Still Water Tandem flies

[TubeFisherman]

In reading some of the post today I was just curious what people think is more effective, using just a single fly or tandem? I am mainly interesting in those that fish still water.
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[nymph_pimp]

i almost always fish still water with one fly. I think its easier to handle and you can concentrate making that fly behave in the matter that it should. Fishing the gulpers up on hebgan or leeches or midges on henrys one fly on the line is usually all I need
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[flygoddess]

I have used Tandem. Had good luck on them last year at Strawberry. The Sex Dungeon in particular, but also do great with a single hook fly.

I will usually fish two flies and have caught two fish on many occasions.
But I do a "V" connection.
I will take about 6' of Fluorocarbon, fold it so one side is 4' and other 2'. I then tie a loop and attach it to the line with the Loop to Loop.
I will put a bigger fly on the longer and a smaller fly on the shorter, specially f the bigger is a bait fish imitation. Looks like it is chasing, and both flies can float freely.
I also attach the fly to the tippet/leader with a Surgeon's Loop. It gives movement, plus you can use heavier tippet with out sacrifice.

Henry's is a different lake. Unless I target Brookies, I fish smaller bugs, but still use the V. Leeches and nymphs or Chironomids. The Big Cutts are not cannibals, just bug eaters.
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[Everet14]

I almost always fish two flies when fishing stillwater. I just attach the second fly to the first with a clinch not on the bend of the hook. I have tried it different ways but have noticed no difference. I only fish Henrys really, a couple other trips here and there, but mostly the H. I always start with a CB and scud combo. Later in the day, if its mid summer and the fish are finicky, I will switch up the CB and fish two scuds. That combos seems to work pretty good for me.
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[nymph_pimp]

hey fly goddess is there a somewhere i can see diagram of knots. I usually tie one fly to the bend in one hook, or using a surgeons loop to tie on tippet I leave the tippet tail long (maybe 4") at connection and tie another fly to that. This is also how i fish metel heads but for some reason it just doesnt seem to work well on still water so i would like to try a new rig and see maybe if it changes my mind.
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[flygoddess]

Sure, I don't use tapered leaders on sinking lines. Tapered leaders are more for presentation and I don't think that matters with a sinking line:



Most times I use Gamakatsu Dropper Beads. These are really cool, because then can slide up and down. Put one of those Frog Hair rubber stops and you have a totally adjustable dropper.
The picture might be a little confusing as the knot tag is still there. You would cut it off.


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[flygoddess]

I recently saw a video on Davy Wotton and found out we think alike..LOL
Anyway, here is a Video I found that might help. I have fished this way for many years

http://flyfishingreporter.com/video-how-...hing-setup
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[Baiter]

Great informational thread. Thanks to everyone who shared info!!
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[nymph_pimp]

hey thats pretty cool tks for the picture. and vid. I cant wait to try this out this summer. Does there ever seem to be any probs if you use to diffrent size flys such as a size 2 then like a 14
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[flygoddess]

I am assuming you mean me....and no, it doesn't. Even if they don't want one of the flies, I think it is an attractor. I have fished a double rig before and had a bunch on just one of the flies, so I took the other off...then nothing. Put it back on and there they were.
I don't know why. Attractor. right zone with both flies, right movement...I just don't know.
But I have used a #4 streamer and a #16 nymph.
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[fishguru73]

I usually start with two flies a few inches apart if I'm not absolutely certain what the trout are looking for when using nymphs. I like to use a proven bead head like a size 18 pheasant tail and tie a small midge pattern behind it. One way or the other, I match the hatch most of the time.
Of course, there are exceptions and that's why people with years of experience in a location are golden. Anyhow, theoretically, the larger fly draws attention from a distance and if they are taking smaller things, the trailing fly, whether a Zebra, WD-40, or Disco Midge, gets the take. If the larger fly, which can simulate a number of different things, is getting more attention, I go to a single fly because one more fly getting stuck in a trout as it twists and turns is additional and unneeded stress on the fish.
Dry flies get singularity on the tippet because they lay out very naturally that way, but also because it is very easy to tell the size, shape, and color, even if I'm not familiar with the hatch in a particular location. It isn't rocket science when I can see them on the surface and flying all around.
What has to go right after choosing the proper dry fly is getting a perfect layout 2 feet or so off the nose of the target and a sweet drift right down the feeding lane in the river, or a perfect twitch and pause in still water.
If the fish are obviously taking emergers in view and rarely surfacing, I just work the nymphs at a shallow depth and they don't know the difference if it's the right size, color, and presentation.... unless they get a hooked and released eduction in places like the Provo. There is a lot to know about bugs and I keep it simple with these rules because I am not a biology major. Then you have streamers... blah blah blah. Then terrestrials... blah blah blah. There's another four paragraphs to cover and that's a lot of hunting and pecking for a keyboard challenged Okie.
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