Gilbert Rowley is a Utah fishing guide, fly tier, and filmmaker who runs a website called Fly Tying 123. He recently teamed up with two members of Fly Fishing Team USA–Devin Olsen and Lance Egan–to make a video about modern nymphing techniques. In last year’s World Fly Fishing Championships in Vail, the team took the bronze medal and Lance won the individual bronze, so these guys know what they’re talking about.
Setting up a Euro-nymphing leader can be intimidating and appear difficult. Above is a short excerpt from the video, “Modern Nymphing,” in which Devin and Lance explain their favorite leader formulas, which they have fine tuned to help them be the most efficient on the water. Their step-by-step instructions, accompanied by helpful graphics and materials suggestions, will help you build your own European-nymphing leader.
Click here to learn more or to buy the video.

Does this setup work on a lake fishing a nymph?
Thank you.
No
Thank you so much for sharing this. If needed on a specific run, can I throw an indicator on this Czech rig and fish it that way?
I do it all the time when get into a slow deep hole
No
Excellent tip and video! Learning to tie the leader is the key to this kind of fishing. I was searching for ways to fish the “euro-style” and found some good information online. https://guiderecommended.com/euro-nymphing-czech-nymph/
Keep up the great work!
I like the concept for big fish,.salmon, steel head. what if you are fishing smaller trout>
Same set up, use 4x-7x Tippett after the ring, I typically tie a 4′ 4x to ring, blood knot leaving the 6″ 4x tag for dropper fly, to 6′ of 5 or 6 or 7x if you have to go there….
What is the best knots per section of line to use? I see some have blood knots with long ends on certain sections. Why is this preferred?
Blood for sure, leaving the tags of the bright color lines helps you see line move or stop …..i.e. A possible take…..
Hi Devin.
I’ve enjoyed reading your book.
What is your formula when using a 9.5 ‘ rod and do you use a loop to loop connection when connecting your rig to a traditional floating line…
Thank you
Just a small point to note that the variation of Lance’s leader formula would be illegal in FIPS Mouche competition if using 0.014″ bicolor as the Maxima chameleon 12lb has a diameter of 0.013″ and in FIPS Mouche competition rules, leaders may only taper down and are not allowed to taper back up toward the terminal end. Using the 0.012″ diameter bicolor, on the other hand, would be perfectly fine in as it is smaller than the 12lb Maxima.
I found it funny how “Harry” Just says “No” . It is not illegal to fish a euro nymphing leader in a lake or a thingamabobber lake fishing it. Who really wants to switch leaders and change to a strike indicator rig. Let the perfectionists spend time sitting on the bank retying their floro leaders on their hand tied 0 wt bamboo poles throwing a size 20 midge pattern they tied themselves and catch more fish then them