Nymphing leaders (2 fly leaders)

[FlyMaster99]

I'm gonna do a lot more nymph fishing this year and wanted to get your guys take on this. How do you rig up your double nymph leaders and do you put your heavy fly in the middle or back? I've heard of many ways but wanted to find out which is the best, please post some pictures of your step by step or a video and specify which is your heavy fly and your lighter fly. I appreciate it from everybody who can lend me a hand in this.

 

[mike_richardson]

Heavy fly on the bottom either tied in with a double surgeons, or off of the eye of the regular nymph. Not the most technical approach but works for me. I guess it depends on the air temps, water temps, and how lazy I feel like being for the day.

I like tying off of the eye better though, as it can give you nymph a better presentation instead of being held in a less natural position. WHen tying it off of a tag you get more movement out of it in the water, but some times it can get wrapped up around you other fly line. Not sure on the exact science on how long to make the tag, but I like it so I can get at least 3 or 4 fly changes before tying in new. This extra length may also be why I have issues.

 

[InTheMend]

Double surgeons knot, put the lighter fly on the dropper tag and the heavier on the bottom. IMO far superior to tying off the eye as it allows both flies to naturally roll and tumble in the water.

 

[sipe]

I tie off the eye or bend of the first hook, and I generally tie the anchor fly up top...although I have been reading that this may not be the best method.

I will tell you that George Daniels' Dynamic Nymphing has many leader and rig suggestions. It also has patterns and cast tutorials....
I just got it yesterday so I can't pass on too much from the book so far.

 

[lv2nymph]

sipe wrote:
I will tell you that George Daniels' Dynamic Nymphing has many leader and rig suggestions. It also has patterns and cast tutorials....
I just got it yesterday so I can't pass on too much from the book so far.

This would be money wisely & well spent... Get it now so you have time to read it twice before the weather breaks, cause you'll want to.

 

[blueheron]

This is fly fishing, there is no best way and everyone has an opinion.
there are different methods for different situations and no easy answers. Get out there and tangle up a coupla lines and after a while you'll find that a lot of techniques are just personal preference and most will work at least some of the time.

 

[lv2nymph]

This is very true, different kinds/styles of rigs work better at different times of year/water conditions. A three nymph rig is great for fishing two to three levels in the water column especially with multiple hatches going at once. Heavy fly in the middle, the insect actively hatching on top(emerging pattern), and a point fly of the insect just starting to get active. When your rig set up isn't working switch it up until you start getting takes, ie: moving position of flies, adjusting weight, changing patterns,length of dropper to fly, point fly length. Some people don't like to keep adjusting their rig cause its a pita but the more you do it the faster/more productive you'll get at it which will reward you with more takes/fish to hand. Eventually changing up your rig will become second nature and you'll not even give it a second thought.

 

[shakey]

i almost always use three flies.i space them about evenly,and find i get less tangles that way