Sign in

Dry fly · Brook Trout

6-Foot Brushy Small Stream Dry Fly Leader

A 6-foot (72 inch) tapered dry fly leader for brushy small streams where casts are short and branches are close. It steps from a 30 inch .017 butt to .013, .011 and .009, then 14 inches of 4X tippet at .007. The stout butt and short length turn over a dry fly on tight casts and keep the leader out of the trees.

BBy BarblessOctober 14, 2026

LikeSave
Clone and edit
.017"
.013"
~13 lb0X.011"
~9.5 lb2X.009"
~6.5 lb4X.007"
BUTT · 30"
TAPER · 12"
TAPER · 8"
TAPER · 8"
TIPPET · 14"
Total length6' 0"
Flies1
Knots5
WaterSmall stream

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

Build your leader

6' 0" of line · 5 pieces · Butt to tip

Butt .017"2344X

Tie it

0 of 5 done

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

How to tie it

  1. Build the tapered leader

    Join the 30" butt to the 12" taper with a blood knot. Add 8" of 0X with a blood knot. Add 8" of 2X with a blood knot. Add 14" of 4X with a blood knot.

    Tie a blood knot

  2. Tie on the fly

    Tie the fly to the 14" tippet with an improved clinch knot.

    Tie an improved clinch knot

The knots

  • Blood knot · 5 turns×4
    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
  • 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 upstream or up and across with short, accurate casts. Use roll casts, sidearm casts and bow-and-arrow casts to slip the fly under overhanging brush. Let the dry drift without drag through pockets, riffle edges and undercut banks, and keep most of the line off the water. Make a few casts to each spot, then move up.

Do not let the tippet get too short. When fly changes and snags cut the 4X under about 10 inches, blood knot a fresh 14 inch piece of 4X to the .009 section so the fly keeps landing softly.

Common questions

  • Why use a 6-foot leader on small streams?

    Short casts under brush are easier to control with a short leader. A 72 inch leader turns over on a few feet of fly line and is less likely to wrap branches than a 9-foot leader.

  • Is 4X strong enough?

    For most small-stream trout, yes. 4X at .007 suits dries in common small-stream sizes and is strong enough to pull a fly free from a twig more often than not.

  • What do I do when the tippet gets short?

    Tie on a new 14 inch piece of 4X to the .009 section with a blood knot. The rest of the leader lasts much longer than the tippet.

  • Can I fish a dry-dropper on it?

    This build is a single dry fly leader. A dry-dropper needs a second fly and a dropper of lighter tippet, which this build does not have.

Brook TroutCutthroat TroutRainbow TroutBrown TroutDrySmall stream

More dry fly rigs

Explore all

  • 8-Foot 50-25-25 Tapered Dry Fly Leader

    An 8-foot dry fly leader built on the simple 50-25-25 rule: half the length in a stiff butt, a quarter in the middle and a quarter in tippet. It steps from 48 inches of 30 lb mono to 24 inches of 20 lb and 24 inches of 10 lb, joined with double uni knots. The heavy tippet and short, punchy taper make it a leader for big dries such as hoppers, stoneflies and foam bugs.

    Total length8' 0"
    TechniqueDry
    Knots3
    Time to tie2min
    BBy Barbless

  • 9-Foot Tournament Casting Leader

    A 9-foot leader built to turn over and hit a target, the way tournament accuracy and distance casting demand. It runs 44 inches of .024 inch mono, 28 inches of .020, 17 inches of .017 and 8 inches of .015 to an 11 inch tip of .012 inch, with most of its weight in the long butt. It straightens fully at the end of the cast and drops the fly where it was aimed.

    Total length9' 0"
    TechniqueDry
    Knots5
    Time to tie4min
    BBy Barbless

  • 9-Foot Dry Fly Leader, 4X

    A 9 foot 2 inch dry fly leader that ends in 4X and is built to land a fly with a little slack for drag-free drifts. It starts with 20 inches of 15 lb and 20 inches of 12 lb Maxima Chameleon, steps through 8 inches of 8 lb Maxima and 8 inches of 8 lb Stren Gold, then 12 inches each of 2X, 3X and 4X, and finishes with an 18 inch 4X tippet. Every join is a triple surgeon's knot.

    Total length9' 2"
    TechniqueDry
    Knots8
    Time to tie4min
    BBy Barbless

More from Barbless

  • Standard Indicator Nymphing Rig, 4X

    A 10' 8" indicator nymphing leader on Maxima Chameleon. The butt steps from .017" to .010", then 18" of .009" runs to a 4 mm heavy tippet ring, with 24" of 3X and 24" of 4X fluorocarbon below it. A 3/4" trapped-air indicator, one No. 4 split shot and a #16 Tungsten Bead Pheasant Tail make it a ready-to-fish indicator rig for riffles and runs.

    Total length10' 8"
    TechniqueIndicator
    Knots6
    Time to tie4min
    BBy Barbless

  • Tight-Line Nymphing Mono Rig, 5X

    A tight-line mono rig for euro nymphing with a 5X point. It runs 288" of 20 lb Maxima Chameleon (.017"), 24" of 12 lb Maxima HV, a 12" red sighter section and 12" of Umpqua Sighter (.009") with a backing barrel marker, then a 4 mm tippet ring. Below the ring, 14" of RIO Two Tone, 36" of 4X and 20" of 5X fluorocarbon lead to a #16 tungsten Pheasant Tail. No indicator or split shot: the fly carries the weight.

    Total length33' 10"
    TechniqueEuro
    Knots6
    Time to tie3.5min
    BBy Barbless

  • Tight-Line Dry-Dropper Mono Rig, 5X

    A tight-line mono rig that fishes a dry and a nymph together. It runs 288" of 20 lb Maxima Chameleon (.017"), 24" of 12 lb Maxima HV, a 12" red sighter section and 12" of Umpqua Sighter (.009") carrying a backing barrel marker, then a 4 mm tippet ring. A 6" tag of 3X mono off the ring holds a #12 Stimulator; below the ring, 14" of RIO Two Tone, 24" of 4X and 24" of 5X fluorocarbon lead to a #16 tungsten Pheasant Tail.

    Total length33' 2"
    TechniqueDry dropper
    Knots8
    Time to tie4min
    BBy Barbless
All rigs by Barbless