I want to try fishing for crappie and sunfish with my fly rod. I have about a dozen cork poppers. The cork bodies are 1/2”, 3/8”, and 1/4” in size. Two questions for you all. What size tapered leader should I use? Do I need to tie on a tippet to the end of the tapered leader or just tie the popper on the tapered leader. Thanks.

If you have any 9' 4x leaders that are 'used up' and are more like 5' long now, tie on like 2' of 3x or 4x and call it good. Otherwise, if you're buying specifically for panfish get some 7.5' 3x (3x is probably overkill for panfish but it won't tangle as easily as lighter weights, it'll definitely turn the bigger poppers over, and panfish generally aren't line shy, especially if you're fishing while they're spawning). I always use at least a little bit (a foot and a half or 2 feet) of tippet just because leaders are more expensive and they last longer if you're re-tying to the tippet instead. You could also put a small snap directly on the end of your leader.

Also if you have any pink squirrels, try tying one on... those absolutely crush the panfish.

Tie direct, and if changing flies a lot and you end up cutting off 3’ of the end of your leader tie on another few feet of tippet. I haven’t used tapered leaders for anything other than stream trout for 30 years...for most of my bass/pike/walleye I’m using 4-5’ of straight maxima chameleon in 12lb, then 5’ of 8lb seagaur fluoro. That’s for steamers. If using nymphs I go to 6lb instead of 8. I’ll use a bite tippet of 40lb maxima fluoro for pike. For poppers/surface the same thing except 8lb mono instead of fluoro. For panfish I would go 5’ of ten pound then 4-5’ of 6. I have never seen any panfish ball at 6lb but you could go to 4lb if you like. Anything smaller than 4lb is for wary stream trout and just to get the line into the tiny eye of the fly, and to maintain a very limp swinging motion 1-2’ from the fly.

Moonman.

You did not mention what size rod you are using. That will make a bit of difference - e.g. a 7' 2-wt vs a 9' 5-wt.

For panfish, I would just get Rio bass leaders, 8 lb. If you really need lighter tippet you could just tie in.

jeroldharter: "You did not mention what size rod you are using. That will make a bit of difference - e.g. a 7' 2-wt vs a 9' 5-wt.


For panfish, I would just get Rio bass leaders, 8 lb. If you really need lighter tippet you could just tie in."

For Bass and panfish I have a 9’0” 7-weight or for smaller cork poppers with small sunfish I have a 8’6” 4 weight rod.

I would get 3-packs of the Rio bass leaders, 8-lb for the 4-wt. Could use them on the 7-wt too but for bass I would use 10-12 lb, especially if pike are around. I think a 7-wt is overkill for crappies.