One of the best fly fisherman I used to watch used three flies. It's been a long time ago but remember him using a dry, wet and trailed it with a nymph. I can't remember how he did it but saw him land two Trout at one time quite a few times. I on occasion use two flies, tying one about 14 inches behind the other. I was wondering how many of you fellas fish with more than one fly?
More than one
- Thread starter Lkyboots
- Start date
Back-in-the-day wet fly anglers used multiple flies on droppers all the time. And now today many nymph fishermen use multiple flies to fish. Plus a dry-dropper rig (dry on top with sinking fly beneath) is very popular.
I myself use two flies nearly all the time for nymphing and sometimes three.
I recall a really good start of my day on the water not long ago was 4 trout caught on my first two casts!.... :-D
I myself use two flies nearly all the time for nymphing and sometimes three.
I recall a really good start of my day on the water not long ago was 4 trout caught on my first two casts!.... :-D
Me too.
With the exception of streamers or a match the hatch situation, I rarely fish with a single fly when trout fishing - almost always have two on the line.
Fly-Swatter
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Me, too!
I sometimes feel like I NEED to fish multi-fly rigs or I'm handicapping chances. So, are multi-fly rigs a crutch (for me)?
On the flip side, they do add complexity to the rog, cast, and presentation. Maybe it's a wash.
I sometimes feel like I NEED to fish multi-fly rigs or I'm handicapping chances. So, are multi-fly rigs a crutch (for me)?
On the flip side, they do add complexity to the rog, cast, and presentation. Maybe it's a wash.
Unless I'm fishing a PA limestone with relatively high fish density or a larger stocked stream (Oil, Kinzua, etc.), I generally stick with a single fly. I've simply decided that the ROA (return on aggravation) of the multi-fly rig in situations other than these is not worth it to me. Untangling a fouled rig is significantly more difficult in 2019 than it was in 2009 and more difficult by an order of magnitude than it was in 1979. At the same time, patience and tolerance for fouled rigs has been on a steeply descending curve during the same period.
I shudder to think what it will all be like in 2029....🙂
I shudder to think what it will all be like in 2029....🙂
Well, RLeep2 said it all for me. Maybe it's an age thing.
And, when there are trout rising, I use one dry fly to try to match a hatch. To me, that is the zenith of fly-fishing.
Disclaimer: When the water is up, I put on a second nymph and weight. Though rigs like this work, they are abominations to cast, IMO.
And, when there are trout rising, I use one dry fly to try to match a hatch. To me, that is the zenith of fly-fishing.
Disclaimer: When the water is up, I put on a second nymph and weight. Though rigs like this work, they are abominations to cast, IMO.
mattwolf
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I fish with 12 rods and 38 flies and never catch a darn fish. I start out with a 12 inch streamer chasing an 8 inch streamer, chasing a 4 inches streamer, chasing a nymph which is following a wet fly which is tailing a pair or dry flies. I got this rig set-up from Hank Patterson, Professional Fly Fishing Guide and high school graduate.
redietz
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I almost always fish two flies. Maryland doesn't allow more, so I've got out of the habit of using three, even when fishing in PA.
There are several advantages to using multiple flies:
You give the fish a choice not just of which fly, but where in the column they want to feed.
You can use the point fly as anchor to lift the top fly out slightly above the water, which is sometimes the best way to get a skeptical fish to take.
You can use one of the flies as an attractor, which can get a fish to inspect the the team, and the other, more realistic fly seals the deal.
When fishing in water with a lot of floating weed or didymo, the top fly becomes sacrificial and keeps the point fly clean. When there's didymo bloom on the Gunpowder it may be the only way to fish a sunken fly without it becoming an exercise in frustration.
The top fly can serve as a strike indicator, even when using wets or nymphs -- a pink San Juan worm above a size 20 nymph makes sight fishing easy without something floating to disturb the drift. And of course that size 22 floating midge is a lot easier to track if you have a size 12 Royal Wulff in front of it.
To me, Charlie Meck should be most remembered not for his book PA streams, or introducing the Patriot and the Green Weenie, but for his book Fishing Tandem Flies.
I can think of very few reasons to not fish multiple flies.
There are several advantages to using multiple flies:
You give the fish a choice not just of which fly, but where in the column they want to feed.
You can use the point fly as anchor to lift the top fly out slightly above the water, which is sometimes the best way to get a skeptical fish to take.
You can use one of the flies as an attractor, which can get a fish to inspect the the team, and the other, more realistic fly seals the deal.
When fishing in water with a lot of floating weed or didymo, the top fly becomes sacrificial and keeps the point fly clean. When there's didymo bloom on the Gunpowder it may be the only way to fish a sunken fly without it becoming an exercise in frustration.
The top fly can serve as a strike indicator, even when using wets or nymphs -- a pink San Juan worm above a size 20 nymph makes sight fishing easy without something floating to disturb the drift. And of course that size 22 floating midge is a lot easier to track if you have a size 12 Royal Wulff in front of it.
To me, Charlie Meck should be most remembered not for his book PA streams, or introducing the Patriot and the Green Weenie, but for his book Fishing Tandem Flies.
I can think of very few reasons to not fish multiple flies.
FarmerDave
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Maybe it is, although I am not as old as I seem.
I hate using multiple flies for reasons stated by RLP and RRT, plus it increased the chance of foul hooking fish. So if I am getting any action with a single fly, I stick with one fly. If I get desperate, I'll add a dropper.
I'll often use two flies and occasionally three for steelhead fishing. It's almost as easy to floss steelhead this way as it is using a pegged bead, and it's a legal rig. ;-)
FarmerDave
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Instead of shadow casting, you are shadow drifting. :lol: :hammer:
I go back and forth. I think I used mostly one last year. If I nymph I always use at least two. With dries, it depends on my confidence level. I'f I'm confident I'll just use one without a dropper - even if I'm blind casting. If this fishing is tough, I'll use a dropper.
shakey
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when legal,i use three flies when wet fly fishing.
if i have to use a dry fly,sometimes i fish one,or one and a dropper.
for smallies i often use a buoyant dry ,like a popper or gurgler and two droppers.
i always suggest beginners use one dry,so they can see the take.
if i have to use a dry fly,sometimes i fish one,or one and a dropper.
for smallies i often use a buoyant dry ,like a popper or gurgler and two droppers.
i always suggest beginners use one dry,so they can see the take.
Canoetripper
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I used two dry flies of the Elk river in West Virginia during the sulfer hatch with fisherman who were more experience than I was on this river.
This was my first time and they all had years of experience.
The large coffin fly, which I could see, was like a strike indicator. The #16 sulfer was close by and I lifted my fly rod any time I saw a rise anywhere near the coffin fly. This worked.
On my guided trip on the Frying Pan River this past June. I fished with three nymphs. this worked. I plan on fishing with more than one fly on most of trips this year.
I have always fished previously with just one fly when by myself.
This was my first time and they all had years of experience.
The large coffin fly, which I could see, was like a strike indicator. The #16 sulfer was close by and I lifted my fly rod any time I saw a rise anywhere near the coffin fly. This worked.
On my guided trip on the Frying Pan River this past June. I fished with three nymphs. this worked. I plan on fishing with more than one fly on most of trips this year.
I have always fished previously with just one fly when by myself.
For mattwolf: Your streamers are a little too small. Go to something bigger, especially your tail fly. Your best bet might be to use a size 4/0 Dread Full Mud Scale pattern. You can find the pattern for this in the Hokey Book of Trout Flies.
