Dry fly leaders: How to be versatile for wide size ranges of flies?

[PaScoGi]

Something I struggled with this summer was how to fish a size 6 hopper but then quick switch to a size 22 BWO? In other words, I was catching fish on a size 6 hopper but then I saw fish rising to what looked like small BWOs, so I switched to a size 22 and had success. But getting to that point took way, way, too long and there has to be an easier way.

In other words, to successfully cast a size 6 hopper the terminal tippet of my dry fly leader must be 3X. So, I always use a store-bought 9 foot 3X leader (I use RIO Powerflex). Then, if I want to fish smaller flies, I take out a few pieces of tippet and with several double surgeons knots I tie on 4X, then 5X, then 6X. This is a huge pain in the butt and creates 3 knots in my leader, which causes hinges and more drag.

So how does everyone switch from large flies to small flies? I am not talking about small adjustments (going from size 16 to size 20) thats not complicated.

But how can a dry fly angler be versatile enough for multiple hatches?

Just curious if anyone switches flies when they go dry fly fishing or do they stick with a basic size for the whole day?

Again, this is only really relevant when going from a fly that needs 3X down to a fly that needs 6X. Doesn't happen often, but I just want to be prepared for next year.

I was thinking of just carrying store bought leaders in all sizes and just changing out my leaders to match the flies I am fishing. But that is costly and could take just as much time.

I do use furled leaders a lot (usually in the spring when I nymph and dry fly fish in the same day). But I am talking about summer time when it is dry fly only time and water is usually low and clear and a furled leader is not the best option. I am trying to find out how to adjust a standard monofilament dry fly leader or should I start making my own custom leaders?

 

[tomgamber]

Tippet ring. Cut off the 4x. Tie on the 7x

 

[5footfenwick]

Could tie a little loop of mono into the tail of your hoppers.

Then pre-tie a few tiny bwo to 6x, leaving a little over a foot or so leader with a loop. Think like the pre-snelled hooks but with a bwo on the end.

Maybe use some sort of dropper rig keeper. I think they make boxes/foam for this. Perhaps a toothpick pushed into the foam to secure the loop end since you don’t have a hook on that end yet.

Then when you wanna switch. Just leave the hopper on and add the bwo. Do a loop to loop and use the bwo like a dropper. It would take about 10 seconds. Not ideal, but could be pretty quick with a little prep work. Bang out the knots and prep work at home.

When you had enough, nip it off and you are right back to the solo hopper.

 

[dryflyguy]

Not very often I find myself wanting to make a big tippet size switch like that from fishing alone
More often for me, I need to do that after a break off - usually after a missing a strike, and the line going high up into a tree

If the fish are rising good, and I'm antsy to get back at them quickly, I'll sometimes just skip a section or two for a bit.
Say go from 3x to 5x, making the final section a little longer.
Or even 2x to 4x to 6x
Though not ideal, can still catch fish that way.
Then rebuild to proper formula when things slow down, or at end of day

 

[poopdeck]

My first thought is to slow down and enjoy the fishing. If I’m catching fish on a #6 hopper I’m not switching to anything, especially a #22 BWO. In fact, if I’m fishing hoppers I won’t even have a #22 BWO with me. If I did maybe I tie the BWO off the hook of the hopper. Otherwise, keep it simple. Other than to complicate things there really is no good reason to have 6” of this and 8” of that. The complicated, overly thought out leader construction is old stodgy fly fishing hooey. Get a 7’ 3X leader and tie on a tippet ring. You can but more 3X on or switch to 5X to 6X or whatever you fancy.

 

[Forestfishin]

Agree with those that said tippet ring.

 

[TimMurphy]

Dear PaScoGi,

Assuming you are fishing premade leaders what is stopping you from switching out the entire leader? That would certainly be faster than adding 3 or 4 feet of additional tippet. I generally buy 2 packs of extruded leaders and carry then in 2X to 6X so I always have a spare or two.

Regards,

Tim Murphy 🙂

 

[Bamboozle]

....I do use furled leaders a lot (usually in the spring when I nymph and dry fly fish in the same day). But I am talking about summer time when it is dry fly only time and water is usually low and clear and a furled leader is not the best option...

Why not?

I fish thread furled or silk woven leaders exclusively for dry fly fishing all the time, everywhere. If you are worried abut the fish seeing the butt in "low and clear" conditions you are worrying for nothing.

In addition, if you fish furled leaders with just added tippet and your furled leaders have a tippet ring, you can swap tippets by tying only one knot to a new tippet of the requisite size.

In regards to the switching leaders thing, I only do that when going from a dry or small fly to a nymph or streamer because I prefer plain old knotted or braided butt leaders for nymphs & streamers.

However, I'll only switch if a few prospecting casts with a nymph or streamer on my dry fly leader make me feel it is worth the effort. If the opposite option presents itself, I'll tie a foot or so of light tippet to the end of my nymph/streamer leader and see if it makes sense to make to switch leaders.

 

[PaScoGi]

Tippet ring. Cut off the 4x. Tie on the 7x

I did try that, still seemed "hingy" to me, not really a true taper. But yeah, this would solve my problem.

 

[PaScoGi]

Could tie a little loop of mono into the tail of your hoppers.

Then pre-tie a few tiny bwo to 6x, leaving a little over a foot or so leader with a loop. Think like the pre-snelled hooks but with a bwo on the end.

Maybe use some sort of dropper rig keeper. I think they make boxes/foam for this. Perhaps a toothpick pushed into the foam to secure the loop end since you don’t have a hook on that end yet.

Then when you wanna switch. Just leave the hopper on and add the bwo. Do a loop to loop and use the bwo like a dropper. It would take about 10 seconds. Not ideal, but could be pretty quick with a little prep work. Bang out the knots and prep work at home.

When you had enough, nip it off and you are right back to the solo hopper.

Very good suggestion. I only ever fish one fly at a time. I know thats odd, but I prefer the challenge of choosing the one fly that will work. Plus 2 flies causes foul hooks on the trout and tangles eventually. But I love this creative suggestion for others.

 

[PaScoGi]

Not very often I find myself wanting to make a big tippet size switch like that from fishing alone
More often for me, I need to do that after a break off - usually after a missing a strike, and the line going high up into a tree

If the fish are rising good, and I'm antsy to get back at them quickly, I'll sometimes just skip a section or two for a bit.
Say go from 3x to 5x, making the final section a little longer.
Or even 2x to 4x to 6x
Though not ideal, can still catch fish that way.
Then rebuild to proper formula when things slow down, or at end of day

Very good points here. I never jump tippet sizes like that but I might just have to do that more often and adjust my cast.

 

[PaScoGi]

Dear PaScoGi,

Assuming you are fishing premade leaders what is stopping you from switching out the entire leader? That would certainly be faster than adding 3 or 4 feet of additional tippet. I generally buy 2 packs of extruded leaders and carry then in 2X to 6X so I always have a spare or two.

Regards,

Tim Murphy 🙂

Yeah, good point. This is looking more and more like my best option. I am a minimalist and only carry one leader in my pack, a 9 foot 3X. I keep a spare of the same size in my pack in case it breaks or something crazy happens. So I will probably just buy a 9 foot 3X, 9 foot 4X, 9 foot 5X, and 9 foot 6X. That should cover me for all dry fly situations.

 

[PaScoGi]

Why not?

I fish thread furled or silk woven leaders exclusively for dry fly fishing all the time, everywhere. If you are worried abut the fish seeing the butt in "low and clear" conditions you are worrying for nothing.

In addition, if you fish furled leaders with just added tippet and your furled leaders have a tippet ring, you can swap tippets by tying only one knot to a new tippet of the requisite size.

In regards to the switching leaders thing, I only do that when going from a dry or small fly to a nymph or streamer because I prefer plain old knotted or braided butt leaders for nymphs & streamers.

However, I'll only switch if a few prospecting casts with a nymph or streamer on my dry fly leader make me feel it is worth the effort. If the opposite option presents itself, I'll tie a foot or so of light tippet to the end of my nymph/streamer leader and see if it makes sense to make to switch leaders.

I love furled leaders but (for me) they do not work in low, clear, conditions. I am not worried about trout "seeing" the leader, its the sprinkle of water that comes off them when I cast. I have tried false casting away from where I am going to eventually place the fly (ex: turning in opposite direction, usually downstream). But in Pennsylvania, there isn't always room for that in some small streams.

In April and most of May, I use furled leaders. Water is usually higher, usually there is more rain, and fish are just generally more aggressive. In the morning I will nymph with my furled leader and then in mid morning or afternoon when Caddis or BWOs come off I just throw on a dry fly. I absolutely love it.

But, in late June on a summer morning, particularly when water is low, my furled leaders just spray too much water and I have seen fish swim away. I know I can grease my furled leader and have tried that, but eventually it gets water logged so in summer I just use store bought regular leaders.

But trust me I am a furled leader guy for sure. They just don't work (for me) in low clear conditions in summer and some fall days.

Thanks.

 

[Bamboozle]

All leaders spray water and lines spray water as well. Knots, loops & tippet rings hold water as well.

Are you using mono or fluoro furled leaders?

If so, try a thread furled leader, they "spray" WAY less.

 

[troutbert]

I did try that, still seemed "hingy" to me, not really a true taper. But yeah, this would solve my problem.

Yes, going from 4x to 7x would be very hingy. It would not turn over well, with a tippet ring or without.

But you never need 7x. I haven't even owned a spool of 7x for many years.

Suppose your base leader ends in 3x. Tie a tippet ring to that. For hoppers or other big dries, tie 4x to the tippet ring.

For most dry fly fishing, just use a blood knot or other favorite knot to tie 5x to the 4x. I use 5x as my final tippet more than any other size because it is a medium size.

For small flies, I occasionally go to 6x. In that case tie 6x to the 5x.

So going from fishing grasshoppers to fishing small flies requires two blood knots. That's not that bad. And it's not usual that you'll be making such a big jump.

But I don't even use 6x very often. For regular blue-winged olives, I use 5x and it works fine.

For tiny BWOs, which are size 22, and for Tricos and midges, you'll need finer tippet. But my response to that is just to not fish those tiny flies. You can just use 5x tippet and a size 12 or 14 black ant and catch just as many fish, or more.

 

[dudemanspecial]

Easiest way? Tie a 20" piece of 6x to the bend of your hopper for the BWO.

 

[dryflyguy]

The majority of my fishing is done with 5x by far.
But with the very low water conditions we had this summer and fall, I ended up using 6x quite a bit.

Rarely use 7x anymore.
But did break it out on a certain pool in the Lackawanna river this fall.
The fish are always smutting there, and it gets heavy fishing pressure.
I couldn't catch a thing until I grudgingly resorted to 7x

 

[Bamboozle]

I use 7X and even 8X a lot but then again, I enjoy fishing really tiny stuff (24 - 32) at times and 5X or 6X is too heavy for those tiny flies.

The other time I like 7X is when fishing foam beetles. The lighter tippet really allows the beetle to splat on the water.

 

[tomgamber]

I did try that, still seemed "hingy" to me, not really a true taper. But yeah, this would solve my problem.

Sounds a little princess and the pea to me. 😉