This is the leader formula I developed over years of guiding on the San Juan River in Northwestern New Mexico where having a drag-free drift is pivotal to catching fish.
So much great info here, Jude. I love your teaching style and the patient way that you explain things in detail. Thanks so much for doing this leader series. I know it will help level up my solo fishing, especially on the Juan.
I’m willing to get into nymphs more now that I feel comfortable with streamer and how the weighted line works. Time to start throwing nymphs. Thanks for the videos Jude!
Jude, great video and fantastic information. I am definitely going to build a few and try them out for myself. Question though, could you go into more detail regarding the differences of length of sections for your shallow and deep water leaders please? I fish water with 2-5 ft deep pools with some pools hitting 12-15 ft. I feel like in the shallow stuff I would only need to tie a tippet ring on the end of the UG and run the flies off that. Thanks in advance.
Great question! I actually never use thingamabobbers! I should have pointed that out in the video. I only used it because it’s easy to see in a video. I’ve been using Corqs for drifting in the boat lately. They float high and I like the two-toned colors
Great insights! I am learning to fish indicator rigs from a drift boat on the green. Most rigs need to be 8-10 feet. How would you modify the rig for deeper presentation? Thank you!
So if I'm understanding you correctly, below the barrel swivel is 3 to 6ft of 5x tippet then a tippet ring and below the tippet ring is around 2 feet of 5x or 6x tippet. So theoretically if the the 3-6ft of 5x tippet breaks off on a fish at the barrel swivel you can have a fish swimming around with 5 to 8 feet of tippet and a tippet ring. That's a problem respectfully in my opinion for the life of that fish. Am I missing something?
Yes, if that one knot happens to break sooner than the other 5 knots down lower in the system, the fish could be carrying around that much line in the water until it spits the hook, unless you’re fishing barbless hooks. There are a lot of variables at play there. That’s why I recommended stepping down in tippet size at each junction? So that the weakest link breaks closer to the fish. It’s the same with people adding tippet to the end of a tapered leader with a surgeon’s knot that breaks.
Thanks for the response Jude, I've guided and fished the San Juan since the early 90's and I've seen you out there.. I appreciate the info, good stuff@@duranjude1
I have to disagree unless im missing something in your video. I dont see how your set up is truly 90° hinging. Mainly because the right angle leaders that ive seen have articulating loop type knots using the indicator as the "ring" that allows the pivot to achieve right angle. Maybe you attached the idicator in a certain way? May want to cover that as that was skipped. Look up a google image of scientific anglers absolute right angle leader, maybe that will better explain what i mean. Like I said Maybe im missing something
An articulating junction like the one SA uses on their leaders would be better to hinge at 90 degrees, but I don’t like being stuck at that set depth and changing tippet length when I want to adjust depth. My leader is a compromise in that you can still move your indicator to fish deeper runs if needed.
So much great info here, Jude. I love your teaching style and the patient way that you explain things in detail. Thanks so much for doing this leader series. I know it will help level up my solo fishing, especially on the Juan.
Thank you so much! I learned a long time ago that you have to be patient and calm when teaching! 😆
I’m willing to get into nymphs more now that I feel comfortable with streamer and how the weighted line works. Time to start throwing nymphs. Thanks for the videos Jude!
Heck yeah man! I’ve seen how well you do on streamers. You’ll be just fine with nymphs!
Thank you Jude, I just started building my own leaders and this made all of the difference in the quality water!
You’re very welcome!
Good stuff! I love learning new tricks, and I've been doing this for 50 years.
That’s my favorite part about Fly Fishing, you’re always learning new things!
Jude, great video and fantastic information. I am definitely going to build a few and try them out for myself. Question though, could you go into more detail regarding the differences of length of sections for your shallow and deep water leaders please? I fish water with 2-5 ft deep pools with some pools hitting 12-15 ft. I feel like in the shallow stuff I would only need to tie a tippet ring on the end of the UG and run the flies off that. Thanks in advance.
Jude, do you always use a thingamabobber on this rig? If so why? In what circumstances would you use a yarn indicator? Thanks. Great info btw!
Great question! I actually never use thingamabobbers! I should have pointed that out in the video. I only used it because it’s easy to see in a video. I’ve been using Corqs for drifting in the boat lately. They float high and I like the two-toned colors
Great insights! I am learning to fish indicator rigs from a drift boat on the green. Most rigs need to be 8-10 feet. How would you modify the rig for deeper presentation?
Thank you!
So if I'm understanding you correctly, below the barrel swivel is 3 to 6ft of 5x tippet then a tippet ring and below the tippet ring is around 2 feet of 5x or 6x tippet. So theoretically if the the 3-6ft of 5x tippet breaks off on a fish at the barrel swivel you can have a fish swimming around with 5 to 8 feet of tippet and a tippet ring. That's a problem respectfully in my opinion for the life of that fish. Am I missing something?
Yes, if that one knot happens to break sooner than the other 5 knots down lower in the system, the fish could be carrying around that much line in the water until it spits the hook, unless you’re fishing barbless hooks. There are a lot of variables at play there. That’s why I recommended stepping down in tippet size at each junction? So that the weakest link breaks closer to the fish. It’s the same with people adding tippet to the end of a tapered leader with a surgeon’s knot that breaks.
Thanks for the response Jude, I've guided and fished the San Juan since the early 90's and I've seen you out there.. I appreciate the info, good stuff@@duranjude1
Thanks Jude, are you using a loop to loop to attach to the fly line or nail knot ?
Loop to loop with 90% of my gear. My dry fly rods I do nail knots. Great question
Fulling mill tippet rings won’t cut small line also! I’ll use Hanak also if found at shops!
Good point! Thanks for that tip man!
I have to disagree unless im missing something in your video. I dont see how your set up is truly 90° hinging. Mainly because the right angle leaders that ive seen have articulating loop type knots using the indicator as the "ring" that allows the pivot to achieve right angle. Maybe you attached the idicator in a certain way? May want to cover that as that was skipped. Look up a google image of scientific anglers absolute right angle leader, maybe that will better explain what i mean. Like I said Maybe im missing something
An articulating junction like the one SA uses on their leaders would be better to hinge at 90 degrees, but I don’t like being stuck at that set depth and changing tippet length when I want to adjust depth. My leader is a compromise in that you can still move your indicator to fish deeper runs if needed.