coiled leader takes us out of contact with our flies.  Whether fishing nymphs or wets on a floating line, sunk line lake tactics or pulling streamers, feeling a strike is paramount.  A leader with too much memory reduces contact with flies, decreasing strike detection.

There are several products available to straighten a leader.  Naturally they are called “leader straighteners”.  Most fly shops carry at least one leader straightening product.  If not, do what I do and use your hands.  You can easily remove memory from most leaders by running the leader through your hand, warming it slightly with friction and then giving it a good stretch.

Here are a few online options to purchase a leader straightener:

http://www.cabelas.com/leader-tippet-accessories-leader-straightener-1.shtml

http://www.riverbum.com/Leader-Straightener-With-Snap/

http://www.orvis.com/store/product.aspx?pf_id=4426

http://www.fishwest.net/flyfishing/product/CO59SND.html#.T4pRnZlSQrI

Take an extra second or two to work the memory out of your leader.  The fish won’t thank you for it….

George Daniel probing a NZ North Island stream