Rigs Lab · Gear & fly fishing rigs + leaders

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rigs to tie
134
knots
42
fly lines
639
leader materials
128
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101 to 120 of 134 rigs

  • An 8-foot leader built on a smooth, gradual taper from .018" butt to .006" tip. It's designed for light-touch presentations to panfish in still water, where a gentle cast and a forgiving taper help you land small flies without breaking off. There's also a 4X variation; see the questions below.

    Total length8' 0"
    TechniqueStillwater
    Knots7
    Time to tie4.5min
    .018"
    .016"
    .014"
    .012"
    ~11.5 lb1X.010"
    ~8 lb3X.008"
    ~4.5 lb5X.006"
    BUTT · 30"
    TAPER · 18"
    TAPER · 12"
    TAPER · 6"
    TAPER · 6"
    TAPER · 6"
    TIPPET · 18"
  • A 9.5-foot streamer leader for largemouth and smallmouth bass on 6-7 wt rods. It steps from a 34 inch .018 inch butt through 29 inches of .014 inch and 34 inches of .012 inch to a 17 inch 0X (.011 inch) tippet. The 0X tip turns over weighted baitfish and crayfish patterns and holds a big bass that runs for cover.

    Total length9' 6"
    TechniqueStreamer
    Knots4
    Time to tie2min
    .018"
    .014"
    .012"
    ~13 lb0X.011"
    BUTT · 34"
    TAPER · 29"
    TAPER · 34"
    TIPPET · 17"
  • A 10-foot bonefish leader for 7-9 weight rods. A 60" butt of .020" mono drops quickly through .018", .014" and .012" to a 24" tip of 1X at .010". The long butt drives a weighted flats fly into the wind, and the 1X tip is light enough for clear water and strong enough to hold a running bonefish.

    Total length10' 0"
    TechniqueStreamer
    Knots5
    Time to tie3.5min
    .020"
    .018"
    .014"
    .012"
    ~11.5 lb1X.010"
    BUTT · 60"
    TAPER · 12"
    TAPER · 12"
    TAPER · 12"
    TIPPET · 24"
  • A 6-foot (72 inch) tapered dry fly leader for brushy small streams where casts are short and branches are close. It steps from a 30 inch .017 butt to .013, .011 and .009, then 14 inches of 4X tippet at .007. The stout butt and short length turn over a dry fly on tight casts and keep the leader out of the trees.

    Total length6' 0"
    TechniqueDry
    Knots5
    Time to tie4.5min
    .017"
    .013"
    ~13 lb0X.011"
    ~9.5 lb2X.009"
    ~6.5 lb4X.007"
    BUTT · 30"
    TAPER · 12"
    TAPER · 8"
    TAPER · 8"
    TIPPET · 14"
  • 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.

    Total length7' 6"
    TechniqueDry
    Knots6
    Time to tie5.5min
    .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"
  • A 7.5-foot, 5X leader built on a smooth taper from .017" butt to .006" tip. It's designed to turn over small, light flies cleanly and land panfish without excess splash or disturbance. The formula suits 3 to 5 weight rods and works well where stealth and delicate presentation matter.

    Total length7' 7"
    TechniqueDry
    Knots7
    Time to tie4.5min
    .017"
    .015"
    .013"
    ~13 lb0X.011"
    ~9.5 lb2X.009"
    ~6.5 lb4X.007"
    ~4.5 lb5X.006"
    BUTT · 17"
    TAPER · 15"
    TAPER · 15"
    TAPER · 13"
    TAPER · 6"
    TAPER · 6"
    TIPPET · 19"
  • An 11.5-foot mono leader for dead-drifting flies to salmon and sea trout in rivers. It tapers in eight even steps from 35 inches of .021" down through .019", .017", .015", .013", 0X, .011" and 1X, .010" to a 27 inch tippet of 2X, .009". The long, gradual taper lands a fly softly and lets it drift at the current's speed, the way fish see natural food in low, clear water.

    Total length11' 7"
    TechniqueNymph
    Knots8
    Time to tie6min
    .021"
    .019"
    .017"
    .015"
    .013"
    ~13 lb0X.011"
    ~11.5 lb1X.010"
    ~9.5 lb2X.009"
    BUTT · 35"
    TAPER · 23"
    TAPER · 15"
    TAPER · 12"
    TAPER · 9"
    TAPER · 9"
    TAPER · 9"
    TIPPET · 27"
  • A 26-foot mono nymphing leader for big trout in runs and pockets, fished tight-line with no indicator. A long .014" butt steps through .012" to a 1X sighter, then 36" of 3X fluorocarbon to a tungsten jig stonefly. The heavy fly does the sinking and the sighter shows the take, so the drift stays direct from rod tip to fly.

    Total length26' 0"
    TechniqueEuro
    Knots4
    Time to tie2min
    .014"
    .012"
    ~11.5 lb1X.010"
    ~8 lb3X.008"
    BUTT · 18.8 FT
    TAPER · 25"
    SIGHTER · 25"
    TIPPET · 36"
  • A 12-foot tapered monofilament leader built to turn over streamer flies smoothly and deliver them with precision on the flats. It steps down through six sections from 30 lb butt to a 17 lb fluorocarbon tip, giving you the power to cast distance while maintaining delicate presentation where bones are feeding.

    Total length12' 0"
    TechniqueStreamer
    Knots6
    Time to tie5.5min
    30 lb.027"
    25 lb.024"
    20 lb.021"
    15 lb.018"
    13 lb.015"
    17 lb.012"
    Seaguar JDM Grand Max Leader
    BUTT · 24"
    TAPER · 24"
    TAPER · 24"
    TAPER · 24"
    TAPER · 24"
    TIPPET · 24"
  • A straightforward 8 foot 5 inch streamer leader for 4-7 wt rods. It tapers from a .021 inch butt through four 15 inch sections, then 9 inches of .013 inch and 8 inches of 0X, to 24 inches of 2X tippet. The stout tip turns over buggers, sculpins and baitfish patterns and stands up to hard strips and strip-sets on trout.

    Total length8' 5"
    TechniqueStreamer
    Knots7
    Time to tie5.5min
    .021"
    .019"
    .017"
    .015"
    .013"
    ~13 lb0X.011"
    ~9.5 lb2X.009"
    BUTT · 15"
    TAPER · 15"
    TAPER · 15"
    TAPER · 15"
    TAPER · 9"
    TAPER · 8"
    TIPPET · 24"
  • A simple 25-foot euro nymphing leader: 211" of level .012" mono, a 42" 1X (.010") sighter and 42" of 5X (.006") fluorocarbon tippet. The thin level butt sags less than a heavy taper, so the line stays straight to a size 16 tungsten-bead nymph and small takes show on the sighter.

    Total length24' 7"
    TechniqueEuro
    Knots3
    Time to tie1.5min
    .012"
    ~11.5 lb1X.010"
    ~4.5 lb5X.006"
    BUTT · 17.6 FT
    SIGHTER · 42"
    TIPPET · 42"
  • A 10.5-foot swing leader for salmon and steelhead on 8-10 wt rods. A 38" butt of .022" mono steps through four 13" pieces at .018", .016", .014" and .013" to a 36" tippet of .012". The stiff butt and even steps turn a swung fly over on a floating line.

    Total length10' 6"
    TechniqueSteelhead
    Knots6
    Time to tie5min
    .022"
    .018"
    .016"
    .014"
    .013"
    .012"
    BUTT · 38"
    TAPER · 13"
    TAPER · 13"
    TAPER · 13"
    TAPER · 13"
    TIPPET · 36"
  • Ray Bergman's 12 foot leader for nymphs and wet flies. Eight 18 inch sections of mono step down from .021" at the butt to .006" (5X) at the tip, joined with blood knots in the butt and triple surgeon's knots through the 0X, 3X and 5X pieces. It is built for one fly on a 4 to 7 weight rod. There is also a 6X variation; see the questions below.

    Total length12' 0"
    TechniqueNymph
    Knots8
    Time to tie6min
    .021"
    .019"
    .017"
    .015"
    .013"
    ~13 lb0X.011"
    ~8 lb3X.008"
    ~4.5 lb5X.006"
    BUTT · 18"
    TAPER · 18"
    TAPER · 18"
    TAPER · 18"
    TAPER · 18"
    TAPER · 18"
    TAPER · 18"
    TIPPET · 18"
  • A 15-foot dry fly leader with a long, heavy butt: 84" of .017", 12" of .012", 36" of 2X, 36" of 4X and 12" of 5X. The stout butt carries the cast and turns over larger dries in wind, while the long finer sections still let the fly land softly. It is built for 3-5 wt rods on bigger water. There's also a 6X variation; see the questions below.

    Total length15' 0"
    TechniqueDry
    Knots5
    Time to tie2.5min
    .017"
    .012"
    ~9.5 lb2X.009"
    ~6.5 lb4X.007"
    ~4.5 lb5X.006"
    BUTT · 7 FT
    TAPER · 12"
    TAPER · 36"
    TAPER · 36"
    TIPPET · 12"
  • A 9-foot-4-inch (112 inch) tapered steelhead leader for 8 to 10-weight rods and floating lines, built to turn over weighted streamers and swung flies. Seven Maxima sections step from a 28 inch, 40 lb (.024") butt through short middle pieces to 30 inches of 10 lb (.012") Maxima Ultragreen tippet, joined with blood knots and a triple surgeon's knot. It is a workhorse for swinging and stripping streamers in steelhead runs.

    Total length9' 4"
    TechniqueStreamer
    Knots7
    Time to tie6min
    40 lb.024"
    Maxima Clear
    30 lb.022"
    Maxima Clear
    25 lb.020"
    Maxima Clear
    20 lb.017"
    Maxima Clear
    15 lb.015"
    Maxima Clear
    12 lb.013"
    Maxima Ultragreen
    10 lb.012"
    Maxima Ultragreen
    BUTT · 28"
    BUTT · 22"
    TAPER · 8"
    TAPER · 8"
    TAPER · 8"
    TAPER · 8"
    TIPPET · 30"
  • An 8-foot-8-inch dry-fly leader tapered from 30 lb butt to 2X tippet, built to turn over grasshopper imitations and other larger terrestrial patterns. The stout butt handles the weight and air resistance of bigger flies while the fine 2X tip provides the delicacy needed for drag-free presentation on selective trout.

    Total length8' 8"
    TechniqueDry
    Knots7
    Time to tie5min
    30 lb.022"
    Maxima Clear
    25 lb.020"
    Maxima Clear
    20 lb.017"
    Maxima Clear
    15 lb.015"
    Maxima Clear
    10 lb.012"
    Maxima Clear
    13 lb1X.010"
    RIO Powerflex
    10 lb2X.009"
    RIO Powerflex
    BUTT · 36"
    BUTT · 16"
    TAPER · 12"
    TAPER · 6"
    TAPER · 6"
    TAPER · 8"
    TIPPET · 20"
  • A 9' 10" tapered dry fly leader for trout on a 5-6 wt rod. It runs from a stiff .022" butt of Maxima Clear down through four more Maxima steps, then RIO Powerflex at .010" and .008" to a 24" tip of 4X at .007". The even taper turns over dry flies from #12 to #16 and lays the long tippet down with a little slack for a natural drift.

    Total length9' 10"
    TechniqueDry
    Knots8
    Time to tie5.5min
    30 lb.022"
    Maxima Clear
    25 lb.020"
    Maxima Clear
    20 lb.017"
    Maxima Clear
    15 lb.015"
    Maxima Clear
    10 lb.012"
    Maxima Clear
    13 lb1X.010"
    RIO Powerflex
    8.2 lb3X.008"
    RIO Powerflex
    6.4 lb4X.007"
    RIO Powerflex
    BUTT · 36"
    BUTT · 16"
    TAPER · 12"
    TAPER · 6"
    TAPER · 6"
    TAPER · 6"
    TAPER · 12"
    TIPPET · 24"
  • An 11.5-foot heavy mono leader for swinging big flies to salmon on a 9-11 wt. A 55 inch butt of .024" steps down through 37 inches of .020" and 28 inches of .018" to an 18 inch tip of .016", joined with blood knots. The heavy butt turns over large tube flies and weighted salmon flies, and the stout tip holds a big fish in strong current.

    Total length11' 6"
    TechniqueSteelhead
    Knots4
    Time to tie3.5min
    .024"
    .020"
    .018"
    .016"
    BUTT · 55"
    TAPER · 37"
    TAPER · 28"
    TIPPET · 18"
  • A 15-foot tapered dry-fly leader built to turn over gracefully and land softly on the water. The long taper and gradual step-downs from .017" butt to .006" tip make it well-suited for 3-5 weight rods, working especially well with smaller dry flies where a delicate presentation matters. There's also a 6X variation; see the questions below.

    Total length15' 0"
    TechniqueDry
    Knots5
    Time to tie3min
    .017"
    .013"
    ~11.5 lb1X.010"
    ~8 lb3X.008"
    ~4.5 lb5X.006"
    BUTT · 60"
    TAPER · 60"
    TAPER · 12"
    TAPER · 36"
    TIPPET · 12"
  • A 12-foot mono leader for fishing wet flies on lakes with a floating line. It tapers in .002" steps from a 36 inch butt of .021" through nine sections to a 27 inch tippet of 5X, .006". The long, fine taper lands a small wet fly or soft hackle without a splash on calm water and lets it sink and hang the way trout see natural insects.

    Total length12' 0"
    TechniqueWet
    Knots9
    Time to tie6.5min
    .021"
    .019"
    .017"
    .015"
    .013"
    ~13 lb0X.011"
    ~9.5 lb2X.009"
    ~6.5 lb4X.007"
    ~4.5 lb5X.006"
    BUTT · 36"
    TAPER · 25"
    TAPER · 16"
    TAPER · 12"
    TAPER · 7"
    TAPER · 7"
    TAPER · 7"
    TAPER · 7"
    TIPPET · 27"