DIY Euro Leader // ESN Quick Tip

[@billcavanagh2201]

Joe, thanks so much I went with the line and leader you have shown here and in my first few hours euro-nymphing landed a handful of trout. Will experiment more! Fish on!

[@michaelalvick5258]

I just made 5. Should be enough for the rest of the summer (and beyond). Great video!

[@jimjobes5187]

Man after that first intro I love this guy and Chanel even more 😉👍🏻

[@redsflyshop]

Thanks!

[@Riverbugger]

Excellent instructional video Joe. Really helped me understand the euro nymphing leader better. Thanks for sharing your knowledge!

[@stephenbrody2717]

Thank you Joe. No one explains things better. From the why? To the how.

[@redsflyshop]

Thanks Stephen, sorry portions were out of focus. We were building this for a customer buying a T and T rod and a new reel.

[@Twinhemlocks]

Tjx for all the great tips, this video made it very simple there is so much confusing info out there. I like this setup as my euro fly line has a welded loop so I can put a perfection loop on that leader system you showed but I can easily transition to a traditional tapered leader to switch to drys!!

[@mlkolb]

Awesome video. Wiped the excess UV glue from his fingers in the back of his sweatshirt/pants like a savage 🤣

[@immanuelcan3310]

Another hint for managing your tippet rings on the river. Find a good safety pin, and safety-pin the swivel that stores your tippet rings into one of the loops of your fishing vest (n front, on your chest, but low enough that you can see them without taking the swivel off). Ideally, take a couple of passes through the material. Close the pin. That way, you can manage even tiny rings without taking them off the swivel or unpinning the swivel itself, so you'll never drop it in the water. Just be sure to close the swivel when you're done, or those tiny rings will work themselves off as you walk and bend. But it works. I'll even carry a couple of sizes of tippet ring, and I don't lose them.

[@redsflyshop]

That is a good tip, these things are tiny!

[@immanuelcan3310]

@@redsflyshop Well, I'm ashamed to admit it, but the first time I tried it, I didn't quite close the swivel after I tied on the first ring. As you might expect, I was back at the tackle shop, picking up some new rings promptly. But since that bitter lesson, I've routinely carried two sizes on my trips on the river, and I've not lost a single ring, even while tying in the middle of a stream. It's been a couple of years now, and I fish quite a lot.

[@ph2738]

I just watched a video from a California shop in which they recommended tying the upper fly so it is 20 inches above the bottom anchor fly. I thought, “No way, I catch most of my fish on the Deschutes in less than 20 inches of water.” I like about 6 inches between flies, but it varies between 0 to 12 inches as I fish and try different flies, eating up tippet with each tie. 0 inches is not good but sometimes that’s what happens. A problem is when landing a fish, the other nymph is hazardous, sometimes hooking my hand, or foul hooking the fish. I was nymphing in California this spring, and some guys from California in our campground were real interested in my setup and my catch rate. They asked “Have you heard of Red’s Fly Shop? They have lots of good videos.” I told them yes, I lived 20 years in Yakima until I retired in 2019.

[@redsflyshop]

Hey cool what a small world! There are times to run the flies "loose" in deep water that works but I tend to keep these tighter like you. Thanks for watching and the positive feedback and taking the time to comment and share.

[@petergiers8515]

I find that if I put my heavy fly on the tag, and maintain the 20". In shadow water I sometimes catch two at once

[@farmerbob4554]

Very informative video. I learned a lot about nymphing leaders, thanks.

[@fabjmaz7827]

I really appreciated this video, you are great!! Thanks for the tips, tight lines!

[@redsflyshop]

You bet, thanks so much for watching and the positive feedback.

[@ecksdog]

Really good info. Thank you !

[@redsflyshop]

You are welcome and thank you, it's a long video but I know a lot of you want to build your own leaders.

[@cedricvinuesa5353]

Hello i M à French competitor. I saw in American fly nympher vidéo Everytime you use a Spanish leader I think this à error I explain . If you fish a long current with the same level and speed is à good choice But in a little river or médium Is Not necessary to cast far away And its important of percuss the nymphe for the quality of présentation and drift in the good part of current rise And for this méthode a tippet with three or four parts is better Camoufil 25/100 6 feet Camoufil22/100 6 feet Camoufil 20/100 6 feet Camoufil 18/100 6 feet Rio two tone 15/100 1 feet Perfect loop more light And tippet water height more 30% Thanks for your reading !!

[@Jaimelapoesie]

30' 20# mono, 3' 15# mono, 18" bi-color sighter, tippet ring, 5' 5x flouro + a tag. Easy, cheap, a lot less hassle.

[@MrDom861]

Thanks joe. Quick question. The leader length that you made. What depth is that suited for and should the sighter material be sitting on the river surface. Also when fishing a river of different depth is there a simple solution to decrease/increase the leader to adjust without having to trim off leader.?? Any help would be much appreciated. Domnick

[@aaronbickel1151]

“Your fishing matters more than your gear”. What?!?! Are you trying to say a new fly rod won’t solve all my problems?

[@redsflyshop]

Ha yea, I like a fine fly rod but I don't get too caught up in the idea that measuring how many inches your sighter is will help you catch more fish.

[@billmaguire6994]

Whole spool of maxima 20lb 15lbs to sighter to tippet ring to 5 x I made it to complicated when I fish started best I found for me

[@redsflyshop]

That's a pretty easy way to go, and since you're using long mono I suppose you wouldn't need a FIPS style line as well. Just mono. I find that a bit harder to handle, but it is super sensitive with only mono running through the eyelets of your rod.

[@jkdurden]

Wait..did Joe just say “fishing is more important than your gear?” (Better edit that part out before the boss hears you.). :) I love my gear but I would agree with you.

[@johncarrier7925]

Great info Joe ! I use a tfo deer creek 1106-4 switch rod, what would be the length of leader I should use , I make my own also but use a heavier but section, and pending what I’m going after will determine my tip section, I’m in east coast Canada 🇨🇦 so fish don’t get as big as your steelhead; if I’m in the salt I’ll use 10ft of t8 with 4-5ft of 8lbs test maxima , I usually use 12-14ft leader if I don’t need to go deep for casting, is this a good length for the rod ? Longer or shorter ? Thanks Joe Regards eh John

[@redsflyshop]

Hi John, I generally go 2' longer than the rod as my max. Depending on the line you're using, it can vary. For me, this is with a true euro nymphing line and rod so it may not translate.

[@johncarrier7925]

@@redsflyshop Hi Joe I’m right in the ballpark then , I use an airflo fist for salt & rage head with 14ft hand made leaders, usually go after mackerel, pollock , trout , shad , striped bass when they come in to spawn . Thanks 🙏 Stay Safe eh John

[@rocmanruss]

Hi Joe. Thanks for video. Question: Lance Eagan tends to use a much longer leader to fly setup. Is that more of a set up for experienced caster

[@redsflyshop]

Yes, great question. The more mass you get out of the rod the better control you will have. My observation is that folks on the beginner end of the spectrum learn much more quickly, with better casts and less tangles when running a short section of the ESN line (super skinny fly line essentially) out the rod tip. As you gain skills and find yourself in technical situations a full mono setup (or long leader) all the way back into your reel will become advantageous.

[@rocmanruss]

@@redsflyshop thank you for your time and response

[@bigtasty2553]

Quick question - how do you keep the tag end fly from wrapping around the main stem that goes to your anchor fly? Even when I just roll cast my anchor fly keeps getting tangled. My tags are about 6 inches, and I tie them with surgeons knots like you do. Is there some kind of trick to keep the tag fly from tangling around?

[@redsflyshop]

Not really, the best way to mitigate this is to use an unweighted fly on the top tag. Keep the flies 16" apart as well with your top tag short like you have. Even if they are 16" apart, they will still fish near the bottom.

[@jasonwalker1959]

Joe, thank you. Couple obs and questions based on my experience learning the "contact nymphing". When I snag, the most common failure point is at the tippet ring. do you find the clinch knot to be sufficient there or would something like a uni knot be stronger (holding all things equal). The second question is around french leader vs. dedicated euro line. Do you find either superior to the other. Thx again.

[@redsflyshop]

I just use a Clinch Knot and don't see an unusually high rate of failure. Try the Uni Knot, you shouldn't be seeing a high rate of failure. RE: Leaders -- I like the dedicated Euro line. Nicer to handle, casts great. When I have anglers in clinics those using a line like the SA Competition Nymph line seem to learn faster and fish better. French style will yield better results for experts.

[@devonbustard1623]

If you’re using small fluoro don’t use an improved clinch, and some anglers like Lance Egan prefer a uni knot. That small fluoro has a tendency to cut into itself.

[@pierevojzola9737]

Hi, didn’t your mother tell you “don’t wipe your hands on your trousers!” ??? Otherwise, a great demonstration of a useful systems. Cheers mate. Harera...

[@redsflyshop]

Thank you Piere, yea I've heard that a few times haha. Appreciate you watching and the support.

[@bryanbutler7833]

One aggravating thing I have found with using a mono setup is line pull through. Do you still have line pull through occurring with the SA euro line?

[@redsflyshop]

It depends on the reel, the Sage ESN reel is "full frame" so that the line is captured and cannot pull through. My new Lamson Speedster S 5+ has really tight tolerances and doesn't pull through. The line at .022" definitely doesn't pull through like leader! Yet it is thin, light, and stiff enough to help control your presentation.

[@bryanbutler7833]

@@redsflyshop thanks!

[@willbeller3748]

Why are you using 1x sighter material instead of something like attaching 4x sighter material to a premade 2x sighter leader?

[@redsflyshop]

I like the brighter vis on the thicker material better for at least part of my sighter. It is quite a bit easier to see as it has a fiber optic glow, the bigger the diameter the brighter it is. You can absolutely do what you are describing though. No problems there that I see other than the 4X is quite thin visibility wise. I like to run part thick sigther, part thin with the thin portion being the section that would enter the water if necessary (meaning my tippet is too short for that water depth or drop off).

[@mikestrate1468]

How many fèet of fly line do u keep on the reel?

[@redsflyshop]

I think it would depend on the line, some are 60' and some are 100'. Maybe you are asking how much leader?

[@vwnut13]

Whats wrong with a blood knot...?

[@redsflyshop]

Nothing at all, super knot.