Great video Zach. Lots of good information especially for someone getting into Euro Nymphing. Thanks for breaking it down for us. Stay safe and keep on flyfishnit!!
Similar to what I use. But I tie everything with Davey knots. Just easier for my old sometimes painful hands. Very nice video. Clear, concise, and informative.
Zach, thanks for sharing this info about Euro leaders. Very good video with excellent product examples. I am currently trying to tweek my leader formula. I wish I could spend more time on the water so I could bend the curve a little. Great tip on explaining how to step down on leader size. A big help is the micro loop on the fly line. What a big difference than the loop to loop connection. Im going to try the 14' 4x indicator leader formula that you showed. I tried to go down to a thinner leader but it was too hard to cast. Im going to keep trying...thin to win...Thanks again. Keep those videos coming. Really appreciate them.
Hi zack, mike here from eastern pa., great video on liters, i have been trying different blends of material from 30 lb /20/10 for butt sections down to 12/8/6 an the lighter weights always seem to straightline in the water columns alot better. My setup is just that then attach 4x sighter then 5,6,7 or 8x tippet as needed for the situation. I can cast basically as far as needed but yet maintain a perfect drag. Splitshot is critical to, but thats easy to figure out as needed. Great jib an tight lines
Very good video. Suggestion: could you provide diagrams like a power point if you will showing lengths and types of materials making up the euro leaders. I have seen this on other videos and it is additionally helpful. Appreciate you showing the actual spools so we can see the manufacturing and specs from the same. Great videos and please keep up the awesome work. Peace.
Curious as to why you need to change reels between your strictly nymphing and dry-dropper leaders? Aren't both attached to a microloop on a Euro line? Or did I misunderstand you and you use a regular fly line with the dry dropper leader. Excellent videos with clearly stated reasons for why you do what you do.
This is a very well done and helpful video. Thank you. Two questions, if you don't mind: 1. What brand of nippers are you using? 2. I notice that you use Rio for your sighter material. Do you find Rio to be the most visible 4x sighter material?
I’ve been using simms guide nippers for the past couple years and they’ve worked really well. As for the sight, most 4x sighter materials are going to be hard to see because of the diameter but you can add a bit of colored wax to help with that a bit.
Great information Zach,simple but good,tried tippet rings last year first time,lost 2 big fish at the ring connection,went back to what worked before,maybe just a bad set of rings ? 1 question friend your Hoodia you're wearing where'd you get it I like it 👍
Thanks! Make sure that you swap out your tippet ring if something like that happens. Sometimes there will be a burr on the ring that cuts your line. If you use higher quality rings from Hanak you won't run into this issue much but it can happen. Hoodie is Simms, not sure if they still make it or not though 🤷🏼♂️
Thanks for the leader breakdown! Question - why not make the leader longer? Since the rod takes up ~10’ and you are likely casting further with a micro leader, is there a disadvantage to making the leader longer?
No disadvantage to making it longer, I just follow FIPs comp rules that don’t allow the leader to be longer than double the rod length. 10’ rod = 20’ max leader length
@@FlyingTiesthanks! Also, do you only use chameleon maxima vs other maxima like evergreen, or even amnesia? It’s confusing since some recipe use only maxima, and some use both maxim and amnesia. Trying to buy the right materials as I try my first DIY leader, unsure of how the properties - color, stiffness, etc compare
Have you noticed a significant difference btw a 4x sighter and a 1x sighter? I recently switched to 4x for the reasons you note in the video and can honestly say I didn't notice any difference in the wind or in a distance cast (sag) situation. But what i did notice was more failure and loss of tippet rings when using the 4x, which is a full bummer on the river. Also, have you ever experimented with a loop knot from tippet to tippet ring. I was thinking about this the other day when I was casting further in a stronger current; just wondering if a loop would enable the flies and tippet to sink more vertically rather than being at some angle due to distance and current. Guess it could work the other way as well. Anyway, good vid
I do notice a difference for sure. But I would say when you get to that level of detail the gains are just smaller vs when you first start out with a leader setup. The biggest difference I find is that I'm able to fish much smaller/lighter flies at distance much easier with a light leader setup. But, again this is just personal preference so if you have a setup that's working for what you are doing that's awesome!
With French and other leaders very available why not just buy a tapered leader (29’) that works perfectly? Also not sure about fly line, I tie the French leader right to the backing and there is next to no line sag.
I follow all comp rules with my leader formulas so nothing over twice the length of the rod. I'm not a fan of looped connections because they hang up in the guides and keep you from fishing at further distances. As for the fly line, I like handling it vs other materials and need to stay comp legal. If you don't mind those things the pre pre packaged option is totally fine. That's the great thing about fishing, everyone has a different method! 👍🏻
Great video Zach. Lots of good information especially for someone getting into Euro Nymphing. Thanks for breaking it down for us. Stay safe and keep on flyfishnit!!
Thanks!
Similar to what I use. But I tie everything with Davey knots. Just easier for my old sometimes painful hands. Very nice video. Clear, concise, and informative.
Thanks for sharing!
Super helpful video. Great to see how (and why) you progressed through different leaders. Gotta love those micro-loops, game changer.
They sure are!
Zach, thanks for sharing this info about Euro leaders. Very good video with excellent product examples. I am currently trying to tweek my leader formula. I wish I could spend more time on the water so I could bend the curve a little. Great tip on explaining how to step down on leader size. A big help is the micro loop on the fly line. What a big difference than the loop to loop connection. Im going to try the 14' 4x indicator leader formula that you showed. I tried to go down to a thinner leader but it was too hard to cast. Im going to keep trying...thin to win...Thanks again. Keep those videos coming. Really appreciate them.
Yeah it takes a lot of practice to go super thin, just take it slow :)
Hi zack, mike here from eastern pa., great video on liters, i have been trying different blends of material from 30 lb /20/10 for butt sections down to 12/8/6 an the lighter weights always seem to straightline in the water columns alot better. My setup is just that then attach 4x sighter then 5,6,7 or 8x tippet as needed for the situation. I can cast basically as far as needed but yet maintain a perfect drag. Splitshot is critical to, but thats easy to figure out as needed. Great jib an tight lines
Very well Done!! Really like your straight 14 foot rig.
Thanks for watching!
Very good video. Suggestion: could you provide diagrams like a power point if you will showing lengths and types of materials making up the euro leaders. I have seen this on other videos and it is additionally helpful. Appreciate you showing the actual spools so we can see the manufacturing and specs from the same. Great videos and please keep up the awesome work. Peace.
Ill keep that in mind for the future!
Great video! Thanks.
Thanks!
Great content, keep em coming!
Thanks, will do!
Fourteen feet of sighter between the fly line and the tippet? Could work. I'm certainly going to try it.
yeah give it a try!
Appreciated this video.
Curious as to why you need to change reels between your strictly nymphing and dry-dropper leaders? Aren't both attached to a microloop on a Euro line? Or did I misunderstand you and you use a regular fly line with the dry dropper leader. Excellent videos with clearly stated reasons for why you do what you do.
You could use one reel and swap them out if you wanted. I just find it faster to use two reels is all. Thanks for watching!
This is a very well done and helpful video. Thank you. Two questions, if you don't mind: 1. What brand of nippers are you using? 2. I notice that you use Rio for your sighter material. Do you find Rio to be the most visible 4x sighter material?
I’ve been using simms guide nippers for the past couple years and they’ve worked really well. As for the sight, most 4x sighter materials are going to be hard to see because of the diameter but you can add a bit of colored wax to help with that a bit.
Great information Zach,simple but good,tried tippet rings last year first time,lost 2 big fish at the ring connection,went back to what worked before,maybe just a bad set of rings ? 1 question friend your Hoodia you're wearing where'd you get it I like it 👍
Thanks! Make sure that you swap out your tippet ring if something like that happens. Sometimes there will be a burr on the ring that cuts your line. If you use higher quality rings from Hanak you won't run into this issue much but it can happen. Hoodie is Simms, not sure if they still make it or not though 🤷🏼♂️
Fish are still there in that chocolate milk, and can still see
All the knots in Lance Eagan’s formula make it a nightmare to get through your guides, imo
yeah, you can add some resin and smooth them out a bit
Thanks for the leader breakdown! Question - why not make the leader longer? Since the rod takes up ~10’ and you are likely casting further with a micro leader, is there a disadvantage to making the leader longer?
No disadvantage to making it longer, I just follow FIPs comp rules that don’t allow the leader to be longer than double the rod length. 10’ rod = 20’ max leader length
@@FlyingTiesthanks! Also, do you only use chameleon maxima vs other maxima like evergreen, or even amnesia? It’s confusing since some recipe use only maxima, and some use both maxim and amnesia. Trying to buy the right materials as I try my first DIY leader, unsure of how the properties - color, stiffness, etc compare
Have you noticed a significant difference btw a 4x sighter and a 1x sighter? I recently switched to 4x for the reasons you note in the video and can honestly say I didn't notice any difference in the wind or in a distance cast (sag) situation. But what i did notice was more failure and loss of tippet rings when using the 4x, which is a full bummer on the river. Also, have you ever experimented with a loop knot from tippet to tippet ring. I was thinking about this the other day when I was casting further in a stronger current; just wondering if a loop would enable the flies and tippet to sink more vertically rather than being at some angle due to distance and current. Guess it could work the other way as well. Anyway, good vid
I do notice a difference for sure. But I would say when you get to that level of detail the gains are just smaller vs when you first start out with a leader setup. The biggest difference I find is that I'm able to fish much smaller/lighter flies at distance much easier with a light leader setup. But, again this is just personal preference so if you have a setup that's working for what you are doing that's awesome!
If I am using a 4x sighter, I would be fishing 6 or 7x tippet to have some cushion. If I was going to fish 5x or heavier, I'd use a thicker sighter.
@@memaloose3190 5x is my personal max and 6x is my standard. So yes, if you fish 4x you would want to upsize your main leader just a bit
With French and other leaders very available why not just buy a tapered leader (29’) that works perfectly? Also not sure about fly line, I tie the French leader right to the backing and there is next to no line sag.
I follow all comp rules with my leader formulas so nothing over twice the length of the rod. I'm not a fan of looped connections because they hang up in the guides and keep you from fishing at further distances. As for the fly line, I like handling it vs other materials and need to stay comp legal. If you don't mind those things the pre pre packaged option is totally fine. That's the great thing about fishing, everyone has a different method! 👍🏻
Might have missed it, but who’s euro line are you using? Thanks
Airflo Euro monocore for my dry dropper and Orvis Pro Euro Nymph for nymphing only. Thanks for watching!
Insanely helpful video, but all the shit hanging off your bag is causing me anxiety. I can just see the hang ups happening 😂
I’ve changed my rig a bit these days but I didn’t actually get hung up on that stuff believe it or not 😂
what in God's name are you looking around at?