“Booby Trap: My Personal Proven Leader Setup for More Hookups”

Want to get the most out of your booby fishing sessions? It's not just about the fly—your leader setup can make or break your day on the water. In this episode, I break down the exact leader system I use that keeps my booby fly in the strike zone and fish on the line.

🎙️ Intro:

Welcome to the Stillwater Edge Podcast. I'm your host, Greg Keenan, and today we’re diving into one of the most effective stillwater techniques—booby fishing. But here’s the twist: it’s not just about the fly. The secret sauce? Your leader setup. I’m sharing the exact system I use to consistently catch fish when they're feeding near the bottom.

📌 Key Points:

• Sinking Line Choice Use a Type 5 or Type 7 full sink line depending on water depth and speed. Type 7 sinks faster for deeper zones.

• Leader Simplicity Trim your fluorocarbon leader to exactly 5 feet for better control, faster sink rate, and higher strike detection.

• Tippet Section Add 12–18 inches of fluorocarbon tippet—invisible underwater and abrasion-resistant.

• Barrel Swivel Benefits A small barrel swivel connects your leader and tippet for:

  1. Fewer breakoffs.

  2. Reduction in line twist.

  3. Better fly movement and presentation.

• Retrieval Tips Use slow retrieves, figure-eight, or slow strips with pauses. Strikes often come on the pause, as the fly rises slightly due to its buoyancy.

• Why This Setup Works Simple, strong, and highly effective—this system maximizes your chances in deeper water where trout are hunting close to the bottom.

🎣 Outro:

If you found today’s episode helpful, hit that subscribe button so you never miss another Stillwater tip. I’d love to hear what your go-to setup is for booby fishing—DM me or drop a comment. Until next time, keep it tight and I’ll see you on the water.