Does anyone transition from a mono (Euro) rig to a floating line without changing spools?

[PaScoGi]

Is there a way I can take my standard floating line and attach a 40 foot mono rig to the end of it? In essence, keeping all of my WF Floating Line on my reel (in case there is a need to fish dries when I see them on top) but with a mono rig attached via loop to loop at the end of it?

My main question is how can I determine how much backing to reduce to allow the extra space of the mono rig that will need to be stored on the reel? I know that will be minimal, but still I never liked wrapping it around the outside of the reel. And it would come in handy to be able to wind most of it on the reel if needed when I come upon tight quarters or when euro nymphing a small stream.

My main reason for not going with an entire reel of mono is I can't cast dries with it. Not saying it is not possible, I know some guys can do it, but I can't. And quite frankly Id rather cast dries with a WF Floating line, its way more enjoyable.

But I am finding that Euro nymphing is so much better for catching trout when they are not rising. I know there are other methods to nymph with a WF Floating line but I prefer Euro.

So now I screwed myself because I like to fish both ways, and quite frankly I am finding out that my days on the water more or less require me to be able to do both. There have not been many days were it was nymphing all day, and there have been zero days where I can throw dries all day. The bugs basically decide when it is good for them to come out, they don't care about my schedule LOL. In other words - when nymphing I want to use euro style and when dry fly fishing I want to use traditional style. Is there a way to do both without having to change reels or spools?

Again, is there an easy way to determine how much backing to reduce to allow some extra space for my mono rig to be stored on my reel? I can do it by trail and error I guess but before I do that and having to wind and unwind my entire spool I was wondering if there is an easier trick?

Basically, does 40 feet of (dacron) backing equal 40 feet of 12 lb mono?

Or should I cut maybe 20 feet of the back end of the fly line to allow the extra space?

 

[coyoterahn]

So, if you can make sense of this, here’s an idea.

If you have calipers, measure the diameter of the backing and then measure the diameter of the mono, you should be able to get close by calculating the difference. ie, If your mono is twice the diameter of you backing, removing 40 feet of backing would allow 20 feet of mono. Looking at it another way, if your backing is 80% of the diameter of your mono, removing 20 feet of backing would allow for 16 feet of mono. (.80 x 20 = 16)

 

[Dr.J 1952]

I've always done 95% of my fly fishing nymphing. I use a strike indicator and usually fish 2-3 flies at a time. I have used the Euro style nymphing method and I do tie a lot of Euro flies. I find my old way covers more water. For me, it's like if it ain't broke, don't fix it. I do carry an extra spool, but here is a way I have adapted with a floating line: Take a 9' 4x leader with a loop on it and cut off about the first five feet(this comes from George Daniels). I then tie three sections using modified blood knots , alternating using red and fluorescent green 10lb. test Amnesia. This will be your sighter. Mine are about 24". At the end of your sighter, tie a tippet ring. To that ring you attach your tippet. Attach the whole leader to your weight forward fly line by the loop to loop method (assuming there is a loop at the end of your fly line). If fish are rising for dry flies, simply switch leaders. In my regular fishing, I have been using braided butt leaders with tippet rings for years. A friend of mine does a lot of Euro style fishing and uses my leaders. I find that these are stronger than say the Orvis Euro leaders. I do add a dab of super glue on all my knots for extra strength as it is sometimes hard to snug down the Amnesia material. This will cost you about $6 a leader depending on how much you pay for the preformed 4x leader. Usually, the tippet will break and not the whole leader. Simply tie new tippet onto the tippet ring.

 

[poopdeck]

With all the many different ways people make their own euro rigs I don’t think how a mono rig is made matters. As for adding 30 or 40’ of mono on a fly reel I don’t think space matters. 30 or 40’ feet of mono does not take up much space and should easily fit on a fly reel properly Loaded with floating line. It’s not like your casting this get up. Your overthinking the game. Slap it on and see what happens. It will come off just as easy as it went on.

 

[redietz]

To me, the bigger question is what are you planning to do with the 40 of mono if you switch to dries?

 

[poopdeck]

Take the 40’ of mono off, wrap it up, put it in your pocket and put a traditional leader on.

 

[PaScoGi]

Yep, already have a plastic disc to wrap the euro leader on when I take if off.

I guess I just have to leave some space on my reel.

Thanks everyone!

 

[tomgamber]

Spare spool?

 

[redietz]

Yep, already have a plastic disc to wrap the euro leader on when I take if off.

I guess I just have to leave some space on my reel.

Thanks everyone!

Seems like a spare spool might be faster than wrapping up 40' of mono. Or maybe not.

 

[3sip]

I do all the time. I fish 30' of mono tied with a clinch knot to the fly line loop, much faster when switching between dries and nymphs. I keep the mono on Maxima spools with a rubber band when not in use. I can switch between the 2 in about 3 minutes. The mono doesn't take up much space but you could transfer it on to a separate spool until you get down to the backing and see how much storage you got. You are going to have to take it off the current spool anyway if you want to remove some backing.

Check out

Lightning Fast Leader Changes (with VIDEO)

Adapting and changing quickly is critical. Knotting on the next fly is the easy part, but swift, wholesale leader changes are more elusive.

troutbitten.com

 

[poopdeck]

I’ll keep my hand tied extra leaders on an old spool as well. I just tie a loop knot in both ends of the leader and connect the leaders to each other via a loop to loop connection and wrap them on an old spool. I just clip off the extra loop knot when removing it from the spool.

 

[PennKev]

I guess I just have to leave some space on my reel.

You really are overthinking this.

40' of mono of a suitable diameter for a euro leader will take up virtually no space. Besides, when your rod is rigged you will have 9-10' of leader running from the reel to the tip, then 9' or so running back to the hook keeper. Even more of it will be off the reel when actually fishing. You are going to have less than 20' actually on the reel most of the time when fishing.

Just build up a leader and go fishing. Take it off and roll it up when you want to fish a different method.

 

[Schaefer406]

Use old tippet spools to store your mono leader once you take it off and switch to a traditional leader. When you want to switch back, just reverse the process. I also keep all of my extra leaders on old tippet spools too!

 

[pratt]

Seems like a spare spool might be faster than wrapping up 40' of mono. Or maybe not.

totally agree with this - I euronymph and used to have my leader (although it was only 20' or so) connected to a normal WF floating line - when I wanted to switch off of tight-lining I would take off the euroleader, coil it up and add an appropriate leader for whatever else I wanted to do (normally I would do this when fish started rising and I wanted to fish dries). However, coiling/uncoiling that leader inevitably lead to tangle issues for me... So, last year I invested in a spare spool with my dry fly setup - so when I want to swtich it's just a matter of swapping spools on my reel. It's worked out great this year....

 

[jeffroey]

You really are overthinking this.

40' of mono of a suitable diameter for a euro leader will take up virtually no space. Besides, when your rod is rigged you will have 9-10' of leader running from the reel to the tip, then 9' or so running back to the hook keeper. Even more of it will be off the reel when actually fishing. You are going to have less than 20' actually on the reel most of the time when fishing.

Just build up a leader and go fishing. Take it off and roll it up when you want to fish a different method.

Agreed. Overtinking it. If 40' of mono is binding your spool to the reel body, you already have too much backing in the spool. Strip 40' of backing off and you're there.

Considering I mostly fish small streams, when spooling up a heavier WF line to a smaller spool, I don't shy away from cutting off some of the running line length from the back end of the fly line to make it fit.

Fishpond, Nirvana, and others sell pre-rigging foam spools I always carry with me, some have mono rigs on them; some have the next dry dripper combo i plan to use.

Loop-to-loop connection between your fly line and leader makes a streamside switch easy.

 

[JeremyW]

I carry two rods, one dry one euro, IDK I guess I could switch spools, but I sort of like just having them both rigged up. The only time it's a real issue if there is a lot of steep and trecherous terrain to scramble, then the clank around more than I'd like.

I use a Sage ESN for Euro 10'6" (from a relative), and a hardy ultralight 4wt 8'6" for dries. I like the this pair quite a bit.

On my euro rig, I do mono rig, so I don't actually use the fly line at all... some people prefer to do a super glue splice and use actual fly line. I'm usually good with the mono rig unless it gets cold.

 

[Bocianka1]

I recommend you go to Troutbitten.com and listen to their podcast series on the mono rig and tight line nymphing. They have extensive articles that you can read as well. They do an in depth series of articles/podcasts that cover using a mono rig, including how they set up the rig with the intention of beaing able to change the setup quickly to use a more traditional floating line when they want to fish heavier dry flies. The podcast is a very enjoyable series overall and is geared toward flyfishermen with more than a newbie/basic understanding of how to fly fish.

 

[JeffK]

I've gone to carrying two rods for dry and nymph fishing. Used to just switch leader when I had a first generation 10' Greys Steamflex since its softer action handled dries well. Especially good for fishing dries in pocket water since could keep more line off the water, kind of like high sticking dries.

Then I got a more specialized nymph rod - a 10' 6' Moonshine Epiphany. Terrible for dries, so I started carrying a second set-up where dry fly action was possible. The dry fly rod I use varies between 7' 4 wt and 9 1/2' 5 wt depending on size of water and wind. That way I have rods rigged optimized for both nymph and dry.

 

[dudemanspecial]

I fished a mono rig for a few years. I tried every trick in the book for changing leaders. I nail knotted a 6" piece of butt section to my fly line, then tied a tippet ring on that. Then I would spool up whatever leader I wasn't using.

I never could get comfortable handling mono for fly line, despite almost exclusively fishing that setup for years. I now use a standard floating 3w line on a 10' 3w recon. I have a typical dry fly leader built down to a tippet ring. When I nymph I tie on a 3-4 foot piece of tippet with droppers to the ring. When I fish dries I clip it off and tie on dry fly tippet to the ring.

I really don't think I catch more fish one way or the other.

 

[Silent Ocelot]

I've always done 95% of my fly fishing nymphing. I use a strike indicator and usually fish 2-3 flies at a time. I have used the Euro style nymphing method and I do tie a lot of Euro flies. I find my old way covers more water. For me, it's like if it ain't broke, don't fix it. I do carry an extra spool, but here is a way I have adapted with a floating line: Take a 9' 4x leader with a loop on it and cut off about the first five feet(this comes from George Daniels). I then tie three sections using modified blood knots , alternating using red and fluorescent green 10lb. test Amnesia. This will be your sighter. Mine are about 24". At the end of your sighter, tie a tippet ring. To that ring you attach your tippet. Attach the whole leader to your weight forward fly line by the loop to loop method (assuming there is a loop at the end of your fly line). If fish are rising for dry flies, simply switch leaders. In my regular fishing, I have been using braided butt leaders with tippet rings for years. A friend of mine does a lot of Euro style fishing and uses my leaders. I find that these are stronger than say the Orvis Euro leaders. I do add a dab of super glue on all my knots for extra strength as it is sometimes hard to snug down the Amnesia material. This will cost you about $6 a leader depending on how much you pay for the preformed 4x leader. Usually, the tippet will break and not the whole leader. Simply tie new tippet onto the tippet ring.

^This is what I use.