A fish finder rig is a very useful tool in fly fishing. Great for drift-fishing or still-fishing. For example, if you have problems with the sinker hanging up, a lighter leader should break and allow you to reel in your hook and bait or any fish that hit. I recommend you use an Egg sinker on the end and either peg it with a toothpick or crimp on a Split Shot below it, instead of tying it to the leader. It will then slide off the line when hung rather than break the leader. After than you can easily slip another sinker on the end and be fishing again right away.
If your lead slips off too easily when holding it on with a toothpick, you need to tie an Overhand knot in the line below the sinker. You do this before sticking the toothpick into the hole in the sinker the line runs through. While this makes it harder to pull of it’s not as difficult as if a Split Shot is crimped on the line. Try also adding a float to your rig, because when drifting over a flat bottom the float can keep the lead just bumping the bottom.
If you are casting, use a slip bobber (a bobber with a hole through the center that allows the line to move freely) so you can detect bites. This will also aid you in reeling in your fly fishing rig as it pulls hook and lead up to the surface and away from trash on the bottom.
