Is it possible to fish a dry fly (just one fly) with a euro/mono rig?

[PaScoGi]

Was nymphing this morning with my mono rig - 20 lb butt section & 12 lb sighter. was catching fish on perdigons then noticed caddis hatching. i know i can fish an emerger with a mono rig (just move fly up higher in the tippet section), but is there any way to cast a dry fly with this rig? Sometimes i just want to float a dry, even if nymphing is more effective. something about watching that dry fly float down is awesome. anyway, i had to take off my mono rig & put on a standard dry leader with my floating line. worked great but it took a few minutes to change.

does anyone just keep their euro/mono rig at all times, even with dry fly fishing? if so, can you explain how you do it?

thanks for any help.

 

[Swattie87]

Yes, but less than ideal clearly. I solve this issue by not using a mono rig. 😜

When I’m nymphing, I do use a longer leader typically than dry fly fishing, but not that much longer. Is it as effective as a mono rig for straight nymphing, no. Is it more versatile than a mono rig for anything else you might try to do on the water, yes. Easy enough to just cut the nymphs off and put on a dry. I’ll leave the nymphs rigged on my drying patch for a while in case the dry doesn’t pan out. Can just reattach the nymph rig and get back to what you were doing before, in essentially the same amount of time it takes to make a single fly change.

There’s pros and cons to each set up, and no one solution cure all. (Or else we’d all be using that!) I’m sure you’ll get a variety of responses here, which should solidify that there’s no one right and obvious solution. Experiment around and figure out what gives you the best balance, for you. For me, I don’t want to have to carry an extra rod, reel, or spool, so that led me to prioritize versatility in my leader setup over rigs that may be more effective in one specific area, but a detriment in others.

 

[Bamboozle]

I cast dry flies all the time on my Tenkara rods using level lines, sometimes 20+ feet long but I use fluorocarbon exclusively because it is denser and as a result casts (yea, casts) MUCH better. In addition my level lines are around .013 - .014 and not as thick as the standard 25lb mono used by mono rig advocates.

I don't do the mono rig thing on my regular fly rods per see, but if I did it would definitely be a "fluoro rig" thing for that reason.

 

[afishinado]

Was nymphing this morning with my mono rig - 20 lb butt section & 12 lb sighter. was catching fish on perdigons then noticed caddis hatching. i know i can fish an emerger with a mono rig (just move fly up higher in the tippet section), but is there any way to cast a dry fly with this rig? Sometimes i just want to float a dry, even if nymphing is more effective. something about watching that dry fly float down is awesome. anyway, i had to take off my mono rig & put on a standard dry leader with my floating line. worked great but it took a few minutes to change.

does anyone just keep their euro/mono rig at all times, even with dry fly fishing? if so, can you explain how you do it?

thanks for any help.

You can cast a dry with a 20lb mono rig with some practice to get your stroke down. At some point a really large wind resistant dry fly will limit your ability to cast with a mono rig. To cast that bigger dry you can switch to a dry dropper rig with a small nymph to add a little weight.

The idea is to cast only far enough to allow you to hold your entire leader off the water and drift the dry drag free, like twenty five to thirty feet max. When dry fly fishing at greater distances, changing back to using your fly line and tapered leader is best. It only takes a couple of minutes to change over.

I recommend you read the articles and/or podcasts on the Troutbitten site for some great details on fishing mono rigs. HTH

 

[Nocktavius]

Carry a dry fly leader with you, swap out the knot. Back in business in <2 min with some practice

 

[Steelhead_JESUS]

 

[PaScoGi]

Thanks all much appreciated!

 

[PaScoGi]

Follow up to this post -

Just heard on Troutbitten that a mono rig can cast a large heavy Chubby type fly better than small size 18 flies.

The Josh Miller technique involves 2 flies, something I dont do. Its definately a great technique if using 2 flies.

Bottom line is Ive learned to just put on a standard dry leader when switching to dry flies.

The mono rig for me is just for nymphing.

Maybe in the future some whiz kid will figure out a way to do both.

 

[Tigereye]

I fished with Dominic Swentosky ( troutbitten) 2x now.
Great guy and superb fisherman and teacher. Realize that his mono rig is just an adjustable system that allows one to change between tightlining, indy, dry, dry dropper and streamer with minimal fuss. He is a master and is deadly proficient with it.

Personally I carry an extra spool with a floating fly line. If I'm fishing nymph I will tight line or indy with a mono rig. If fish start rising, i can switch to a floating line just as easily and have a bit more flexibility with fly sizes and a more technique forgiving system. Dry dropper and indy on a floating line is also a cinch.
Don't streamer fish much but I would think the mono rig set up is great for that.

 

[salmo]

Do you really need 20lb mono? My go to is 4/6 lb mono.

 

[salmo]

There was another post/thread about this some time back

 

[Tigereye]

Do you really need 20lb mono? My go to is 4/6 lb mono.

IMHO yes. As the 20# section the section used in "casting" , you need something with a bit of stiffness and weight. Especially to push larger more wind resistant flies. If I recall correctly, he used OPST in his original recipe as a "fly line replacemant"

The 4 to 6 is fine for the leader section

 

[PaScoGi]

Yep 20lb for me.

I know Troutbitten recommends a type of "taper" for the mono rig (20 lb to 15 lb to 12 lb & so on)

Basically i love the mono rig for nymphing. I just use one fly, works great for getting it in strike zone.

But what I cant do (but others apparently can) is when i see trout sipping on top and want to snip off my nymph & tie on a dry (1 dry fly only, no weight) onto the same mono rig, i cant cast it.

Again im not talking about 2 flys with a mono rig. I have seen videos with a weighted fly on the bottom and a dry up top. That clearly works but is not for me. To me, i love the challenge of using one fly only.

But i searched you tube and cannot find a single video of someone casting just one standard dry fly on a mono rig.

someday i hope there is a way to do that.

 

[catchandrelease]

Keep practicing you'll get it. Slow the stroke down a little and snap the wrist quick and stop. Takes some time but can be done. I taught my young boy and he mastered it in 2 months. He likes running 2 nymphs and catching doubles better 😆.

 

[PaScoGi]

Keep practicing you'll get it. Slow the stroke down a little and snap the wrist quick and stop. Takes some time but can be done. I taught my young boy and he mastered it in 2 months. He likes running 2 nymphs and catching doubles better 😆.

thanx much appreciated

 

[Duriensbane]

i went a slightly more expensive route and i carry a 2nd reel spool with a 3wt line on it. Ive only used it once, but it works in if i really really need to swap out. I also carry to much gear, and my shoulders let me know every time i get back home, but thats just me.

 

[PaScoGi]

i went a slightly more expensive route and i carry a 2nd reel spool with a 3wt line on it. Ive only used it once, but it works in if i really really need to swap out. I also carry to much gear, and my shoulders let me know every time i get back home, but thats just me.

Thanks, I do that do.

But it would be nice if I could nymph with my mono rig (again, I always use just one fly), then if I see rising trout, somehow be able to clip my nymph & split shot off, tie on a dry fly, and cast to it.

People say they do it, Ive tried and just cant unfortunately. I know its possible, its just Ive never seen it live or even a video of someone doing it.

BTW, if you like a certain reel, often times you can purchase a spare spool instead of an entire reel. Not sure if you knew that but just wanted to pass that along.

Thanks!

 

[dudemanspecial]

Thanks, I do that do.

But it would be nice if I could nymph with my mono rig (again, I always use just one fly), then if I see rising trout, somehow be able to clip my nymph & split shot off, tie on a dry fly, and cast to it.

People say they do it, Ive tried and just cant unfortunately. I know its possible, its just Ive never seen it live or even a video of someone doing it.

BTW, if you like a certain reel, often times you can purchase a spare spool instead of an entire reel. Not sure if you knew that but just wanted to pass that along.

Thanks!

This is what turned me off of fishing with a mono rig. I did it for a few years and I don't think I caught a significantly higher amount of fish to make the overall hassle of it worthwhile. I catch plenty of fish nymphing with my 8'5 5w by using a small wool indicator. I enjoy being able to roll cast with a flyline upstream and when there are risers I just adjust my tippet and get to it.

 

[PaScoGi]

This is what turned me off of fishing with a mono rig. I did it for a few years and I don't think I caught a significantly higher amount of fish to make the overall hassle of it worthwhile. I catch plenty of fish nymphing with my 8'5 5w by using a small wool indicator. I enjoy being able to roll cast with a flyline upstream and when there are risers I just adjust my tippet and get to it.

yep me too. in PA, theres so many streams with different situations that you dont always need it. but its a tool in my toolbelt, just like furled leaders, poly sinking leaders, & basic store bought tapered leaders. they all work & have advantages & disadvantages.

i use the mono rig mostly in winter. but again, there are winter days where theres a sudden bwo hatch & i would love to fish that on top of the water with a dry without completely changing my rig.

its why i love this forum, never hurts to post & ask for solutions. glad im not the only one with this problem.

 

[Duriensbane]

Thanks, I do that do.

But it would be nice if I could nymph with my mono rig (again, I always use just one fly), then if I see rising trout, somehow be able to clip my nymph & split shot off, tie on a dry fly, and cast to it.

People say they do it, Ive tried and just cant unfortunately. I know its possible, its just Ive never seen it live or even a video of someone doing it.

BTW, if you like a certain reel, often times you can purchase a spare spool instead of an entire reel. Not sure if you knew that but just wanted to pass that along.

Thanks!

Thats what i do. I have a loving relationship with redington reels, specially the tilt. And that was one of the first things i did once i stopped carrying more then 1 rod. I guess I over worded the sentence by adding reel and should have just left it as spool.