A 12-foot leader for fishing soft-hackled spiders upstream on freestone rivers. A 90 inch mono taper steps down from a .017" butt to 5X at .006", then 54 inches of 6X tippet finishes it. The long, fine tip lets the spider land softly and drift naturally just under the surface, where trout take emerging insects.
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14 rigs
- Total length12' 0"TechniqueWetKnots8Time to tie5min.017".015".013"~13 lb0X.011"~9.5 lb2X.009"~6.5 lb4X.007"Leader · 10"~4.5 lb5X.006"~3.5 lb6X.005"BUTT · 30"TAPER · 16"TAPER · 12"TAPER · 8"TAPER · 8"TAPER · 6"TAPER · 54"
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.
Total length31' 8"TechniqueEuroKnots3Time to tie1.5min5 lb3X.008"Maxima Chameleon7 lb3X.008"RIO Two Tone Indicator~4.5 lb5X.006"BUTT · 26 FTSIGHTER · 20"TIPPET · 48"A dry-dropper on a 9 foot tapered mono leader. It steps from 36 inches of .017" through .015", .013", 0X and 2X to 24 inches of 4X tippet tied to a size 10 to 14 foam or parachute dry. Off the dry's hook bend, 18 inches of 5X fluorocarbon hangs a size 16 to 22 bead-head nymph, so the whole rig runs about 10 and a half feet.
Total length10' 6"TechniqueDry dropperKnots8Time to tie4min.017".015".013"~13 lb0X.011"~9.5 lb2X.009"~6.5 lb4X.007"~4.5 lb5X.006"BUTT · 36"TAPER · 16"TAPER · 12"TAPER · 10"TAPER · 10"TIPPET · 24"DROPPER · 18"A tight-line mono rig for small streams with a long, three-color sighter. It runs 480 inches of 20 lb Maxima Chameleon as the casting line, a 24 inch step of 12 lb Maxima Clear, then 12 inches of neon red Suffix and 12 inches of neon green Amnesia, a 4 mm tippet ring, and 12 inches of Cortland bi-color. A 2 mm tippet ring below the bi-color holds 36 inches of 5X fluorocarbon to a tungsten jig nymph.
Total length48' 0"TechniqueNymphKnots6Time to tie4.5min20 lb.017"Maxima Chameleon12 lb.013"Maxima Clear12 lb.013"Suffix Superior monofilament neon fire (neon red)10 lb.012"Sunset Amnesia monofilament neon greenSighter · 12"9 lb1X.010"Cortland Indicator Mono Leader Material - Bi-colorTippet · 36"~4.5 lb5X.006"BUTT · 40 FTTAPER · 24"SIGHTER · 12"SIGHTER · 12"A mono rig for small streams that fishes nymphs tight-line and small streamers on one leader. It runs 480 inches of 20 lb Maxima Chameleon as the casting line, a 24 inch step of 12 lb Maxima Clear, then a two-color sighter of 12 inches of neon red Suffix and 12 inches of neon green Amnesia. A 2 mm tippet ring below the sighter holds 36 inches of 4X fluorocarbon to a tungsten jig nymph.
Total length47' 0"TechniqueNymphKnots6Time to tie4.5min20 lb.017"Maxima Chameleon12 lb.013"Maxima Clear12 lb.013"Suffix Superior monofilament neon fire (neon red)10 lb.012"Sunset Amnesia monofilament neon green~6.5 lb4X.007"BUTT · 40 FTTAPER · 24"SIGHTER · 12"SIGHTER · 12"TAPER · 36"A 9' 10" dry fly leader for light 3-4 wt rods. A 29" butt of .020" Maxima Clear steps down through .017", .015" and .012", then RIO Powerflex at .010", .008" and .007" to 5X at .006". The last two pieces, 8" and 22" of 5X, make a 30" tippet that lands small dries softly on quiet water.
Total length9' 10"TechniqueDryKnots9Time to tie5.5min25 lb.020"Maxima Clear20 lb.017"Maxima Clear15 lb.015"Maxima Clear10 lb.012"Maxima Clear13 lb1X.010"RIO Powerflex8.2 lb3X.008"RIO Powerflex6.4 lb4X.007"RIO Powerflex5 lb5X.006"RIO Powerflex5 lb5X.006"RIO PowerflexBUTT · 29"BUTT · 19"TAPER · 12"TAPER · 10"TAPER · 6"TAPER · 6"TAPER · 6"TAPER · 8"TIPPET · 22"A 13-foot euro nymphing leader that loops to the fly line and fishes small, weighted nymphs on a tight line. It runs from 74" of .016" butt into 33" of .014" Sufix Elite, a 12" .011" transition, a 16" 3X (.008") sighter and 22" of 5X (.006") tippet. The fine tippet lets a size 16 tungsten nymph sink fast and drift naturally.
Total length13' 1"TechniqueEuroKnots5Time to tie3min.016".014"Sufix Elite~13 lb0X.011"~8 lb3X.008"~4.5 lb5X.006"BUTT · 6.2 FTTAPER · 33"TAPER · 12"SIGHTER · 16"TIPPET · 22"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"TechniqueDryKnots5Time 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"TechniqueDryKnots6Time 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 thin, light mono rig for tight-line nymphing small streams: 480 inches of .009 Maxima Chameleon, 24 inches of white Cortland indicator mono, then an 18 inch Cortland bi-color sighter. A 2 mm tippet ring below the sighter holds 36 inches of 5X fluorocarbon to a tungsten jig nymph. The thin butt sags very little, so small, light flies stay in contact.
Total length46' 6"TechniqueEuroKnots5Time to tie3.5min6 lb2X.009"Maxima Chameleon8 lb2X.009"Cortland Indicator Mono Leader Material - WhiteSighter · 18"7.2 lb3X.008"Cortland Indicator Mono Leader Material - Bi-colorTippet · 36"~4.5 lb5X.006"BUTT · 40 FTSIGHTER · 24"A tight-line mono rig for small streams: 480 inches of neon green Sunset Amnesia as the casting line, a 36 inch step of 1X Maxima Clear, then a 16 inch Cortland bi-color sighter. A 2 mm tippet ring below the sighter holds 36 inches of 5X fluorocarbon to a tungsten jig nymph. The weighted fly does the work, with no indicator and no split shot.
Total length47' 4"TechniqueEuroKnots5Time to tie3.5min12 lb.013"Sunset Amnesia monofilament neon green8 lb1X.010"Maxima ClearSighter · 16"8 lb2X.009"Cortland Indicator Mono Leader Material - Bi-colorTippet · 36"~4.5 lb5X.006"BUTT · 40 FTTAPER · 36"A long tight-line mono rig for euro nymphing small streams. It runs 480" of 12 lb Maxima Chameleon (.013"), 24" of 8 lb Maxima Clear, 12" of neon red Sufix and 12" of neon green Amnesia, then a 16" Cortland bi-color sighter, joined with blood knots. A 2 mm tippet ring below the sighter holds 36" of 5X fluorocarbon to a tungsten jig nymph. There is no indicator or split shot: the fly is the weight and the colored mono shows the take.
Total length48' 4"TechniqueEuroKnots7Time to tie5.5min12 lb.013"Maxima Chameleon8 lb1X.010"Maxima Clear8 lb1X.010"Suffix Superior monofilament neon fire (neon red)8 lb1X.010"Sunset Amnesia monofilament neon greenSighter · 16"8 lb2X.009"Cortland Indicator Mono Leader Material - Bi-colorTippet · 36"~4.5 lb5X.006"BUTT · 40 FTTAPER · 24"TAPER · 12"TAPER · 12"A short, stiff 7-foot (84 inch) leader for 4-7 wt lines. It steps from an 11 inch .021 butt through .019, .017, .015, .013, .011 and .009 to 16 inches of 3X at .008. The heavy butt and short length turn over bushy dries, hoppers, small streamers and other wind-resistant flies with accuracy.
Total length7' 0"TechniqueDryKnots8Time to tie6min.021".019".017".015".013"~13 lb0X.011"~9.5 lb2X.009"~8 lb3X.008"BUTT · 11"TAPER · 11"TAPER · 15"TAPER · 13"TAPER · 6"TAPER · 6"TAPER · 6"TIPPET · 16"Ray Bergman's 8 foot nymph leader. Six 16 inch sections of mono taper from .017" at the butt to .006" (5X) at the tip, with blood knots in the butt and triple surgeon's knots through the 0X, 2X and 5X pieces. It is a short, controllable leader for one nymph on a 3 to 5 weight rod. There is also a 4X variation; see the questions below.
Total length8' 0"TechniqueNymphKnots6Time to tie4min.017".015".013"~13 lb0X.011"~9.5 lb2X.009"~4.5 lb5X.006"BUTT · 16"TAPER · 16"TAPER · 16"TAPER · 16"TAPER · 16"TIPPET · 16"