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Steelhead and spey · Steelhead

Bergman 8-Foot Steelhead Leader

Ray Bergman's 8 foot steelhead leader, 95 inches in all. Five 19 inch sections of mono step down from .021" at the butt to .011" (0X) at the tip, joined with blood knots and a triple surgeon's knot. It is a short, stout taper that turns over a swung wet fly on a floating line and holds a steelhead in heavy current.

BBy BarblessOctober 14, 2026

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.021"
.019"
.017"
.014"
~13 lb0X.011"
BUTT · 19"
TAPER · 19"
TAPER · 19"
TAPER · 19"
TIPPET · 19"
Total length7' 11"
Rod4-7 wt
Flies1
Knots5
WaterFreestone river, Big river

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

Build your leader

7' 11" of line · 5 pieces · Butt to tip

Butt .021"2340X

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 19" butt to the 19" mid with a blood knot. Add 19" of .017" with a blood knot. Add 19" of .014" with a blood knot. Add 19" of 0X 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 19" tippet with an improved clinch knot.

    Tie an improved clinch knot

The knots

  • Blood knot · 5 turns×3
    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
  • 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 floating line through runs and tailouts. Cast across and slightly downstream, make an upstream mend, and let the fly swing across the current at a steady speed. Hold a loose loop of line and let the fish take before you lift. Step down the run a couple of feet between casts to cover water.

If the fly skates or races across, mend upstream again or point the rod tip downstream to slow the swing.

Common questions

  • What rod should I use with this leader?

    It is rated for 4 to 7 weights. For steelhead, the 6 and 7 weight end of that range handles big fish and heavy current far better.

  • Why such a heavy 0X tip?

    Steelhead are strong and the water is fast. A .011" tip turns over a wet fly and lets you land the fish without playing it to exhaustion.

  • What size fly does it suit?

    Wet flies from about size 4 to 8 turn over well on this short taper. Very heavy flies hinge it.

  • Does the order of the knots matter?

    Yes. Blood knots build the step-down from .021" to .014", then a triple surgeon's knot joins the 0X tip, and an improved clinch knot ties on the fly.

SteelheadSteelheadWetFreestoneBig river

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