The backcountry virtuoso
Ali Parkin quizzes arguably New Zealand’s best big-fish guide, Tom Hodge, about his signature leader setup
Loop’s Emilie Björkman skilfully guided by New Zealand maestro Tom Hodge.
NEW ZEALAND'S pristine rivers and remote backcountry streams demand patience, precision, and absolute stealth. On these unforgiving yet breathtaking waters, even the smallest advantage matters. We turn to renowned fly-fishing guide Tom Hodge — a name trusted by anglers from around the world — to reveal why his extraordinarily long leaders give him a decisive edge in one of the sport’s most challenging and rewarding environments.
Q
How would you describe some of the rivers that you fish, Tom?
We trek a long way up rugged rivers to find the finest sight-fishing New Zealand has to offer, all while battling Canterbury’s notorious north-westerly winds and the heatwaves that push over from Australia.
It’s tough fishing in big-mountain backcountry, where it gets cold and conditions change quickly.
I'd say a 20ft leader is quite short
Q
You are rated as the “guide’s guide” — if not the best big-fish guide in NZ. But I’m here to talk about the extraordinary length of your leaders. Why are they so long?
Leaders are probably the biggest part of my game. People don't realise these fish have been living in the backcountry for a while. They are residents. They don't get big and smart for no reason. So, typically I'd say a 20ft leader is quite short. My ideal length is 22ft-24ft, and I’m building them to suit the fishing I do.
These are made by getting a tapered leader, cutting it down, and building off that. I want its profile to be cone shaped.
People think a 24ft leader isn't castable, but when you make them with such a taper and combine it with a heavier fly-line, they turn over nicely.
A lot of shop-bought leaders have a cone-shaped taper at the butt end and a long level section near the tip. When you add tippet, you end up with an even longer section of level tippet that’s never going to turn over.
So, it’s all about how you build them. I taper them down so that when people cast, they will present a fly cleanly.
When you're casting from behind these fish, or from side-on, if you’re not careful, the fish will know of your presence. They hear the wee tungsten nymph plop into the water or see the dry-fly land. It's therefore crucial that we put a good distance between the flies and the end of the fly-line.
Sometimes, I try to land the fly two to four metres above the fish, just so he doesn't see or hear it land. Then you’re also getting a nice drift over it with your fly-line well out of sight.
I’m also always trying to get a little bit side-on to a fish, trying to eliminate any factor that may scare it.
No brick wall behind you here, but a step up in line weight will help long leaders turn over in the notorious New Zealand wind.
TED LOGARDT
Q
I heard you say that you’re using line weights heavier than the class of the rod. Why?
The main rod I use here is a six-weight, paired with not just a seven-weight line, but a very aggressive, short-tapered seven-weight.
I’m overlining because, when you've got a fish that's only 40-50ft in front of you and you’re using a 24ft leader, you don't have much fly-line out. Having that extra loading capacity puts a little more weight outside the rod tip to transmit energy and help to turn the leader and fly over.
When you're trying to cast accurately in a breeze, that's when going up a line weight can be a game changer.
Tom doesn’t like loop-to-loop leader connections. Instead, he attaches the tapered leader butt with a clinch knot.
ALASTAIR PARKIN
Q
How do you construct such a long leader?
When it comes to tapered leader brands, I don’t mind which I use. Starting with a standard mono tapered leader, the breaking strain is not important as I’m going to cut down the thin end. I start by unravelling it, then cutting off the loop at the butt — I don’t like loop-to-loop connections. I then knot the butt to the loop on the fly-line with a clinch knot. Then, about three-quarters of the way down the tapered leader, where the taper finishes, I cut off the level part. This will leave roughly 8ft of tapered section, depending on the leader brand. I then match the diameter at the end of the taper to that of my 12lb nylon and add roughly 6ft using a blood knot. I'll then go down to 4ft of 8lb nylon, followed by another blood knot to 6ft of 6lb nylon tippet. I may even go down to 5lb tippet if necessary. However, I rarely go below that — we’re chasing big fish. In total, I’ll end up with around 22ft-24ft of tapered leader. I prefer nylon as you've got a little more stretch, which makes it more forgiving. Plus, it’s a little more abrasion-resistant than fluorocarbon. You also don't want too many knots — they are weak points. I only have two or three in a leader.
Keep knots to a minimum and check them regularly — particularly before targeting a fish.
ALASTAIR PARKIN
Without fail, after every single fish I catch or net, I replace the whole tippet before trying for the next one
Q
Is the long leader easy to cast?
There are some tips to make it easier. The typical “ten-to-two” casting style doesn't really work. I always tell people to tilt their casting arc forward a little by stopping their back cast high. Imagine a brick wall behind you that you don't want to hook. That way, you're elevating the fly-line high behind you, which translates into the forward cast by pushing it down slightly. With a long leader, if it unfurls parallel with the water, it will get blown in the wind and will not be as accurate. Therefore, if you tilt the arc down a little, you can cut through the wind and get the turnover and accuracy required. Finally, line speed is vital. We’ve built the leader to be as efficient as possible, but even so, casting it is still a difficult task. By generating higher line speed, we start the cast at a higher velocity, which transmits through the leader to help turn the fly over.
What else can you tell me about your approach to leaders?
Most people will buy a tapered leader and fish with it all season. I typically go through a tapered leader every couple of days. They do wear out.
I'll keep the thick part of my leader and maybe even the section of 12lb nylon, but I'll test the knot. Everything else comes off and is replaced.
I'm often checking knots, even before seeing a fish in the water. I'll pull them and run my finger over the tippet, ensuring there's no abrasion.
Without fail, after every single fish I catch or net for a client, I replace the whole tippet before trying for the next one. You're walking so far out and working so hard for each trout that you must eliminate all chances of failure.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Tom Hodge
Tom Hodge is a fly-fishing guide from New Zealand’s South Island, specialising in backcountry fishing in North and South Canterbury, where sight-fishing in crystal-clear rivers dominates. You can connect with Tom Hodge on Facebook.
