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Dry fly · Brook Trout

7.5-Foot Small Stream Dry Fly Leader

A 7.5-foot (90 inch) tapered dry fly leader for small streams. It steps evenly from a 36 inch .017 butt through .015, .013, .011 and .009 to 14 inches of 4X tippet at .007. It is short enough to control under branches and fine enough at the tip to float a small dry naturally.

BBy BarblessOctober 14, 2026

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.017"
.015"
.013"
~13 lb0X.011"
~9.5 lb2X.009"
~6.5 lb4X.007"
BUTT · 36"
BUTT · 14"
TAPER · 10"
TAPER · 8"
TAPER · 8"
TIPPET · 14"
Total length7' 6"
Flies1
Knots6
WaterSmall stream

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

Build your leader

7' 6" of line · 6 pieces · Butt to tip

Butt .017"23454X

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 36" butt to the 14" butt step with a blood knot. Add 10" of .013" 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×5
    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

Cast upstream or up and across with short, accurate casts, and keep most of the fly line off the water so the dry drifts without drag. Work pockets, riffle edges, undercut banks and the heads of small pools. Use roll casts and sidearm casts where brush crowds the bank. Watch the fly and set with a short lift when it disappears.

Keep the tippet long enough. When fly changes cut the 4X under about 10 inches, blood knot a new 14 inch piece of 4X to the .009 section instead of tying the fly to the stiffer 2X.

Common questions

  • Is 7.5 feet the right length for small streams?

    For most creeks, yes. A 90 inch leader is easy to control on short casts and under brush, while still keeping the fly line a few feet from the fish.

  • What fly sizes does 4X suit?

    4X at .007 suits the common small-stream dries: small attractors, caddis, mayflies and smaller hoppers. Very large foam flies are better on 3X.

  • What do I do when the tippet gets short?

    Tie on a new 14 inch piece of 4X to the .009 section. The butt and taper last a long time; only the tippet needs regular replacing.

  • Which knots does it use?

    Blood knots join every section, and an improved clinch knot ties on the fly.

Brook TroutCutthroat TroutRainbow TroutBrown TroutDrySmall stream

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