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Dry fly · Bluegill

6-Foot Panfish Leader for Poppers and Small Dries

A 6-foot (72 inch) tapered leader for panfish on a 4-6 wt rod, built to turn over small poppers and float small dries. It steps from a 22 inch .019 butt through .017, .015, .012 and .010 to 15 inches of 3X tippet at .008. The stout butt handles the air resistance of a popper, and 3X is strong enough for bluegill and crappie around weeds.

BBy BarblessOctober 14, 2026

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.019"
.017"
.015"
.012"
~11.5 lb1X.010"
~8 lb3X.008"
BUTT · 22"
TAPER · 14"
TAPER · 7"
TAPER · 7"
TAPER · 7"
TIPPET · 15"
Total length6' 0"
Rod4-6 wt
Flies1
Knots6
WaterLake or reservoir

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 · 6 pieces · Butt to tip

Butt .019"23453X

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 22" butt to the 14" mid with a blood knot. Add 7" of .015" with a blood knot. Add 7" of .012" with a triple surgeon's knot. Add 7" of 1X with a triple surgeon's knot. Add 15" of 3X with a triple surgeon's knot.

    Tie a blood knotTie a triple surgeon's knot

  2. Tie on the fly

    Tie the fly 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

Cast to weed edges, lily pads, docks and fallen timber where panfish hold. With a popper, let it sit until the rings fade, then give it a short pop and pause again. With a small dry, let it sit and add a twitch now and then. Keep the rod tip low and the line tight so you can set the hook with a short strip.

If the popper lands in a pile, the fly is too big or too wind-resistant for the leader. Go down a size, or make a slower, more open cast and let the leader unroll before the fly drops.

Common questions

  • What size poppers will it turn over?

    Small panfish poppers and dries. The .019 butt helps, but large bass bugs need a heavier leader than 3X.

  • Why only 6 feet?

    Panfish are not leader shy, and a short 72 inch leader turns over air-resistant poppers more easily and casts accurately to cover.

  • Should I add tippet?

    Not at first. The leader already ends in 15 inches of 3X. When fly changes have cut it short, tie on a new 15 inch piece of 3X.

  • Can I use it for bass?

    For small bass on small poppers, yes, but 3X is light for big bass in heavy cover. Use a heavier leader for bass bugs.

BluegillCrappieYellow PerchDryLake

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