Nymph rigs

I built this rig to get a weighted hex fly down to the lake bottom where trout are waiting for natural hex emergers to rise up the water column. It uses a slip bobber to suspend the fly 12 to 24 inches above the bottom in 15 to 35 feet of water, letting me fish without casting while the fish camp in place before they start moving up to chase the hatch.

This is my go-to setup for Fall/winter nymphing on the Lower Yuba River. I adjust the weight between AAA, SSG, and AB as well as move the indicator up and down fish varios depths and speeds of water... shallower water lighter weight.

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.

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.

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.

A long thin mono rig for euro nymphing: 312" of .012" Maxima Chameleon, a 24" sighter of 12" of Umpqua Sighter and 12" of RIO Two Tone Indicator (both .009"), and 48" of 5X fluorocarbon tippet to a tungsten bead nymph. Triple surgeon's knots join the sections. At 384" overall the thin butt does the work a fly line would, with far less sag.

A simple euro nymphing leader that attaches to a standard fly line: 18" of 30 lb Stren (.022") and 18" of 20 lb Stren (.017") as a butt, 48" of 10 lb P-Line fluorocarbon, a 15" Amnesia sighter, and 36" of 3X P-Line fluorocarbon (.008") to a tungsten bead nymph. Three 4 mm heavy tippet rings join the lower sections, so the sighter and tippet are easy to replace. It is 135" overall and carries no indicator or split shot: the fly is the weight.

A thin mono rig for tight-line nymphing on freestone and tailwater rivers: 288 inches of .008 Maxima Chameleon, a 24 inch RIO two-tone sighter (3X, .008), and 36 inches of 5X fluorocarbon to a tungsten jig nymph. There is no indicator and no split shot: the weighted fly takes it down and the sighter shows the take.

A mono rig that switches between streamers and nymphs without rebuilding the leader. It runs 288 inches of 20 lb Maxima Chameleon, 24 inches of 12 lb Maxima HV, then a sighter of 12 inches of red mono (Amnesia or Sufix Neon Fire) and 12 inches of Umpqua Sighter with a backing barrel marker. A 4 mm tippet ring holds 14 inches of RIO Two Tone and 36 inches of 3X fluorocarbon to the fly.

A tight-line mono rig sized for rivers. It runs 300 inches of 20 lb Maxima Chameleon, a 24 inch step of 10 lb Chameleon, 12 inches each of 0X and 1X fluorocarbon, then a 14 inch sighter of Cortland bi-color indicator mono. A 4 mm tippet ring below the sighter holds 36 inches of 5X fluorocarbon to a tungsten jig nymph.

A 5' 6" (66 inch) all-fluorocarbon leader for fishing small chironomids and nymphs on a sinking or intermediate line in clear lakes. It runs 18 inches of 20 lb Seaguar Blue Label (.016"), 24 inches of 10 lb fluoro (.011"), a #12 barrel swivel and 24 inches of 5X (.006") fluoro tippet. A short leader lets the line set the depth, and the finer tippet helps with wary fish.

A 5' 6" (66 inch) all-fluorocarbon leader for fishing chironomids and small nymphs on a sinking or intermediate line in lakes. It runs 18 inches of 20 lb Seaguar Blue Label (.016"), 24 inches of 10 lb fluoro (.011"), a #12 barrel swivel and 24 inches of 4X (.007") fluoro tippet. A short leader lets the line set the depth, so the fly fishes right where the line tip is.

A 16-foot all-fluorocarbon leader for sight-fishing carp on shallow flats. It steps down from 24" of 40 lb (.023") through 12" of 30 lb (.020"), 36" each of 20 lb (.016"), 15 lb (.014") and 10 lb (.011"), to 48" of 8 lb tippet (.010"). The length keeps the fly line well away from wary fish, and the fluoro sinks a size 8 weighted carp fly quickly to the bottom.

A heavy, modular leader for nymphs and streamers, built from RIO Powerflex: 72" of 30 lb (.017"), a 4 mm heavy tippet ring, 36" of 20 lb (.013"), a second 4 mm ring, and 36" of 10 lb 2X (.009") tippet, for 12' in all. The rings let you change tippets without shortening the leader, and the stout pieces turn over weighted flies.

A 6.5-foot (77 inch) stillwater leader for sinking and intermediate lines on a 4-6 wt. It steps from 29 inches of 0X through 20 inches of 1X and 16 inches of 2X to 12 inches of 3X, a short, gentle taper that sinks with the line. The fly fishes at the depth the line sets, which is the point of a sinking line.

A 20-foot euro nymphing leader that fishes tight-line with mono, not fly line, outside the rod tip. It runs from 160" of 20 lb (.017") Maxima Chameleon into 18" of 15 lb (.015") Chameleon, 8" of 0X (.011") Seaguar Gold Label, a 24" .010" sighter and 30" of 4X (.007") fluorocarbon tippet. A size 14 tungsten jig nymph carries the weight.

A thin mono euro nymphing rig: 144" of .012" Maxima Chameleon as a butt, 36" of Sunset Amnesia as a transition, and an 18" Cortland sighter, all 10 lb and joined with blood knots. A 2 mm tippet ring below the sighter holds 36" of 5X fluorocarbon tippet to a tungsten jig nymph. The thin butt sags less than a fly line and casts weighted flies with little effort, so contact with the fly stays direct.

A mono rig for fine, tight-line nymphing in clear water. A 72 inch RIO Powerflex butt runs to a 4 mm tippet ring, then 216 inches of .011 Sunset Amnesia and a 36 inch Cortland bi-color sighter to a second 4 mm ring. Below it, 72 inches of 6X RIO Fluoroflex Strong carries a small tungsten nymph. There is no indicator and no shot: the fly carries the weight.

A micro-thin mono rig for tight-line nymphing: 312 inches of .008 Maxima Chameleon, a 20 inch RIO two-tone sighter, and 48 inches of 5X fluorocarbon tippet to a tungsten jig nymph. The thin butt sags less than heavier mono, so a light fly stays in contact farther from the rod tip. The weighted fly does the work, with no indicator and no split shot.

Gary Borger's leader formula built as an all-round 9-foot trout leader: 51" of .020" butt, 13" of .013", 26" of 2X (.009") and an 18" tip of 4X (.007"). Borger's idea is a heavy butt that carries the cast and a quick step down to the tippet, so the leader turns over the fly with energy to spare. It suits dry flies and nymphs on 4-6 wt rods.

Gary Borger's 9-foot leader for bouncing a nymph along the bottom: 45" of .020" butt, 17" of .013", and a long 45" tippet of 0X (.011"). Two No. 4 split shot ride 10" above a size 8 stonefly nymph, and a small yarn indicator on the butt shows the take. The stout tippet holds up to the shot, snags and big fish on 4-7 wt rods.

Gary Borger's 7.5-foot leader for flies you move, finished in 3X: 51" of .020" butt, 13" of .013", and 26" of 3X (.008") tippet. The short, stout design keeps the line straight to the fly, so stripped and swung wet flies and nymphs stay under control and takes are felt. It casts well on 4-7 wt rods.

Gary Borger's 7.5-foot leader for flies you move: 51" of .020" butt, 13" of .013", and 26" of 2X (.009") tippet. The short, stout design keeps the line straight to the fly, so stripped and swung wet flies and nymphs stay under control and takes are felt. It casts well on 4-7 wt rods and turns over weighted flies.

Gary Borger's 10-foot dead-drift nymph leader, finished in 5X. It runs 51" of .020" butt, 13" of .013", 51" of 2X (.009") and a 6" tip of 5X (.006"), for 10' 1" in all. The long level 2X section lets a weighted nymph sink freely, and the finer tip suits small nymphs in clear, slow water on a 3-6 wt rod.