Swing two flies or one?

[PTS]

In past years, I have been content to swing just one fly. Since my "small" river (EFL) seems to be a total bust again this year, I am primarily swinging a sink tip on the Sandy and Clackamas. They are both big water so I have started to swing two flies thinking that may be a better attractor. I use a large fly on the bottom (metal detector, intruder, bunny leech, etc.) and a smaller fly about 18-20 inches in front (egg pattern, krill pattern, etc). So far I am not catching anything on the Sandy or Clack, and I haven't seen anyone else catch a fish there either although I know a few have been caught.

My question: Do many of you swing two flies, and do you think it makes a positive difference?

[Steelie Mike]

I swing two flies quite a bit, especially when I am fishing hariwings. I often swing caballero eggs above a MOAL in the winter. Usually the fish take the trailer, however the largest fish I have caught on the swing took the lead fly. Swinging a dry and a dropper fly can also be productive in the summer.

[Two Fister]

I like to swing a dry fly like a bomber or an october caddis with a light wire version of a green butt skunk or a signal stop behind it when the fish are active and the water isn't super cold.

This time of year I like to swing one big purple/orange/red monster. With larger swung flies I find that I spend too much time untangling knots if there are two of them swinging around back there in turbulant water.

I don't think I've nymphed without two flies in 20 years. With one significantly larger/heavier fly on the dropper and a much smaller/lighter fly on the point I don't find tangles to be much of an issue.
TF

[Wiggley1]

In the winter, I use 2 nymphs until I figure out what's working, then go to one. Summer, I try a dry/nymph until I find whats working and switch back to one.

I like one because I get less snags on the side of the fish from the dropper and less mess in the net.

[Djflyfish]

In the winter, I use 2 nymphs until I figure out what's working, then go to one. Summer, I try a dry/nymph until I find whats working and switch back to one.

I like one because I get less snags on the side of the fish from the dropper and less mess in the net.


I know in the winter time as well, I swing a big dark fly and trail it with a egg pattern or a nymph as well.

[TallFlyGuy]

I've read and talked with a few guides who sit on high banks watching steelhead come to the flys of their clients. All of them will tell you pretty much the same...That there are lots and lots of follows and refusals. Meaning a steelhead may follow a fly a long ways, but in the end it turns away and doesn't "grab" the fly.

Ok, with that in mind, if I were to fish a big fly then 1ft-3ft behind that I had a small fly (like an egg pattern or size 12 prince etc) I would hook more fish.... Why? Because that small fly basically acts like a very long trailer hook for thos fish following your bigger fly. Granted, sometimes the fish may refuse the big fly and take the smaller one, but it is my opinion that the fish just hooks himself following your bigger fly.

The solution would be to put the smaller fly on first, then put the bigger fly on last (so the bigger fly is at the end of your line). Then there would be no confusion as to what the fish really wants. It also casts better.

Peace.

[Slow and Low]

In past years, I have been content to swing just one fly. Since my "small" river (EFL) seems to be a total bust again this year, I am primarily swinging a sink tip on the Sandy and Clackamas. They are both big water so I have started to swing two flies thinking that may be a better attractor. I use a large fly on the bottom (metal detector, intruder, bunny leech, etc.) and a smaller fly about 18-20 inches in front (egg pattern, krill pattern, etc). So far I am not catching anything on the Sandy or Clack, and I haven't seen anyone else catch a fish there either although I know a few have been caught.

My question: Do many of you swing two flies, and do you think it makes a positive difference?

Hi Phil,

I swing the small stuff behind the big stuff, not in front. It works well and in fact whwn I do it I tend to catch more fish on the glo bug. The smaller the better. I use this primarily as a slow deep and cold presentation. This is extremely effetive on John Day fish.

I almost always swing tandem bugs on a dry line. One fly at about 12' the other around 15'.

[SteelheadNympher]

I've always tight lined a single fly and doubled up for nymphing. So those that are trailing a small pattern on the swing, say behind a leech, how do you go about tying up?

[stoneflyguy]

One of my most producing combo's would be a stonefly nymph trailed by a glue egg or estaz egg. This works well for me on some of the smaller rivers like the SF of the Toutle or Kalama river. I catch fish year round with this combo.

Jeff

[Slow and Low]

I've always tight lined a single fly and doubled up for nymphing. So those that are trailing a small pattern on the swing, say behind a leech, how do you go about tying up?

tie some mon on the shank of the ront hook and tie your droper to that.

[TallFlyGuy]

tie some mon on the shank of the ront hook and tie your droper to that.

Whoa.... quit sniffing head cement!:D:D