Hi Matt,
When setting any anchor, the rod tip path must be from low to high with no dips in it. When you say the leaders piles , is it piled but lined up with the intended cast direction and D loop or is it piled up stream of the fly line in a L shape?
To avoid a pile or erratic anchor placement the first thing is to get the line on the dangle out of the water cleanly, this means unsticking as much line as possible to avoid any spring effect as the line breaks the surface tension, if the line "pings" off the water it will not be under full tension against the tip and you will not be in full control of it as you turn it through the angle that you want to cast. This often results in a scrappy anchor or variance in anchor position
Hard to nail it without seeing it but, from what you describe, if the anchor is simply piling rather than landing in a L , it sounds to me as if you are dipping the tip as you get round the corner or before you lift the rod into your delivery posiition. If the line lands first, it is stopped by the surface tension of the water but the leader is still travelling hence it piles in. Tip of the line and leader should come in flat or, better still, on a slight incline.
Cheers
Ben
