New Zealand's long leaders

Why We Use Long Leaders for Fly Fishing in New Zealand

If you're planning a fly fishing adventure in New Zealand, one of the first things you'll notice is our preference for long leaders. Kiwi anglers have refined their gear setup over decades to suit our uniquely clear waters and wary trout. One of the most important pieces of this puzzle? The leader—and how we build it.

Why Long Leaders Matter

In New Zealand, our rivers and lakes often boast gin-clear water and trophy-sized trout that have seen a fair share of flies. These fish demand stealth, and long leaders play a critical role in minimizing drag and keeping the fly line away from a trout’s line of sight.

While in other parts of the world you might get away with a 9-foot leader, here in New Zealand we often use leaders 12 to 16 feet long—or even longer in particularly spooky water. This allows for delicate presentations and better separation between the fly and the fly line, especially when sight fishing.

Tapered Leaders and Tippet Additions

We typically start with a tapered leader, which gradually narrows from the butt section to the tip. This taper is crucial—it helps transfer energy during the cast and allows your fly to land softly and naturally.

But we don’t stop there. We almost always add sections of tippet to extend the leader length and fine-tune our presentation. This lets us adapt quickly to changing water clarity, fly size, or fish behavior.

Adding tippet also extends the life of the tapered leader. Rather than cutting back the leader every time you change a fly, you just trim the tippet. It’s more economical and ensures your casting performance stays consistent.

Knot of Choice: The Double Surgeon’s Knot

When it comes to connecting tippet to leader, my go-to is the double surgeon’s knot. It’s quick, easy to tie—even with cold fingers or fading light—and it holds strong under pressure.

You might have heard of the triple surgeon’s knot, which adds an extra wrap for a supposed bump in strength. But in practical terms, there’s little to no difference between the two when it comes to real-world fishing situations. Both knots retain excellent strength—usually around 90-95% of the line’s breaking strain—and either will serve you well.

I stick with the double surgeon’s for its balance of strength and simplicity.

Why Fluorocarbon?

Fluorocarbon tippet has become the norm in New Zealand fly fishing, and for good reason. It’s more abrasion-resistant than nylon and nearly invisible underwater, which is a game-changer in our ultra-clear rivers.

Fluorocarbon also sinks faster, making it especially effective when nymphing. While it’s a bit pricier than monofilament, the performance benefits make it well worth the investment—particularly when targeting those big, smart, South Island browns.

Final Thoughts

Long leaders, smart knots, and quality tippet materials are all part of the NZ fly fishing formula. Whether you’re stalking browns in a spring creek or casting to rainbows in a high-country lake, taking the time to get your leader setup right can make all the difference.

Want to learn more or see it in action? Join me for a day on the water, and I’ll show you

exactly how we build and fish leaders the New Zealand way.