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Steelhead and spey · Steelhead

Trey Combs 10-Foot Steelhead Leader

Trey Combs' 10-foot steelhead leader for a floating line. It starts with a 72-inch .020" mono butt, then three 12-inch steps of .017", .015" and .013", and ends in 12 inches of 1X (.010") tippet. The heavy butt and short, quick steps turn over swung flies on 5 to 8 weight rods.

BBy BarblessOctober 14, 2026

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.020"
.017"
.015"
.013"
~11.5 lb1X.010"
BUTT · 6 FT
TAPER · 12"
TAPER · 12"
TAPER · 12"
TIPPET · 12"
Total length10' 0"
Rod5-8 wt
Flies1
Knots5
WaterBig river, Freestone river

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

Build your leader

10' 0" of line · 5 pieces · Butt to tip

Butt .020"2341X

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 6 ft butt to the 12" mid with a blood knot. Add 12" of .015" with a blood knot. Add 12" of .013" with a blood knot. Add 12" of 1X 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 12" 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

Attach the .020" butt to a floating line and tie the fly on with an improved clinch knot. Cast across or a little downstream, mend to control speed, and let the fly swing on a tight line through runs, seams and tailouts. Take a couple of steps between casts to cover the water. Hold the line lightly and let the fish turn before setting.

Blood knots in .020" and .017" mono slide if tied with too few turns. Use extra wraps, wet the knot and cinch it down hard. Then pull-test every join before the first cast.

Common questions

  • Why is the butt section so long?

    The 72-inch .020" butt carries the fly line's energy well into the leader, so the short steps that follow can turn over a heavy or bulky swung fly.

  • What line is this leader built for?

    A floating line on a 5 to 8 weight rod. For sink tips, a much shorter leader works better, because a long taper keeps the fly from getting down.

  • When should I replace the tippet?

    The tippet is only 12 inches of 1X. Once fly changes have cut it down to a few inches, tie on a fresh 12 inches of .010" rather than tying flies to the .013" step.

  • Which knots does this formula use?

    Blood knots join the butt and the step sections. A triple surgeon's knot joins the .013" step to the 1X tippet, and an improved clinch knot ties on the fly.

SteelheadSteelheadBig riverFreestone

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