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Steelhead and spey · Steelhead

13.5-Foot Two-Handed 60-20-20 Leader

A 13.5-foot swing leader for a 9-11 wt two-handed rod, built on the 60-20-20 formula. It runs 97" of .018" butt, 32" of .014" and 32" of 0X (.011") tippet, so the butt carries the cast and the tip lays the fly out straight. It suits a floating line and a swung streamer in clear or low water.

BBy BarblessOctober 15, 2026

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.018"
.014"
~13 lb0X.011"
BUTT · 8.1 FT
TAPER · 32"
TIPPET · 32"
Total length13' 5"
Rod9-11 wt
Flies1
Knots3
WaterBig river, Freestone river

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

Build your leader

13' 5" of line · 3 pieces · Butt to tip

Butt .018"20X

Tie it

0 of 3 done

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

How to tie it

  1. Build the tapered leader

    Join the 8.1 ft butt to the 32" mid with a blood knot. Add 32" of 0X with a triple surgeon's knot.

    Tie a blood knotTie a triple surgeon's knot

  2. Tie on the Marabou swing fly

    Tie the Marabou swing fly to the 32" tippet with a non-slip loop knot.

    Tie a non-slip loop knot

The knots

  • Blood knot · 5 turns×1
    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×1
    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
  • Non-slip loop knot · 5 turns×1
    1. Tie a loose overhand knot in the tippet a few inches from the end.
    2. Pass the tag through the hook eye and back through the overhand knot on the side it came out of.
    3. Wrap the tag around the standing line four to seven times, fewer for heavier line.
    4. Pass the tag back through the overhand knot, entering on the side it last came out of.
    5. Wet it, pull the tag to snug the wraps, then pull the standing line and the fly apart to close the knot. Trim the tag.
    The non-slip loop knot, step by step

When and how to fish it

Cast across or slightly downstream, mend to control the belly, and let the fly swing across the current on a tight line. Step a few feet between casts to cover a run. When a fish takes, let it turn and pull before lifting the rod. The non-slip loop knot lets a size 2 marabou fly breathe and swim on the swing.

If the fly lands in a pile, the anchor or the turnover is weak. Shorten the tippet a few inches or use a lighter fly before you change the whole leader.

Common questions

  • What does 60-20-20 mean?

    About 60 percent of the leader is butt, 20 percent is the middle step and 20 percent is tippet. Here that is 97", 32" and 32".

  • Can I use it on a sink tip?

    Not well. A long leader lets the fly ride up above the tip. On a sink tip, a few feet of stout level mono works better.

  • Why 0X tippet?

    Big fish take a swung fly hard on a tight line. 0X (.011") holds up to that and turns over a size 2 marabou fly.

  • Why a non-slip loop knot?

    The open loop lets the fly swing and pulse on its own instead of being pinned stiff to the tippet.

SteelheadSteelheadStreamerBig riverFreestone

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