Nymph Leader Question

[wsender]

So I'm going to build a leader for nymphing, Czech, Polish, whatever you want to call it. Anyway, most would agree that a tapered leader is not ideal because of different sink rate, drag, etc.

So what I was going to do is use a 10-12" piece 12lb Amnesia as a 'sighter'. Then from there I was just going to tie about 8ft of mono, of the desired terminal diameter, to the bottom. However, I don't have a ton of 0.005 4x to make these long stretches, and don't feel like buying any, even large spools of spin line. However, I have a TON of 0.007. Would it be wise to go 12" of Amnesia, 6.5' of the 0.007, and then 2.5 of 0.005? I know this is tapered, and generally undesirable, but are the diameters so close that it will be okay in this instance?


edit: I'm a dummy. I had the diameters reversed.

 

[PennKev]

Keep in mind that if a mid section is smaller in diameter than the tippet, it is more likely to break somewhere along that section than at the tippet. If you have a long mid section that is smaller diameter than the tippet, your setting yourself up for frustration. Every time you snag and break off you're at a greater risk of losing that entire mid section AND your tippet. Regardless of intended technique, it is always wise to use the heaviest segments at the butt, and taper down to your tippet.

Sometimes the easiest short cut is to just bite the bullet and do it right from the beginning.

Kev

 

[wsender]

Kev,

I had setup wrong. I edited the OP to show what I meant.

To further clarify, I was to go from my Amnesia, to the 0.007 to 0.005.

 

[PennKev]

I don't see any problem with that.

Kev

 

[Fredrick]

I would wait until you team up with L. Williams so you don't pick up bad habits

 

[jayL]

I like to tie the long middle section directly to the amnesia with an albright special knot. I find it hard to accomplish this with anything smaller than 2-3x. If you're loop to looping, lighter mono would work, but you'll probably notice an exaggerated hinge effect as you go lighter.

 

[pcray1231]

yeah, you don't want the long section the same diameter as the terminal end. The reason is snags, you could easily lose whole leaders.

I generally have the butt section, which stays nail knotted to the fly line and is common among all my leaders. Then 7-9 ft of 2x or so as the bulk of the leader. Then 1-2 ft of tippet material, usually 4x.

 

[wsender]

jayL wrote:
I like to tie the long middle section directly to the amnesia with an albright special knot. I find it hard to accomplish this with anything smaller than 2-3x. If you're loop to looping, lighter mono would work, but you'll probably notice an exaggerated hinge effect as you go lighter.

I was going to Albright the 2x to the Amnesia then blood knot the 4x to the 2x. Do you reckon this to be a good knot arrangement.

 

[wsender]

Fredrick wrote:
I would wait until you team up with L. Williams so you don't pick up bad habits

I know, I know. I'm sure I already have a bunch of bad habits, so whats a few more!

I won't be getting my lesson until a few weeks. I need something now to hold me over and fish the Lackawanna this weekend.

 

[jayL]

wsender wrote:

jayL wrote:
I like to tie the long middle section directly to the amnesia with an albright special knot. I find it hard to accomplish this with anything smaller than 2-3x. If you're loop to looping, lighter mono would work, but you'll probably notice an exaggerated hinge effect as you go lighter.

I was going to Albright the 2x to the Amnesia then blood knot the 4x to the 2x. Do you reckon this to be a good knot arrangement.

That's the rig I use. I'll usually do 3 or 4x to the top fly then taper it down as far as 5x between flies to save me a few on snags.

 

[mcwillja]

A very good nymph leader I have been using, especially with my 9'6'' CZN is this

1. 3 ft. 0.019
2. 2 ft. 0.017
3. blood knot a 12-16" 15lb red amnesia or hi vis stren. or whatever sighter you want and attach a small tippet ring to straight sighter to tippet end (don't have to use tippet ring here but very convenient if you have one)
4. tippet depends on water depth but usually 3 to 4 feet 4x and then double surgeons knot 5x for a dropper fly.
5. I have even ran straight 4x or 5x from sighter as my tippet and went new zealand style for my dropper.

This leader has been very effective for nymphing and you fish this leader very tight to the flies with your sighter just above the water and lead the flies.

 

[BrookieBuster101]

mcwillja wrote:
5. I have even ran straight 4x or 5x from sighter as my tippet and went new zealand style for my dropper.

What is a New Zealand Style dropper?

 

[mcwillja]

dropper off the bend of hook of your top fly

 

[BrookieBuster101]

oh I gotcha. I never knew the name for that.

 

[mcwillja]

yeah I should have just said off the bend

 

[troutslammer]

what mcwill said , 9' tapered leader down to 2x , then 6-8 red amnesia , 6-8 of chart amnesia blood knotted to the red , tippet ring , 2' of 3x then whatever tippet u want to nymph with , cut the tippet back and tie on a dry u can switch back and forth real easy and no the sighter does not spook fish

 

[mcwillja]

Yep I switched to dries several times with that leader on spring creek and Kettle creek and didn't seem to spook fish. Not an ideal dryfly leader but for occasional dries it works ok

 

[bigjohn58]

I think anytime I see tapered leader or tippet I just think over priced fancy named mono or florocarbon. On my 9 foot rod I use a 18" piece of 17 pound Berkley XT, then a 18" piece of 12 pound XT, then 18-24" of 8 pound XT, finished off with 4 or 6 pound Berkley Vanish florocarbon all tied with blood knots. With my 8 foot rod I start out with the 12 pound mono. When I dry fly fish I just increase the length of the 4 pound.