Opinions about multi fly set ups

[Poopdeck 0]

KISS. I have less problems tying them in line. I tie a double slip knot and slip it over the hook bend of the point fly. Cut the tag end short but leaving enough that you can grab it with forceps. Pull on the ,aim line to snug up the knot, pull on tag end to loosen and remove from the hook bend if you want to change out the point fly.

 

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=haTRzPgb0ak

[NohackleHS 0]

Dfoster,

Like you, I used to use the tag end of a blood knot for my dropper fly. I fish Pyramid lake in Nevada where the fish are BIG. I discovered that instead of a blood knot, using the tag end of a double unit knot gave me a much stronger dropper knot. I did some testing at my tying desk at home and the tag end of a double unit knot was about 2 lbs stronger than using the tag end of a blood knot. My tests were done with 2X and 3X flourocarbon tippet.

 

Regarding switching flies a lot, I pre-tie the fly combo's I intend to use to a shortened version of a tippet (cut 12 inches above the double uni knot). I carefully coil the fly/tippet combo and place it in a sandwich bag. I do this for every fly combo I intend to use. Then when I want to switch flies, I just cut off the old flies and tie on the new fly/tippet combo; this requires tying only one knot. I know that pre-tying flies/tippets might be considered by many as overkill. However, most often I only get to fish for a couple of hours so anything I can do to shorten the time it takes to switch flies gives me more fishing time.

[vicente 0]

I have mostly just used 1 shown in fly tyers picture, it seemed like the fish were having a hard time getting the hook in there mouth with the hopper, I plan to tie some stimulators with a loop like number 3 for next season.

[DFoster 0]

Check Kelly Gallops video on drop shotting. He uses a perfection loop above the blood knot for his upper fly. Running end through the loop like in a loop to loop connection. Then tie on the upper. The upper fly can be swapped out without impacting the lower fly, and the upper fly can be slid further upwards, if desired.

 

Thank you Noahguide, I just had the "why didn't I think of that" moment". Genius system! this is exactly what I've been looking for. I tie my own leaders for sub surface so I have a blood knot about every foot which will keep the perfection loop dropper(s) from sliding.

 

Thank you all for the replies-

[mikemac1 0]

Although this technique is used for a very specific setup and circumstance on the Madison and Firehole in YNP, it certainly might prove useful in other situations. The most common and effective presentation on these streams is a bugger (streamer) - soft hackle setup that is swung on the surface in weed choked meadow conditions. In June and then again in late September/October when these streams are in their prime, the weather is cold, many times below freezing and invariably a bit windy. Tying on dropper tippets in these conditions is tough on old eyes and cold hands. Additionally, using a clinch knot to tie a dropper on a barbless hook (required) is problematic because it can slip off the hook bend easily.

 

Solution: Pre tie your tippets to your fly at the vise:

Just thread a length of tippet through the hook eye and secure both ends with your initial thread wraps. Trim off one end at the hook bend.

 

You can also pre-tie your trailer flies and store on a typical dropper/trailer fly patch.

[Sandan 0]

Although this technique is used for a very specific setup and circumstance on the Madison and Firehole in YNP, it certainly might prove useful in other situations. The most common and effective presentation on these streams is a bugger (streamer) - soft hackle setup that is swung on the surface in weed choked meadow conditions. In June and then again in late September/October when these streams are in their prime, the weather is cold, many times below freezing and invariably a bit windy. Tying on dropper tippets in these conditions is tough on old eyes and cold hands. Additionally, using a clinch knot to tie a dropper on a barbless hook (required) is problematic because it can slip off the hook bend easily.

 

 

mikemac, I'm headed to Henry's Fork, Madison, Firehole, etc. Sept 21-28. I'm always looking for some effective flies to tie for that trip, got some ideas? Pre-tied rigs are somethnig I carry also, the rig(s) dependent on where I'm going to fish, etc. I was at a TU meeting last night and the presenter made an interesting point which goes directly to your "clinch knot on at sounded like a good idea.

[mikemac1 0]

If you have been to the Firehole/Madison in the Fall before, you know they hold a lot of weeds in the meadow sections--Biscuit Basin, Muleshoe bend, Goose Lake Meadows, Fountain Flats, National Park Meadows, etc. It is impossible to fish these areas effectively with traditional nymphs. Black, Olive or Brown lightly weighted (lead-free wire on hook shank) #10 buggers with a soft-hackle trailer have always been effective for me. The best performing soft hackles have be in the #12-16 size with either pheasant tail fiber bodies or olive turkey quill fiber bodies. The best fish will always be near or under deep undercut banks.

 

If you have not seen this fly, give it a try: Firehole Demon. It also produces well.

 

In the deeper, weed free sections of the Firehole and Madison--small Biscuit Basin Channel, above and below 1st Iron Bridge at Fountain Flats, the exit from Fountain Flats at Nez Perce picnic area, and the two deep runs just before Firehole Falls, a sink-tip and large streamer can be effective. My favorite streamer in these sections is a #4 Pine Squirrel Woolly Bugger which I fish on 150 grain sink-tip and 5 weight.

 

This 19" Brown fell to a Pine Squirrel bugger in Biscuit Basin.

 

[Sandan 0]

If you have been to the Firehole/Madison in the Fall before, you know they hold a lot of weeds in the meadow sections--Biscuit Basin, Muleshoe bend, Goose Lake Meadows, Fountain Flats, National Park Meadows, etc. It is impossible to fish these areas effectively with traditional nymphs. Black, Olive or Brown lightly weighted (lead-free wire on hook shank) #10 buggers with a soft-hackle trailer have always been effective for me. The best performing soft hackles have be in the #12-16 size with either pheasant tail fiber bodies or olive turkey quill fiber bodies. The best fish will always be near or under deep undercut banks.

 

If you have not seen this fly, give it a try: Firehole Demon. It also produces well.

 

In the deeper, weed free sections of the Firehole and Madison--small Biscuit Basin Channel, above and below 1st Iron Bridge at Fountain Flats, the exit from Fountain Flats at Nez Perce picnic area, and the two deep runs just before Firehole Falls, a sink-tip and large streamer can be effective. My favorite streamer in these sections is a #4 Pine Squirrel Woolly Bugger which I fish on 150 grain sink-tip and 5 weight.

 

This 19" Brown fell to a Pine Squirrel bugger in Biscuit Basin.

My Best Firehole Brown (2).jpg

 

Thank you sir

[fshng2 0]

Check Kelly Gallops video on drop shotting. He uses a perfection loop above the blood knot for his upper fly. Running end through the loop like in a loop to loop connection. Then tie on the upper. The upper fly can be swapped out without impacting the lower fly, and the upper fly can be slid further upwards, if desired.

This has got to be in the top 10 best tips ever!

Thanks Noahguide.

[Noahguide 0]

DFoster and Fshng2,

A fellow guide in MD turned me on to the video. It is simple, brilliant, and works. If I ever see Kelly, I'll pass your comments along, mine too.

Side note- tying the perfection loops in advance and having them on a small d-ring on your vest/lanyard speeds up the change out and makes for better loops than tying stream side

[DFoster 0]

DFoster and Fshng2,

A fellow guide in MD turned me on to the video. It is simple, brilliant, and works. If I ever see Kelly, I'll pass your comments along, mine too.

Side note- tying the perfection loops in advance and having them on a small d-ring on your vest/lanyard speeds up the change out and makes for better loops than tying stream side

 

As an engineer I had to prove the concept so I hit the river behind my house after work. I tied a #12 Irish Mayfly on the perfection loop (upper fly) and a #16 weighted American Pheasant tail as the dropper. No indicator, the Irish mayfly was fishing just slightly down in the surface film. I hooked 2 browns, both on the Irish Mayfly, lost one and landed the one in the picture below.

 

After also catching a blue gill and 2 fall fish I noticed the fly was getting pretty beat up, changing it out was easy and fast. It only took as long as it takes to tie a perfection loop and a Davy knot. 2 minutes and I'm fishing again. Thanks so much for sharing the tip!

[tjm 0]

Back in the'80s I went through a phase of fishing multiple flies and flytire's #4 or the loop standoff as I suppose is in the video worked the best for me.( all I could see was him waving a bobber around and talking) A loop can be used by folding it around the leader and passing it through itself or by making a fold in the leader and simulating a loop to loop connection.

I liked the droppers to be 3-6" long and relatively stiff to help prevent tangles and used as many as 5 flies at once, all in accordance with some literature or other. I caught fish, but never doubled. Used all wets and the dry-wet combo. After a year or two I sorta just stopped doing more than one fly at a time, and believe I catch more fish by using just one fly, I waste less time rigging up and less time when a change is made, so that is more time fishing. But ease of casting one fly as opposed to two or more and most importantly the accuracy of delivery, plus better control win. I haven't used multiple flies 10 times in the last 15 years.

I think the best use of multiples might be trolling a "school" of streamers.

[Flicted 0]

The purpose of multi-fly rigs is to fish in different parts of the water column. Not to get multiple fish on one rig. That would likely end badly anyway, you wouldn't have two for very long. I much prefer one fly at a time and only resort to two if I'm having trouble thinking like a fish.

[spiralspey 0]

I've been using the loop to loop dropper setups like Kelly Galloup shows in that video for a number of years and it works very well. My droppers are only an inch or two long so I can pre-tie several at home, put some in small zip locs, and I'm good to go and never have to tie a knot on the water. Sometimes I use shot at the bottom, sometimes a tool fly as weight.

[DFoster 0]

 

But ease of casting one fly as opposed to two or more and most importantly the accuracy of delivery, plus better control win.

 

 

I can't argue with you on that- I always favor ease of casting for that reason I generally don't fish with an indicator other than really fast water.