You're right. I keep buying spools to replace those individual ones I've used up and can't ever get to the point where they are all empty and I can dump them to try something new. I'm stuck!
Leland.
Leland, I also had a lot of butts tied up with the maxima dark and found them just fine when a couple of years ago, I reread the book by Charles Ritz called A Fly Fisher's Life. In it he reiterates the formula accredited to everyone who came along since whcih is the 60-20-20 formula. he also spoke to the type of mono to be used, etc and recommends a leader material that matches the flyline in flexibility.Since then I've heard the same thing from Lefty as he gives soft butts their due and others. I began to tie with materials that are a lot softer for my butts and Lo and Behold they did work better. An old dog can learn new tricks. Rio Powerflex makes good butts as does Stren Clear. Both fairly flexible and with them I use a diameter of about 75% of the lines tip diameter as my first length. With these leaders you can easily turn over 15 feet plus a small clouser with no problem. To find the equivelent in a commercial tapered leader, try the 15 ft Rio Permit leader - what a nice turnover for a long leader! It has a larger than most folks use butt and the butt is a lot softer than most are used to. Anyway, I figure I have about another years use in my last few dark butts and will eventurall change them all over. Call me frugal but I just can't throw them away. Good Fishing Chuck S http://community.webtv.net/fishing-folks/ChucksEastCentral
