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Nymph · Rainbow Trout

10.5-Foot 60/20/20 Nymphing Leader

A 10' 5" nymphing leader built on the 60/20/20 idea: a long, stiff butt, a short taper and a fine tip. About 60 percent is butt, 49" of 30 lb and 25" of 20 lb Maxima Chameleon, 74" in all. About 20 percent is the taper, 12" each of .015" and .010" Maxima Ultragreen, 24" in all. The last 20 percent or so is the tip, 12" of 2X at .009" and 15" of 4X at .007", 27" in all. It turns over a single tungsten bead nymph and keeps contact with it in the drift.

BBy BarblessOctober 14, 2026

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30 lb.022"
Maxima Chameleon
20 lb.017"
Maxima Chameleon
15 lb.015"
Maxima Ultragreen
8 lb1X.010"
Maxima Ultragreen
6 lb2X.009"
Maxima Ultragreen
4 lb4X.007"
Maxima Ultragreen
BUTT · 49"
TAPER · 25"
TAPER · 12"
TAPER · 12"
TAPER · 12"
TIPPET · 15"
Total length10' 5"
Rod4-6 wt
Flies1
Knots6
WaterFreestone river, Tailwater

Drag the drawing to pan. Tap a fly for what it does, a knot for how to tie it.

Build your leader

10' 5" of line · 6 pieces · Butt to tip

Butt 30 lb23454 lb

Tie it

0 of 6 done

These are the finished lengths. Leave extra for tying each knot.

How to tie it

  1. Build the tapered leader

    Join the 49" butt to the 25" mid with a blood knot. Add 12" of 15 lb with a blood knot. Add 12" of 8 lb with a triple surgeon's knot. Add 12" of 6 lb with a triple surgeon's knot. Add 15" of 4 lb with a triple surgeon's knot.

    Tie a blood knotTie a triple surgeon's knot

  2. Tie on the Tungsten Bead Pheasant Tail

    Tie the Tungsten Bead Pheasant Tail to the 15" tippet with an improved clinch knot.

    Tie an improved clinch knot

The knots

  • Blood knot · 5 turns×2
    1. Overlap the two ends by about six inches.
    2. Wrap one tag end around the other line five times, then bring it back and pass it between the two lines where they cross.
    3. Wrap the other tag end five times the opposite way and pass it back through the same opening from the other side.
    4. Wet the knot and pull the two standing lines steadily until the wraps seat. Trim both tags close.
    The blood knot, step by step
  • Triple surgeon's knot · 3 turns×3
    1. Lay the new line alongside the end of the leader so they overlap about six inches, the ends pointing opposite ways.
    2. Holding the two lines as one, tie an overhand knot, passing the whole new piece through the loop.
    3. Pass the same ends through the loop twice more, three times in all.
    4. Wet it and pull all four ends evenly to seat the knot. Trim the tags.
    The triple surgeon's knot, step by step
  • Improved clinch knot · 5 turns×1
    1. Pass the tippet through the hook eye and pull about five inches through.
    2. Wrap the tag around the standing line five to seven times.
    3. Pass the tag through the small loop just above the eye, then back through the large loop you just made.
    4. Wet it and pull the standing line so the wraps snug down against the eye. Trim the tag.
    The improved clinch knot, step by step

When and how to fish it

Fish it on a 4-6 wt with a floating line in runs, riffles and pocket water. Cast upstream or up and across, lift the rod to keep line off the water and lead the nymph downstream with the leader just tight. Watch the butt and line tip for a stop or twitch and set on anything that looks wrong. The #14 tungsten bead carries the fly down, so pick a heavier nymph for deeper, faster water.

If the drift is not ticking bottom, the nymph is too light for the water. Tie on a heavier tungsten nymph or fish a steeper upstream angle so it has time to sink.

Common questions

  • What does 60/20/20 mean?

    About 60 percent of the length is butt, 20 percent is the taper and 20 percent is tip. Here that is a 74" butt, a 24" taper and a 27" tip. The long butt carries the cast and the short taper lets the fly drop quickly.

  • How does the fly get down without weight on the leader?

    The nymph carries the weight. A #14 tungsten bead nymph sinks fast in moderate runs, and a heavier pattern handles deeper water.

  • How are takes detected without an indicator?

    Watch the leader butt and line tip. A stop, a twitch or a sideways move means a fish, so set on it.

  • When should the 4X tip be replaced?

    When fly changes have cut the 15" piece of 4X short, or it feels rough after snags. Tie on fresh 4X with a triple surgeon's knot.

Rainbow TroutBrown TroutCutthroat TroutNymphFreestoneTailwater

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