question from a biginner fly fisherman

[timberhall]

I was wondering why I needed a tapered leader? Why can't I just put on 7 feet of 4 pound test mono?
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[albinotrout]

For one the tapered leader helps the fly to sit right. Also the fly line is smaller diameter so it is easier to tie a fly on it. What I do is after a while when the tapered leader is getting short and the thicker end is making it harder to tie on a fly, I put a short lenght of tippet material on and this brings the line back down in diameter. Also there is an idea out there that the fish can see the thicker line. Possibility, but who knows. What I do works and that is fine with me. Try getting the tippet material. You will see that the 4 lb test stuff is smaller in diameter compared to regular mono. Hope this helps.
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[baetisman]

Actually you can in some circumstances. When I'm fishing weighted streamers, particularly on lakes from my tube, I'll use 8 to 9 feet of straight mono. The reason tapered leaders are necessary in most circumstances is so the fly line can roll the leader and fly out flat. The heavier part of the leader keeps the momentum of the fly line and rolls the line over, laying the fly out at the end. Try casting 7 feet of straight mono with a dry fly. The line will bunch up. The reason you can use straight mono on weighted streamers is because the weight of the streamer will keep the momentum of the line and roll out flat. At least that's my take.
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[HFT]

Tapered leader is all about presentation of the fly and getting a better cast because the heavier part of the leader is turning over the lighter. Therefore your fly is the last thing to light on the water. you could just use 4 lb. but you end up with the leader piling up around the fly and fighting accuracy in your cast. Because the tapered leader is heavier over most of the leader it is less likely to break until the last couple feet instead of the whole 7-9'. Don't let cost be a factor because you can get a lot of fishing out of one leader because you just keep adding tippet to the end as you change flies,break off, etc.
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[kochanut]

you sure can do that, like it has been said some situations demand it. when i fish a ceratin little stream in CO no wider than a side walk i use a 6 foot piece of 6X tippet attached to my fly line to bump tiny bead heads down 3 foot deep pools. also FG does this deep water nymphing thing that i can get enough of, i might do it different because i use a 30 foot piece of tippet attached to my fly line owith a slip indicator and no leader what so ever.
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[flygoddess]

Echoing JIM on this. It is all about presentation.
If the presentation doesn't matter like with streamers, deep nymphing and in allot of cases just plain old nymphing, a taper leader is not needed.

I see people all the time put a taper leader on their sinking lines and never understood why other than maybe those leaders where super cheap.

BUT, there are some cases where a tapered leader is needed to get the fly out . Specially with dry flies. Even big old Mice patterns. They just don't cast well with a level leader, but they also don't have the drag of the water to help cast it out there.

So, basically, underwater, you don't need one
Dry fly or top water, you need one.

You should check out FURLED LEADERS. You only need one or two for a whole season...even longer.
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[DKStroutfitter]

Ninty percect of my fly fishing is nymphing.
I quit buying tapered leaders and started making my oun.
I make them out of 4 'of 20#, 3' of 15# and 2' of 10# mono. Blood knots to put them together.
I add tipit to this and I'm set.

This even works well with dries but I tie the leader a little shorter for the dries.
Cost about 20 cents each to make.
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[sinergy]

Forget tapered leaders get a Furled leader from Fly Goddess and you can fish any fly or streamer you want with it [sly][][]
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[tkidder]

I fish with four or six pound mono all the time (well, a lot) and never have trouble turning over dries, accuracy, or presentation. But it only seems to work well if I'm fishing quick streams where fish don't really have time to be turned off by the thicker line (and if I'm using big enough flies to get the line through[laugh]). I like using it 'cause it's tough and cheap. But I think the bottom line is try it out and see if you like it.[fishon]
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