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Dry fly · Rainbow Trout

George Harvey 11-Foot Dry Fly Leader

A George Harvey dry fly leader, 11 feet long, built in 7 sections of Maxima. It runs from a .015" butt down to 30 inches of .006" (5X) tippet. Harvey designed the long, soft tip to land in slack curves rather than straight, so a single dry fly drifts naturally without drag. It is made for selective trout rising to small dry flies. A 4X variation is covered in the questions below.

BBy BarblessOctober 14, 2026

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15 lb.015"
Maxima Chameleon
12 lb.013"
Maxima Chameleon
10 lb.012"
Maxima Chameleon
8 lb1X.010"
Maxima Chameleon
6 lb2X.009"
Maxima Ultragreen
5 lb3X.008"
Maxima Ultragreen
3 lb5X.006"
Maxima Ultragreen
BUTT · 20"
BUTT · 20"
TAPER · 20"
TAPER · 12"
TAPER · 12"
TAPER · 18"
TIPPET · 30"
Total length11' 0"
Flies1
Knots7
WaterSpring creek, Tailwater

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

Build your leader

11' 0" of line · 7 pieces · Butt to tip

Butt 15 lb234563 lb

Tie it

0 of 7 done

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

How to tie it

  1. Build the tapered leader

    Join the 20" butt to the 20" butt with a blood knot. Add 20" of 10 lb with a triple surgeon's knot. Add 12" of 8 lb with a triple surgeon's knot. Add 12" of 6 lb with a triple surgeon's knot. Add 18" of 5 lb with a triple surgeon's knot. Add 30" of 3 lb 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 30" tippet with an improved clinch knot.

    Tie an improved clinch knot

The knots

  • Blood knot · 5 turns×1
    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×5
    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 upstream or up and across to rising fish. Stop the rod high and a little early so the long tippet falls onto the water in loose S-curves. Those curves let the fly drift drag-free for longer while the current straightens them out. Mend the fly line, not the leader, to keep the slack in place. Set the hook gently, because 5X breaks easily on a hard strike.

For drag, stop the rod high so the 30-inch 5X tippet lands in slack S-curves, then mend the fly line, not the leader, to make the drift longer. If the tippet twists, tie on a less bushy fly or switch to the 4X version.

Common questions

  • What size dry flies suit this leader?

    The 5X tip suits dry flies roughly size 14 to 20. For size 12 to 16, or bushier patterns, use the 4X version.

  • Which tippet should I use?

    Everything is the same up to the tippet, which is 30 inches of either .006" (5X) or .007" (4X). Choose 4X for bigger flies, stronger fish or wind. Choose 5X for small flies on clear, slow water.

  • Can I fish this leader in wind?

    Yes, with changes. Cut the tippet back to about 20 inches, or use the 4X (.007") version, so the leader turns over instead of collapsing. Make shorter casts to closer targets.

  • Why does my tippet land in a pile?

    A bit of slack is the point of this leader, but a heap means the tippet is too long or too fine for the fly. Shorten the tippet, use a less wind-resistant fly, or move to 4X.

  • When should I replace the tippet?

    Run the end of the tippet through your fingers after every fish or snag. If it feels rough or kinked, or has a wind knot, cut it back and tie on fresh 5X.

Rainbow TroutBrown TroutCutthroat TroutDrySpring creekTailwater

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