Double nymph rig

[Jessed]

I’ve been playing around with different ways of adding a second fly to my rig. I’ve looked into threads on tying off the eye vs hook bends, I didn’t find or see anything mention adding a tag end on the leaders with a surgeons knot. I know this is common with euro rigs on the top fly. Anyone have anything on this?

 

[pcray1231]

I do the tag end method frequently, but not with a surgeons knot. I tie my own leaders. So in the tippet, the last blood knot. So, if going from 3x to 4x, I leave a long tag end on the 3x. I'll use that.

Advantages:
- Seems less likely to get a severe tangle than when I go off the bend or eye of hook.
- Gets better drift/action and better strike detection. Usually I'll weight the point fly or put shot on the line between the flies. But the dropper is upstream of all weight.
- Can use same set up on further up blood knots. Why stop at 2? Fish, 3, 4, 5 flies! Some swinging wet fly types like this approach. I have done it, almost resembles a trot line, lol.

Disadvantages:
- Keep the dropper short! And use the heavier line for the dropper. Otherwise it wraps around easily.
- As you switch flies, an already short dropper gets shorter. And it's a pain to re-tie the rig. But all in all, an extra minute to tie on a new one isn't a big deal, just annoying.

 

[maxima12]

I agree w/pcray, However, other methods exist. Yes, the surgeons knot works well. Measure out determined length of drop and do a surgeons. Check length, you may need to add more length due to loss. Most of the professional euro boys like dropper headed down. Surgeons would be tied using the heavier tag end as the drop. Generally the most popular would be the 3 fly rig.

18 to 20 inches between drops.

Now the real secret in a dropper leader is the line used!

Most like the drop 6 inches. I make my drops 9 inch. Since I sell this style leader, it is nice to be used a little more before drops get too short. A very simple leader to build!

 

[timbow]

The upper tag end of a surgeons knot is not equal in strength to the working end. A much better knot to use for this would be an Orvis tippet knot.

You can also tie a uni-knot into your tippet where you want the dropper then use a simple clinch knot above the knot and cinch it down. The Uni-knot will keep the dropper from sliding down. You can also do this when your surgeon knot dropper gets too short. Clinch knot above the knot and cinch it down.

 

[Nymph-wristed]

I use a triple surgeons most of the time when I rig on-stream, sometimes a blood knot if I rig at home. As others have said, use the bottom tag. If you want the angle to increase on the bottom tag, you can can do one overhand knot over the top of the cinched knot. Also, when the dropper gets too short, clip it to the knot, and then you can add another short dropper above the old knot of the original blood or triple surgeons knot with another triple surgeons. Or replacing as the previous post suggested is also good. Use 4x fluorocarbon when you can get away with it, but I use 5X all the time and the only time one of knots fail is when it is user error (50 year old eyeballs). I use short dropper tags too, usually under 5 inches unless I am dropping a tiny, unweighted dropper. Space them out based on the odds of not hooking the fish with both flies. I usually do 24 inches because I have high hopes....

 

[pcray1231]

Another option is tippet rings.

 

[afishinado]

Jessed wrote:
I’ve been playing around with different ways of adding a second fly to my rig. I’ve looked into threads on tying off the eye vs hook bends, I didn’t find or see anything mention adding a tag end on the leaders with a surgeons knot. I know this is common with euro rigs on the top fly. Anyone have anything on this?

Getting back to the OP question.

All the posts above are a great list of how to tie off the tag end for rigging a dropper.

I would pick one method and rig this way for nymphing.

Tying off the bend or eye to fish multiple flies is not nearly as effective, in my experience, as rigging with a short dropper, at least for nymphing or for a wet fly rig.

Tying off the bend or eye of the dry works okay, but not with submerged flies.

 

[ryansheehan]

Here's a great video from George Daniel that afish posted a while back, very good system. video

 

[Nymph-wristed]

ryansheehan wrote:
Here's a great video from George Daniel that afish posted a while back, very good system. video

That is great advice. I would suggest the OP pick up Dynamic Nymphing, especially if he is a visual learner.

 

[maxima12]

Oh boy! 50 bucks, cash, check, money order for this lesson! Maybe we should all get together and make the Fly Fish Cookbook of Master Knowledge.

I would bet it would sell!

Maxima12

 

[just_jon]

I’ve been using the following method of attaching dropper when fishing multiple nymphs and wet flies.

https://youtu.be/u6A_aD6kHbI

 

[maxima12]

Not new to this style leader. Started my dropper leaders to fish 3 flies, back in 1987! Over the years sold many 1000's. Even had the bright butt design back then. You would be surprised over the country how many state this style their design, improved, better knots, improved blood knots, with power swivel, etc. etc. I know where the design came from, since they needed samples, then went own way with what they call there design!

Many of these shops do no exist today. The ones that do, i remember!
State College would be a great example of Maxima hand tied leaders. I would bet our formulas match!

Simple design, dropper leader to fish 2 or 3 flies. Make it long, make it short add some color. dbl. surgeons, triple surgeons, blood, does it really matter that much. All 3 work! Go for something new not something that has been around, to be truthful, before me.


Many would say, never heard of him but I know better.

 

[wildtrout2]

pcray1231 wrote:
Another option is tippet rings.

Couldn't agree more. I never fish without one. Also saves you $ on leaders.

 

[afishinado]

maxima12 wrote:
Oh boy! 50 bucks, cash, check, money order for this lesson! Maybe we should all get together and make the Fly Fish Cookbook of Master Knowledge.

I would bet it would sell!

Maxima12

When the "great ones" wrote books.....they were masterpieces!

When the "young ones" write books.....they are merely cookbooks stealing ideas from the masters.

George Daniel is one of the most unassuming, humble, nice guy of fly-fishing that is more than willing to share his vast knowledge of fly-fishing for trout. And he goes out of his way, every time, to credit some of the great ones, like JoeH, for giving him ideas and teaching him how to fish.

When someone takes the time to share their knowledge and experience, one should appreciate it. I can't think of a better FFing mentor than George Daniel....a great one in his own right.

 

[bigjohn58]

I fish a 3 nymph rig most of the time. I use a blood knot with the tag end left long, tie the second nymph like a normal fly, and then tie off the bend of that hook 12-18" and a fly with no or little weight. The line I use off the bend of the hook is usually one size lighter just so I can break it off easier. I tie my own flies so I do not care if I get stuck and lose them.

 

[Prospector]

maxima12 wrote:
Oh boy! 50 bucks, cash, check, money order for this lesson! Maybe we should all get together and make the Fly Fish Cookbook of Master Knowledge.

I would bet it would sell!

Maxima12

Maxima,

Assuming you were serious, I actually think you have a great idea. One that will be difficult to pull off, but nonetheless one that would produce a really useful product. Just like what’s being discussed about. Here is a fishing situation and 5 different ways you can choose to attack it, with pros/cons provided.

 

[maxima12]

Cookbook, never more serious in my life. It would work and become a best seller.

I would buy one, my friends would buy one, you would buy one and I would think all would buy one.

Just got back from a farm market and they were selling Pa. Grange Cookbooks, approx. 300 pages for 24.00.

My guess, to make this a more enticing offer a much smaller cookbook, around 75 pages, with tips and tricks, tactics, formulas, patterns from all and do this, maybe yearly or every 2 years. That way all new stuff can be added. Volume 1, 2 , 3 and so on.

I am sure everyone who reads this, wants one now!

Maxima12

Cost: All would be equal shared among contributors, Income: All would be shared equal among contributors. Just a thought.