Being a relatively new flyfisherman I have been reading up on tandem rigs. I did experience some success last year with tandems myself and was wondering if others would like to tell about their favorite tandem rigs and fly pattern combos. Last year I had good success with an Olive BH Bugger with BH trailer of a #14-16 PT or GRHE. I also had good success with a Dry and Dropper of a #12-14 Light Cahill with a Lt Cahill wet about 15-18" down and a White Wulff with a Lt Cahill wet.
I like to trail a dry with its emerger conterpart. Works real well during a hatch. Also a BH pheasant tail trailed by a GRHE is a classic tandem.
When fishing in the mountains, my go-to rig has been a size 14 Stimulator with a size 16 nymph, either a Tellico, Beadhead PT, or Copper John.
Tailwaters, I normally fish a two-nymph rig under an indicator. The first fly is almost always a size 16 Sparkle Pheasant Tail, with either a brassie or zebra midge in 18 - 22 behind it. Sometimes I will fish a soft hackle in place of the Sparkle PT. If I get a lot of strikes on the indicator, I’ll put on a Chernobyl ant or Madam-X in place of the indicator. Casting 3 flies on about 12 feet of total leader can get kinda interesting.
When fishing in my favorite spring creek, with slooooow-moving water, I fish with a Parasol Emerger as the top/indicator fly and trail two nymphs underneath. Usually a size #16 Bead-head Pheasant-tail nymph followed by one of my special spring creek scuds. In slow water I drop my first nymph just above the depth of the bottom and trail the bottom bug on an 18" dropper attached with a loop knot. Slays 'em!
Why stop with just two flies (tandem) and not use three, e.g., elk hair caddis, caddis emerger, and nymph?
Remember the old timers of 100 years ago typically fished three wet flies in their setups (Or, so I’ve been told and read. While aged, I’m not THAT old as to have actually witnessed the setup).:rolleyes:
We can only use up to two flies here.
My favorite is a Cripple with a WD40 or a Zebra dropper, also Copper Johns and Prince Nymphs. That is rivers
Still water is will be a leech or streamer or larger nymph on the long side of a “V” connection and a smaller nymph, scud, chironomid on the shorter side. Looks like bigger object chasing food…works really well.
I can wrap a single fly around the tip of my rod a gazzilion times just standing in one place contemplating my next cast. I sometimes look at the mess on my rod tip and have to ask “Is that even possible?”
I can’t imagine how many times a dropper would wrap around it in the opposite direction at the same time. Enter in the split shot and I’d go through three to four spools of tippet material each outing.:oops:
I’ve been there cj!
For bigger rivers, like the South Fork, I like a couple stoneflies - typically a weighted size 6 4XL salmonfly nymph trailed by a weighted size 8 2XL golden stone nymph - under an indicator. Sometimes it will be two of the bigger salmonflies. This set up works particularly well in stretches where the bottom is irregular and there are lots of changes in the depth - one of the flies is almost always on the bottom. In the shallower water, most fish take the lead fly, in the deeper water, they usually hit the trailing fly.
The big stonefly nymphs can also serve as weight to get a small trailing fly down, as well as an attractor for the small fly. In midgy water, the t.c.t.k. midge larva is my go to trailing fly. In other water, it might be an unweighted pheasant tail nymph or soft hackle, copper john, etc.
On smaller streams, most of my fishing is with a single dry or single nymph. I usually start with a dry / dropper combination, and if the fish are splitting pretty regularly between the two, I’ll stay with it. If the fish show a real preference for either the dry or the nymph, I’ll go with that fly exclusively, with the nymph under a very small indicator if they prefer the nymph.
I rarely swing a tandem of wet flies, but that can be effective. Also, when fishing nymphs under a griffith gnat, for example, you can let the tandem swing across and down at the end of the drift, and let it hang for a couple seconds before you pick up for the next cast.
John
Most of my fly fishing is on a single fly, but that’s only because of the rules on the C&R stream sections around here. When I get the chance, I do like fishing two flies. I can set up for different stages of emergence and that does improve the odds. I also think that when fishing streamers or for steelhead, a two fly rig helps them to zone in on your fly. I use one big or bright fly and one small nymph or egg in those set ups.
Three flies can be a pain sometimes. It takes a long time to rig up and if it gets tangled it takes too much time to get it righted. I have fished them but I don’t like it so don’t do it very often. I haven’t attempted swinging wet flies (old style) but that’s on the list of things to do this year.
If I need a strike indicator and it’s legal to fish more than one fly, I prefer a dry fly over an indicator any day.
Something new on the market. I bought the Small for my 4 weight and the medium for my 6. These are way cool. You can adjust the height of you lead fly and make the tag as long as you want. Add some split shot to sink, but the bead will float if you want it to.
Haven’t Tangled yet:tieone:
Wow, that bead principle does create a lot of advantages. Does the hole for the dropper line go all the way through the bead? If not how is the dropper line secured? Do you order those direct or what dealer has them? Great info, thanks.
The hole on the side is all the way through. I just secure a tag like securing a fly. Whatever knot you choose.
I thread the bead on, then tie tippet. That knot keeps the bead from sliding off. I also will slide it up if need be, and if nymphing, I add a small split shot to keep it in one place or a dab of strike putty if I want it to float.
You can also secure it by taking a little backing material and tying a small knot.
Yes, they did but they didn’t complicate things with a dry fly. Big open loops, slower action rods and a minimum of false casting. It was the dry fly and the need for false casting that caused the three fly rig to go out of vogue.
From what I understand, three flies is still the standard rig on British reservoirs.
Two is usually enough for me.
I like fishing a 2 or 3 fly setup whenever I’m fishing for trout. Normally I’ll use either a black bead/conehead wolly bugger for my lead fly and attach a much smaller serindipity or pheasant tail as the dropper. If I’m not getting much bites on the wolly i’ll switch to a slightly larger nymph than my dropper.
Thanks Fly Goddess! I’ve often wondered about those things. I was just wondering how many come in a pack?
There are 10 in a package.
[QUOTE=redietz;278709]It was the dry fly and the need for false casting that caused the three fly rig to go out of vogue.
Much false casting is, IMHO, unnecessary and unproductive in terms of time the fly is in the air and not on the water. For confirmation, check out Joe Humphreys’ video A Casting Approach to Dry Fly Tactics in Tight Brush.
Every season on the small streams I fish I meet novice anglers who believe three false casts are necessary for each presentation (even with a nymph) and who also believe they must stand in the middle of the stream while they flail about.
Dave, i’ve gotta go with the bugger, hares ear combo, especially earlier in the season. I’ve also done real well with a march brown nymph and a mb emerger.
Those beads sound pretty interesting.
Where do you buy 'em?
Tried Cabelas, FeatherCraft and BassPro with no luck. Even tried a couple of search engines but no US vendors.