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Our versatile knotless European Nymphing Leaders cast beautifully with rods in the 3 to 4 weight range although 5 weight rods will cast them too.  The Crystal Clear leaders are colorless to minimize scaring fish.  We also produce a Hi-Viz Orange Leader for those who prefer a more visible line right through to the reel.  They are cut to an ideal length for modern leader-to-hand European nymphing methods - usually referred to as Czech, French, Belgian, Italian, Spanish, Slovakian or Polish styles.  We live in in New Zealand where we are unable to readily observe European approaches first hand and so we have developed a versatile approach for our rivers.  We call it Kiwi nymphing.



We have modified the leaders by heat-treating them in boiling water to soften the material and then   The thick butt section allows control over the cast when fishing up to 10 meters/33 feet and even further, especially when incorporating a double-haul.  The tip section is fine enough to allow the tippet and nymphs to land delicately on the water.  The transparency of the Crystal Clear leaders is less likely to scare fish than conventional fly lines and the lightness reduces drag on the indicator section and nymphs when 'high-sticking'.  



We have trialled the Clear leaders here in New Zealand from sight-fishing for brownies on on small streams to blind nymphing for rainbows on large swift rivers including the famous Tongariro and our local Rangitikei amongst others.  In fact one of these leaders has been on the reel for well over a year with extensive use and heaps of fish.  We have fished competitions with these leaders in both larger rivers and spring creeks.

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We developed these leaders for a versatile approach.  You can fish under the rod tip Czech/Polish style in fast water or with a longer French/Spanish style approach up to 10 meters/33 feet in smoother water or over current lanes without changing reels or lines.  The real advantage over conventional fly line is the lightness of the leaders avoids sag and drag with European techniques especially when fishing at ranges up to ten meters.  The indicator may be fished just above the surface at an angle to the surface or greased up with Mucilin and floated, depending on approach and conditions; both methods are ultra sensitive.  The leaders may also be used for the New Zealand 'Dry/Nymph' method (also known as 'Duo', 'Trio', Klin'n'Dink' or 'Hopper'n'Dropper') which we find useful with spooky backcountry trout.  We have also found the Crystal Clear to be superb for fishing tiny dries with minimum line disturbance.  They cast better with more leader out of the rod tip as this loads the rod on the cast.  An added bonus is that with most smaller fish, you can play them on the leader with no knots or fly line going through the rod rings.  

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The thick end is tied to the fly line using a braided connector.  To attach an indicator and tippet, tie a small loop-to-loop at the thin end of the leader or use a surgeon's knot.  The tapered leaders may be used with a range of indicators types.  The most visible is a short length of Fluorescent Orange or Yellow Braid but the Bi-Color Monofilament Micro-Coil is less obvious to fish and widely used throughout Europe.  Our coils are smaller to allow more direct contact on the strike.  We frequently use the Hi-Viz Bi-Color Monofilament Indicator Material with and without a Micro-Coil.  The monofilament is legal for competition use, unlike the braid indicators.



For those not used to these shortlining methods, our advice is to persevere as they can be difficult at first until you become accustomed to striking at mere flickers of the indicator and often wading astonishingly close to the fish.  The rewards are worth the effort.  Also, please understand that these leaders are not a replacement for conventional fly lines but they each have respective advantages and disadvantages.