Leader setup for czech and upstream nymphing

[dlampert]

I would be interested to hear what leader setups people use for both upstream and czech nymphing for sm yellows. Please describe the make of nylon or fluoro, the breaking strain, the lengths and the knots you use.

Thanks,
Darryl

[Mayfly]

Hi Darryl,

I have two papers/articles from Sean Freeman and Gary Glen-Young, which describes the setup (length, strenght, type etc) but they're too big to add as attachments. If you want I can mail them to you??

I've used both recommendations. I use a four turn water knot to join the tippet to leader and then tie a perfection loop on a separate piece of mono for the dropper fly (described in SF article) and then just "loop" it on the leader just above the slip shot. This allows the dropper fly to swivel around the line and reduce tangling. This Hope it helps.

[dlampert]

Hi Darryl,

I have two papers/articles from Sean Freeman and Gary Glen-Young, which describes the setup (length, strenght, type etc) but they're too big to add as attachments. If you want I can mail them to you??

I've used both recommendations. I use a four turn water knot to join the tippet to leader and then tie a perfection loop on a separate piece of mono for the dropper fly (described in SF article) and then just "loop" it on the leader just above the slip shot. This allows the dropper fly to swivel around the line and reduce tangling. This Hope it helps.

Hi Mayfly,

Thanks I would appreciate that. My email address is .....

Regards,
Darryl

[jock0]

My czech leader is 4.5kg Stren nylon mono or 1X (roughly 5kg) floro Froghair 4-5 foot long depending on the depth and current. I prefer using the Stren as it does not sink like floro so if i decide to throw a dry fly and dropper later i dont have to worry too much about the dry being pulled under by the leader.

I then tie on 3-4 ft of 3.8kg berkley vanish transition or 2x froghair as a tippet. Both are floro so the added density helps. I tie the tippet to the leader using three "overhand knots" and cut the tag end of the leader off and use the tag end of the tippet as my dropper line. I then tie my point fly and dropper using an improved clinch knot which I seat in such a way that a small loop is left between the line and the fly.

[dizzy]

I would be interested to hear what leader setups people use for both upstream and czech nymphing for sm yellows. Please describe the make of nylon or fluoro, the breaking strain, the lengths and the knots you use.

Thanks,
Darryl

I dont find it necessary to construct complicated leaders for czech nymphing since there is no real need to turn the flies over as you would with dry flies.
The others can correct me if I'm wrong. I find that a single piece of Maxima works just fine and is not as time consuming to set up.

It sinks relatively quickly, and is strong as building gut.

But I suppose it comes down to personal preference.

[MCC]

Hi there Darryl

The total leader length from fly line to point fly is approximately eight feet. In Europe they use a leader length of one and a half time the water depth, but I find that the water on the Vaal varies too much and therefore I have settled on a set length.

For the main leader and the control fly dropper I use Sightfree XL fluoro in 8lbs and for the top dropper and point fly I use 6lbs.

The leader is based on a loop-to-loop system with the first section (from the fly line) being approximately 1.2 m long. To this I connect two further sections of 40cm, both sections are looped to the preceding section. The flies are pre rigged on pieces of fluoro and looped on the one end. These droppers are kept fairly short, say ten centimetres.

It is now a simple matter of looping a point fly on and the other two flies are simply looped around the double sections of line on the main leader.

The control fly goes in the middle and this pattern should constantly be changed to suit the varying depth and flow of water.

That's it.
MC

[gkieser]

That is what I used in my limited time on the vaal.

Straight Maxima 4.5kg, then tied to about 50cm 3.5kg Maxima using a surgeons knot. I use the 4.5kg tag as the top dropper. Then I tie in another 50cm or so 4.5kg section to the end of the 3.5kg line using a surgeon's knot and again use the 4.5kg tag as the middle dropper, and place the point fly on the end of that 4.5kg line.

Putting the flies on the thicker diameter line prevented a lot of tangles which I was getting when going from thicker to thinner flouro lines, so someone who was knew to fishing like this it worked a charm.

[MCC]

Grant

The advantage of the revolving dropper system, combined with a loop-to-loop leader construction is that everything can be changed very fast. Fixed droppers are generally made fairly long in order to allow numerous fly changes and this extra length causes more tangles and affects bite detection negatively.

Cheers
MC

See you tonight.

[Gael]

Grant

The advantage of the revolving dropper system, combined with a loop-to-loop leader construction is that everything can be changed very fast. Fixed droppers are generally made fairly long in order to allow numerous fly changes and this extra length causes more tangles and affects bite detection negatively.

Cheers
MC

See you tonight.

MC, out of interest, how are you attaching your control fly to the tippet, I’ve found that trying to change a revolving dropper quiet tedious.

My setup is basically identical except I use a dropper loop on the middle dropper for my control, find it easier to change flies.

Unless of course your tippet for the middle dropper is a 10cm large loop and you thread the loop through the hook eye and loop it on in a similar manner to your revolving dropper (so you have a double tippet to your control fly)

[Herman Jooste]

Guys, just a question regarding the control fly. Has anyone caught a lot of fish on the control fly, with the dropper and point fly being basically "fishless" ?
My reasoning is that I've found that using a big,heavy control fly results in more "rock fish" than when I use re-usable split shot placed inbetween the dropper and point flies ( basically where the control fly would be attached to the leader).