I like floating line and give me a clouser or a beaded wooly bugger in white and its all good. Amazing how you just need to find the movement they like on a particular day to get them really biting. I fly fished over a 3 day period last year catching nearly 400 crappie. Caught about a dozen tonight (nothing big at all) and I thought it was pretty yucky out but had some fun. I know people who use a sinking line to get them deep around structure out of a boat...If I am going to go that deep I am switching to different gear. Just my 2 cents. Have Fun!

 

A big crappie is going to be a handfull on that 3wt, just a heads-up! We're talking about the same species that I have hooked on my 5wt and been towed 20' or more in my kayak. My opinion on fly selection seems to be different from most folks, I say skip the small dainty stuff. I see folks saying they use nymphs and #10 wet flies, and I think they will catch you fish, but I like to target the bigger crappies. I throw mostly streamers in the 2-2.5" range, but up to nearly 4" at times. Big crappies are fish eaters, so I throw baitfish imitations. White buggers would be a good choice, white zonkers, Clouser's, and even EP style streamers will work well. I almost always start with white or another bright color, go subtle if I need to do so. The biggest one I got this year so far was on an EP shad pattern pushing 4" long, the crappie was 15 1/4". Good luck!

 

So far this year I've had badly stained to downright muddy water to deal with in the local lake and ponds I fish.

Been catching quite a few 'gills and crappie on a chartreuse bead chain eye/flame red marabou tail and body creation I came up with and tie on a #14 2X long hook.

When the water is really dirty they seem to smack it hard if I put it close enough for them to see it. Some evenings I think they hone in on the "splash" when it hits the water. I've been using it with the 3wt and a furled leader heavily treated with floatant. An 18-24" 5X leader lets it get down a little, and I strip set if the floating leader twitches or starts sinking.

 

can someone explain the advantages of a furled leader as opposed to just tying progressively smaller diameter pieces of mono together?

 

can someone explain the advantages of a furled leader as opposed to just tying progressively smaller diameter pieces of mono together?

I think it's preference more than anything. Depending on the material in the furled leader, it will turn over "cleaner" than a non-tapered leader, such as stepped down mono.

One thing I like about furled leaders is their stretch. Since they are basically braided/twisted line, they have a lot of stretch in them. This serves as a shock leader of sorts, cushioning the the whole setup @ the strike.


One actual advantage would be less knots to fail.