wets on droppers

[DUBBN]

Casting is my weak point in fishing. Even more so than tieing flies. There are very few people that I fish with, that can not out cast me. I am talking distance, and accuracy. That being said, I cast a three fly rig, with lots of split shot, and sometimes a bead head or two. I use an indicator (strike/bite/ depth) probably 75% of the time. My first fly tied on to my rig can range from a size 4, 4X long Woolly Bugger/Stone Nymph or it may be a size 20 Emerger. The flies tied (dropped) from that first fly usually go down in size from the fly they are being dropped off from.

So, in a freestone river, with high or murky water a giant Stone nymph might be the pattern of choice. Off from that pattern, the droppers will be smaller. Size 10 maybe, all the way down to perhaps a size 20 as the last fly tied on.

For gin clear Tailwaters, normally I will not go larger than a size 16 as the first fly tied on. After that the patterns can range from 16 to 24's.

Making sure I am using the correct size tippet to each fly is the easiest way for me to avoid tangles. I just don't have tangle issues when I fish. I posted a picture weeks ago of my set up. It just kind of layed there as posts go.

Making sure I use the right size tippet, to me, is the key. I learned years ago a silly formula for deciding what size tippet to use. Most will find it corny, but it works for me.

The size of a fly, divided by three will give you the size tippet to use.
Example: A size 4 fly divided by 3 will give you an answer of 1.333. So, a size 1X tippet is what I will use.

A size 12 fly divided by 3 will tell me that a size 4X tippet is appropriate.

These are just my personnel observations. I really can not prove their worth.

[Mataura mayfly]

Dubbn, interesting theory on the tippet selection. I will agree to a point, it is always better in my opinion to lessen the size as you head down the system to the terminal end, but I will never drop much below a #4-5X tippet here. My reasoning behind the decision is not just to do with the chance I may hook into trout of 5lb and up, but also because I believe in trying to land fish as soon as possible to minimise the stress levels and exhaustion of the fish before release. I find I cannot pressure trout on fine tippets and expect to land them and I do not like to play trout until they flop on their sides on the surface so they can be winched in. Now I am not saying large trout cannot be landed on light tippet, I have seen it done many a time- but by guys that are better fishers than I and can play fish well, yet not to exhaustion and near death- they just have a much better understanding of how to play fish properly.
I too, often use an indicator, especially at distance where it is hard to see the point of the leaders entry to the water, or indeed sometimes (in certain light conditions and dependant on the colour of line being used) the end of my fly line! Having a lot of line out and or long leaders/tippets can cause you to "loose touch" with your flies and not feel the very slight touch of a large trout take, in these conditions an indicator is priceless.

You and I need to fish together sometime, I bet I can cast way worse than you! I have all the best bad habits of a self taught caster (and tier) but still manage to fool the odd silly trout now and then.

[DUBBN]

I must have the ultimate in wimpy trout where I live. In most situations, I can get 5 to 10 lb fish landed in 2 minutes with 5x tippet. I carry 6x tippet, but rarely use it. Even with the 6x I do not have to play a trout to exhaustion to get it landed.

The silly formula I layed out is a guideline, not a rule. Even when fishing a size 24, I normally use 5x. Still, I dont have the troubles with tangles that seem to plague the sport.

[hankaye]

DUBBN, Howdy;

The silly formula I layed out is a guideline, not a rule. Even when fishing a size 24, I normally use 5x. Still, I dont have the troubles with tangles that seem to plague the sport.

Must be that Mormon upbringing , .

hank

[DUBBN]

Must be that Mormon upbringing , .

hank

I'll drink to that!

[redietz]

Making sure I use the right size tippet, to me, is the key. I learned years ago a silly formula for deciding what size tippet to use. Most will find it corny, but it works for me.

The size of a fly, divided by three will give you the size tippet to use.
Example: A size 4 fly divided by 3 will give you an answer of 1.333. So, a size 1X tippet is what I will use.

A size 12 fly divided by 3 will tell me that a size 4X tippet is appropriate.

That formula's not silly at all. I use it frequently, noting that you're rounding down when the division doesn't come out even.

I also use a slightly different formula when I think that conditions warrant a slightly stouter tippet: divide by 4 but round up. Your size 4 fly still gets 1x, but the size 12 gets 3x. Size 14 gets 4x, etc. I might use this formula when I'm casting a bulky dry fly that has the possibility of being a leader twister, for example, or if I'm fishing in weedy water, or for larger fish.

Both formulas put you in the ballpark.

[letumgo]

Very useful tips, guys. Thank you for sharing.

[William Anderson]

This is interesting, and I'll add it to my limited memory bank, but...a #14 isn't always a #14. To confuse the obvious. From brand to brand or dry to wet, or wet 2xl to heavy short shank. I still like it as an idea, but I've found myself tying many of my standard spiders and flymphs on light wire dry hooks this spring. Daiichi 1530's drop well and look fantastic to me, but they are heavier, even though shorter than the 1550 in the same size, and sometimes you want your spider to just struggle without actually dropping through the surface.

Not to siderail a great discussion, just articulated confusion on my part. Rambling mostly.

Sorry.

[Roadkill]

I fish a 2 fly cast (2 dries, dry/dropper, or 2 wets) about 90% of the time with 1 or 3 flies about 5% each. It is how I usually test new flies against my old standards. My best Gordian knot came from fishing 4 flies in Idaho where they allow a 5 fly cast. Double hookups are not unusual especially during a hatch. Getting slammed by two trout 16-18" may not be easy to land but it is entertainment that can bring a smile to your face if not a great laugh. Fishing barbless, it is easy to give them slack and just land the one that didn't get away. I first fished a multi cast rig as a kid over 50 years ago when I read about the Poachers retrieve in Tappley's tips in Field and Stream.

A great book on the subject is Fishing Tandem Flies by Charles Meck.

[zen leecher]

I don't know if I mentioned it above but I had two trout on in the 2 1/2 - 3 lb class and it was like pulling in a burlap bag. No fight on my end as the fish were fighting each other. I'd watch one try to jump and the other would snub him/her down. Later that day I learned how to get a #4 hook out of a finger. Had one trout on and it decided it wanted me on the other fly.