Ok boys I need some help here. I use the 3 flies method of fishing for yellows.
I attach my flyline to leader with a ready made braided loop.
From the braided loop, I use a loop-to-loop connection to my leader.
Now here is my question – I always used to attach my flies using the method (hook-bend dropper) whereby you tie the tippet going into eye of your first fly followed by the next whereby you tie your tippet to the rounding or gape of the dropper fly and then again to the eye of your point fly.
Does this influence the mobility of my trio of flies in the water as my top fly and dropper both are tied at the top and in the bend? Is there a better way of tying the top fly – e.g. use a double surgeon knot and leave a long tag-end for the first fly? … and do the same with the second fly?
And if you use this technique – how long do you make the section of tippet (tag end) of your top fly and dropper? Meaning how far away are these two flies from the knot (surgeon knot) main line? 3cm? 5cm?
For the best setup that you are describing, I recommend the following setup:
if you are casting a little longer distance, use only two flies.
From your leader, put a 40cm piece of 3X tippet on it, and tie on your heavier dropper fly to the end. This will be your last fly on the rig, and also the fly to get your rig down to the strike zone.
Then, take a 30cm piece of 4X tippet, and make a small loop in the one end. Cut the tag end. Loop this end onto your leader, just above the knot formed by your leader and 3X tippet.
Don't pull it completely tight...you want it to "swivel" around your leader line. The first fish you catch will pull this tight anyway!
Then, with the 4X attached to the line (it cannot move down now, the knot will stop it from sliding down to your dropper/bigger/weighted fly) attach your point fly (normally a smaller nymph like PTN, smaller caddis fly, etc) about 15cm from the loop. You want this section short, to minimise tangling and to have better contact with the fly.
With this kind of setup, your weigthed fly is the last fly, so you know your leader is drifting "straight", and the point fly is a little up in the water column, exactly where you want it. You have good contact with the point fly too.
(With the original heavy fly first, and point fly behind it, the lighter point fly moves past the heavier dropper, and you lose a lot of contact with the point fly).
You can go three flies, you just need an extra knot...and an extra loop-connection for an additional point fly (or dropper...that's another debate). Call it whatever you want to.
With this setup...your flies drift more naturally, and you have more contact on the flies.
You could also use a product by "Niche" called "mini tippet rings". They are tiny little nickel silver rings which you can use to attach leaders and tippets to. I haven't seen them in this country, I get mine from the States.
Hope this all makes sense...it's easier to demonstrate!
Advice needed for fly set-up
Reply With Quote
Bookmarks