Ultimate All-Around, All-Season Money Rig 👌

[FlyAndStream]

It seems we're always jacking someone's well-meaning thread around here (✋ guilty as hell), and rambling on about euro, dry-dropper, bobbers, traditional methods, etc.

We seem to always come up against the same highly subjective and ultimately relative underlining questions:

1. What is the most productive all-around setup, for any season or situation?
2. I don't want to carry two rods, so what do I do?
3. Euro isn't working out for me after 'X' amount of tries, now what?
4. What the heck is euro anyways, with so many opinions?
5. I like dry flies and bobber fishing, can't I do that?

So, here it is – a post to hijack, a post to rant, a post to be opinionated, a post to ask questions; I only ask that each of us realize that we're all learning, we're all doing R&D each time we're on the water.

Ultimately we please ourselves in the matter of fly fishing. So catch fish on your terms bro, and no one else's – I mean, I more than anyone gets that – trust me.

However you like to catch fish, go smoke em (or work on casting), whatever it is you like to do. You do you, honey boo-boo. Or as my 20-year old (totally hip college) daughter tells me, "go you, Dad." Thanks, girl 😎

But for those who sincerely ask questions similar to those above, and are genuinely interested in putting in work to see for yourself, I offer the following from the past 3 years of trying these methods out in alternating variations, across many water types, seasons, and watersheds.

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1. What is the most productive all-around setup, for any season or situation?

European nymphing methods, and modified versions thereof – period. 😆

I mean, this probably sounds opinionated as hell, but it's mostly not – hear me out, tho.

Whether it's a pegged egg for fresh chromers (Steelhead), swinging skaters (dries on the swing) for wild fish out West, fishing emergers and soft hackles to picky fish in OR/WA/ID/WY/CO/UT, or getting in the feeding lane to holding trout in southern tailwaters, this is the most robust fishing method I have ever come across!

It's not all roses, though, granted there are a few instances where a euro rig does lack, but these are few and far between and are usually easily corrected (within 10 seconds) with modified methods, and there are no rules.

Here are some examples:

1.a) "What about soft hackles and emergers?"

Some say, "euro rigs struggle when fishing emergers and soft hackles": to that I would say, you're right, but I can just as easily throw on an Airlock strike-indicator (same as you) onto my euro rig above the tippet ring (see rig below), cast just as far, and probably manage the drift even better than a WF floating line would.

Note: this also works well for fishing places like the Bluffs where you have deep flat pools and need strike detection, simply throw a bobber onto your euro rig ("euro-bob"). Go a little further down to the Rock Pile and simply take it off (10 seconds).

Nevermind that I can, within a few seconds, grease my sighter and fish emergers and dries better than with a WF floating line if I so choose (hello Loon Payette Paste, ftw?), and avoid an indicator all together if desired. Then it's just a matter of picking the sighter up off the water or laying it down, as easy as raising the rod tip or not.

Lots of great options here.

1.b) "What about dry fly fishing?"

To be perfectly honest, I haven't met a dry fly-eater that would eat a WF 5wt line presented dry fly more eagerly, than it would eat a euro rig presented dry just the same. Furthermore, there is less surface disturbance, drag, and mending fishing a dry with a mono/euro rig too.

OK, some might belabor this point.

I might similarity agree in all honesty, and in very rare hatches, take off my euro leader (10 seconds) all together to fish an epic dry fly hatch, using my Cortland Competition level-taper line to fish dries within 40' of me... and yes, I could throw a dropper on that rig too if I wanted.

When the surface bite is over, you can easily spool your mono rig back on with one knot in only a few seconds.

If you need to go beyond 40 feet, well then that is a fish I personally could care less about catching, and you probably wont either.

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2. I don't want to carry two rods, so what do I do?

Personally, I have found this is the best overall setup for carrying a single rod, year-round, that is situationally agnostic.

Carry a euro rod with a competition euro line on the reel, and a modern euro/mono rig formula thereafter, and you have the most versatile fly fishing rig ever – no need to carry a second rod, leave that other crap in the car.

From this platform I can effectively fish: nymphs, dries, emergers, streamers, etc. Better than any other method, hands down.

If you are unsure, or questionable, please come and fish with me so we can discuss – I may need to learn a thing or two from you.

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3. Euro isn't working out for me after 'X' amount of tries, now what?

European nymphing methods can be hard won, I'll be the first to tell you that. I have seen more fly fisherman tap-out after only a few heart-felt tries, and that's ashamed really.

It may take you at least 10+ all-day visits to your river to get familiar with european nymphing methods, and that's OK, you should be ready for that – along with purchasing a decent quality dedicated euro stick, 10'-11', 2-3wt rod.

Keep trying, learning, practicing, perfecting the subtle take of a fish eating a well presented fly and you will become an all-around better fly angler.

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4. What the heck is euro anyways, with so many opinions?

Excellent question, Aaron.

Euro nymphing, in general, is simply the idea of keeping the tightest connection to your flies as possible while keeping your line off the water in order to create the least amount of surface drag for your sub-surface flies. You don't want to be tethered to the surface unless you have to.

Therefore, having the least amount of line upon and in the water, as well as not being tethered to the surface (bobber/dry dropper/floating line), creates the least amount of surface drag and allows your flies (usually tungsten) to drift at the speed of the feeding water column, mostly on bottom.



This is why euro nymphing methods are so effective, because this is where 90% of the fish are feeding (on bottom). This is why, I feel that no matter the season, condition, or water type, this will be the most effective method hands down.

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5. I like dry flies and bobber fishing, can't I just do that?

Sure you can, and if that makes you happy on a visit to your local water, by all means – do it!

There are times when I leave the euro setup in the car, forcing myself to fish the traditional 9' 5wt floating line setup just to 'knock the dust off' or to 'stay fresh', or just because I still like to cast line.

Rarely on the LMF, though, it is it ever to take advantage of an epic hatch – but infrequently it can happen. When it does, though 🔥

Seriously though, I can fish said hatch just as well with a dedicate euro/mono setup, in all honesty tho.

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Conclusion

The simple truth is, that whether you're dry fly fishing, bobber fishing, or dry-dropper fishing as a primary method, you will always be more inhibited in some way than if you're fishing an effective euro/mono rig and making situational changes as your circumstances dictate. At least that is my perspective anyways.

OK, here's the whole farm – if you're interested and willing to spend the time to master it.

View Fly & Stream's – All Season, Any Situation – Money Euro Rig

I will be happy to show any of you how to fish this method, just let me know.

Notes about the rig:

• This is just one variation, but it covers everything mentioned above
• A tippet ring to dry is optional and situational in which I may only fish two small unweighted nymphs underneath.
• Otherwise, this is a euro/mono method, two emergers or soft hackles
• Or, rather to a few weighted nymphs, or streamers
• Or vice-versa, feel free to mix and match, it can do it all effectively

Let me know your thoughts, especially as you try things out!

Tight lines!

[darrelln09]

That's a very fine and informative post, FlyAndStream ! Here are my thoughts:

1. That photo with the stick and ribbons is very telling! I'm surprised the flow is actually reversed at the bottom but I suspect that has everything to do with it being just downstream of a rapid increase in depth. From my experience, the drop into a pool like that is where I get the most bites (on a euro rig, of course). In plain terms: trout sit there, waiting for food.
2. I use a very similar rig as you do (due to your influence, of course). One thing I do add is another tippet ring above my indicator tippet section. Thus, I carry several made-up sighters with tippet rings at each end in my leader wallet and then a spool of mono. That way I can whip together a euro rig for someone with one quick Perfection Loop and one Uni knot at the ends of a lengthy section of mono.
3. Yes, I have had much better results with Uni knots, over clinch knots, at each side of my tippet rings.
4. I'm currently using Rio Gold 3WF fly line above my euro leader. I don't see any troublesome sag with that line. With a 12 to 15-foot length of mono in my leader, that usually puts the end of the fly line right at my reel when my flies are straight out from me. With my cast and a length of 4 to 8 feet of fly line shooting out, I strip it in and then pay it back out to keep things tight during the drift. That way I have fly line instead of mono in my stripping hand most of the time.
5. I have never tied a dry fly onto my (lower) tippet ring like that. I will definitely give it a try!
6. That's a really cool editor thingy for mapping out rigs!

[turfdawg]

Two snaps and a twirl

[dainw]

I think that how Aaron is rigging gets lumped in as “European nymphing” because it draws on concepts from competition techniques and people get the impression that fishing like that is very rigid and requires you to adhere to a certain set of principles and rules etc. The beauty of fishing for fun is that you can adapt and do things that would otherwise be illegal in a competition. This guy has a pretty good blog/website dedicated to this style of rigging. Really it’s an all mono rig and it’s very versatile.

troutbitten.com/the-mono-rig/

[glitchmo]

When I was in New Mexico I was more or less exclusively fishing dries. But I also remember looking at a lot of water that I couldn't fish effectively with the dry and thinking, "Man, a euro rig would crush in this hole/pocket/seam." Then I walked on to the next hole.

But, the times and places I fish trout are all times and places where dry flies are either very effective on their own, or even the best option. If I lived closer to trout water and fished at less optimal times or less dry fly conducive water I would be more willing to make the time investment to learn euro rigging/fishing. It's just hard for me to convince myself to spend one of my maybe five days a year on a trout stream being frustrated with rigging.

I would definitely be interested in spending a day sometime with someone shortening the learning curve, though. Some day. Not this year, of course. :/

[breeden3]

Excellent post! A couple of questions:

If fishing emergers beneath a bobber, even on a Euro-based rig, is it still considered Euro-Nymphing? I would consider that just modified suspension nymphing. Also, when you grease your sighter and have your emergers suspended in that way, are you feeling the strike or relying on movement from the sighter at that point? I would argue the sighter is another type of indicator, so again to me that would meet the definition of suspension nymphing.

Another question when presenting dry flies. Do you feel comfortable targeting a big fish at 25-40ft that is rising while limiting the amount of false cast needed to lay an accurate presentation to said fish without spooking him? I also fish a lot of under cut banks where the browns are not necissarily visible. Do you find you are able to land the hopper aggressively enough to get a lateral line take from the fish? I typically like to land the hoppers very aggressively on the water to provoke the strike. I find the WF line allows me to load the line more aggressively and slam that hopper into the water along the bank, without having to get to close.

So when talking Euro-nymphing, what is it that truly makes it European style? Is it the equipment? The flies? The presentation? At what point is it suspension nymphing with an 11ft rod? I think Dain hit the nail on the head by saying you are an expert fisherman who incorporates a wide array of techniques to your Euro-specialized gear. Not necessarily a "Euro-Nympher".

These are all genuine questions. I really enjoyed reading your post, and am excited to read everybody's responses to it. I myself incorporate a lot of Euro-based technique and theory to my guiding. Just without the Euro-equipment most of the time.

Tight Lines!

[turfdawg]

Aug 12, 2020 14:57:05 GMT -6 breeden3 said:

Excellent post! A couple of questions:

If fishing emergers beneath a bobber, even on a Euro-based rig, is it still considered Euro-Nymphing? I would consider that just modified suspension nymphing. Also, when you grease your sighter and have your emergers suspended in that way, are you feeling the strike or relying on movement from the sighter at that point? I would argue the sighter is another type of indicator, so again to me that would meet the definition of suspension nymphing.

Another question when presenting dry flies. Do you feel comfortable targeting a big fish at 25-40ft that is rising while limiting the amount of false cast needed to lay an accurate presentation to said fish without spooking him? I also fish a lot of under cut banks where the browns are not necissarily visible. Do you find you are able to land the hopper aggressively enough to get a lateral line take from the fish? I typically like to land the hoppers very aggressively on the water to provoke the strike. I find the WF line allows me to load the line more aggressively and slam that hopper into the water along the bank, without having to get to close.

So when talking Euro-nymphing, what is it that truly makes it European style? Is it the equipment? The flies? The presentation? At what point is it suspension nymphing with an 11ft rod? I think Dain hit the nail on the head by saying you are an expert fisherman who incorporates a wide array of techniques to your Euro-specialized gear. Not necessarily a "Euro-Nympher".

These are all genuine questions. I really enjoyed reading your post, and am excited to read everybody's responses to it. I myself incorporate a lot of Euro-based technique and theory to my guiding. Just without the Euro-equipment most of the time.

Tight Lines!

I personally think the term "euro nymphing" is what they did to group the way that the French, Czech, Spanish, etc...... fish. They all use different leaders but are pretty much the same. The leader is pretty much in my opinion what makes it euro nymphing. Of course they have rules in competition like leader cannot be but 2X rod length or 22' max, fly line cannot be smaller than .o22", weight must be built into flies, no suspension device (dry flies and greasing leader are allowed), cannot tie off of another fly, beads cannot be larger than 3.8mm and plenty more. They have leader formulas that start with thick stiff mono and work there way down for dry flies all the way to micro leaders that are 12' 4X indicator tippet to 8' of 6X, 7X or 8X tippet. Of course the rod makes a HUGE difference in casting or lobbing these style leaders.

Since I'm just fishing for fun I use most all styles on my "euro leader" with euro rod. Can I cast a dry 40' no, but at 25'-30' with 15lb butt leader yes. Easily. I can fish a small streamer to a size 20 on the same leader.  Floating the sighter yes you are looking for movement. Honestly the only time I'm relying on feel is when I'm fishing heavy flies, which is most of the time lol. To me the main advantages of a euro leader is a bobber is not dragging at or close to surface speed, you can change depths on your drift and if fishing a fly on a dropper tag you can change the depth of that fly (to an extent) with the angle of the leader. I guess I am not really a "euro" guy but a guy that uses a euro style leader. 

Oh BTW, I still suck but this has really helped me hook more fish.

[FlyAndStream]

Aug 12, 2020 14:57:05 GMT -6 breeden3 said:

A couple of questions:

Thanks for jumping into this post. Obviously you have more on-the-water experience than any of us – so anything you contribute here is welcomed and helpful.

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Peter: If fishing emergers beneath a bobber, even on a Euro-based rig, is it still considered Euro-Nymphing?

My technical answer is that any type of fishing where you're tethered to the surface is a type of suspension nymphing, and is not categorically euro nymphing – I get that.

It certainly isn't competition euro nymphing, but that is a rigid system with an actual set of rules as dainw mentioned, and I could care less about the competition stuff anyways. I was speaking more to the flexibility of the overall system to adapt situationally more than anything.

I just tend to call it euro nymphing because it's likely that is what I am out doing that day, with a euro stick, euro leader, and tungsten flies – maybe the only thing that changed at that moment situationally was a fly change (to unweighted emergers) and adding a bobber or greasing the sighter. We just call it re-rigging.

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Peter: When you grease your sighter and have your emergers suspended in that way, are you feeling the strike or relying on movement from the sighter at that point?

Personally, when I grease my sighter to fish emerges, its usually only when they're feeding in the surface film or just below, and that is usually visual detection while sight fishing, usually I'm setting the hook before the sighter indicates anything to me.

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Peter: When presenting dry flies, do you feel comfortable targeting a big fish at 25-40ft that is rising while limiting the amount of false cast needed to lay an accurate presentation to said fish without spooking him?

Because of the length, light action, and bend of a good euro rod, personally I have found that you can actually load the rod better with less false casts when presenting a dry at distance (think glass). I would spool the euro leader onto foam if the fish was 30-40' away, though; 20-30' you can do this with the euro leader still on. This was literally the deciding factor for me to start leaving my 5wt at home.

If anyone is interested there is an excellent instructional video that addresses this situation very well and is worth watching.

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Peter: I also fish a lot of undercut banks where the browns are not necessarily visible. Do you find you are able to land the hopper aggressively enough to get a lateral line take from the fish?

Yes, definitely. I mean, it doesn't take much to induce a lateral line take from a fish that's willing to eat in my experience, and you're right undercut banks are where it's at 👌

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Peter: So when talking Euro-nymphing, what is it that truly makes it European style? Is it the equipment? The flies? The presentation? At what point is it suspension nymphing with an 11ft rod?

Great question bro 😆

I'm not sure the ultimate definition of European nymphing, honestly I don't really care, I just know what it means to me as a method and platform.

I admittedly use the term euro nymphing interchangeably, as dainw well pointed out. That's just how this system was introduced to me, and I built upon it. So for me, it is the equipment for one, if I had to do some of these same things with a 9' 5wt rod and floating line it would be much harder in all honesty.

It's a 10-11' 2-3wt euro rod and euro leader formula with an occasional greasy sighter, bobber, or big dry if the situation calls for it. Therefore I consider this more of an adaptive form of euro nymphing than a dedicated 'suspension nymphing' definition since that's only a small aspect of what it can do, and is situationally employed.

[breeden3]

Thanks for the reply Bill! There is no denying that you will catch a lot of fish.

I used to fish Euro-style quite a bit. I actually still guide the occasional Euro-nymphing trip. I know people who have been Euro-nymphing for a long time and still enjoy it. I just get more personal satisfaction now either hunting down the big ones by sight or making long range aerial mends or reach cast to rising trout. It is certainly not a numbers game though. I enjoy fishing 6-8" unweighted streamers that I get down with full sink lines and 8-9wt rods! Definitely not a numbers either lol

I always love seeing the fish that Aaron catches. No doubt he catches some of the most beautiful holdover and wild fish that the LMF has to offer!

[dainw]

With all do respect to Peter, the man gets probably what, 200, 250 on water days a year and he’s been fly fishing since he was a little kid. I get like 20-25 days on the water a year and I’ve been doing it for maybe 6 yrs now. I’m sure when you’ve caught as many fish as Peter and get to be on the water as much as he does, and gets to know a river the way he does, you probably get to the point where you don’t care about numbers anymore and it’s about the thrill of hunting down a truly big fish. I’m still at the point where i want to catch as many as possible and since I started “euronymphing” about 2 yrs ago now, the catch rate has tripled. I think if you’re blind fishing water you think looks productive, which I usually am, your best chance of hooking a bigger fish is catching a lot of fish. Just a numbers game....if you catch 30 fish in a day the chance that one of them is big are better than if you only catch 10 fish in a day.

[turfdawg]

Speaking about fishing to certain fish “sight fishing “ I really stink. I’m getting better at the fishing aspect but still can’t spot fish in the water worth a darn. Every now and then I can spot one but most all of the time I’m “blind” fishing. I really wish I could spot fish like some of you

[FlyAndStream]

As I said, we're ultimately pleasing ourselves and catching fish on our own terms. Seriously though, I've fished with dainw a couple of times each year in CO/OK/MO/AR and he has, in a few times on-the-water proven that this method just simply is effective, to someone who will learn and employ it. I've seen him catch 25" fish right next to me, and hard to find Browns on streams that aren't supposed to produce that quality of fish.

[mirvc17]

I get credit for hijacking that other thread btw!

Love the posts and the discussion !

[jonbo]

Same here, Bill. Occasionally I'll see a flash and set on it. To me, euro-nymphing is tight-line fishing with a longish mono leader and an in-line sighter, mostly leading the "team" with the rod tip, and anything that works off of that. I interchange the term with "tight-lining".

[darrelln09]

Aug 12, 2020 19:25:53 GMT -6 turfdawg said:

Speaking about fishing to certain fish “sight fishing “ I really stink. I’m getting better at the fishing aspect but still can’t spot fish in the water worth a darn. Every now and then I can spot one but most all of the time I’m “blind” fishing. I really wish I could spot fish like some of you

Get yourself a pair of Oakley glasses with Prism Shallow Water lenses. Aside from nearly eliminating the glare, they seriously enhance the red and green colors of the fish and also make the shadows of the fish on the bottom "pop" like never before. This alone has helped my sight fishing game by 300 percent. It's almost like cheating. They don't come cheap though.

[breeden3]

Y'all know I just like to stir the pot! If we all agreed with what Aaron said from the get go, it would be a boring discussion!

For those wanting to know, the Southern Colorado dry fly bite was solid this evening!

[hankinsfly]

Interesting read, fly & stream. I am interested in giving the ole Euro a solid try at some point. I may talk a little shit, but it's all in fun and games. I am currently infatuated with bamboo rods and dry flies. The antithesis of Euro. Euro speaks in terms of physics and science; bamboo speaks in terms of art and history. And that leaves the door open to plenty of shit talking from the Euro and graphite camp, so hijack away and bring it on! You said it just right- we fish for pleasure, as Leisenring said. "I for mine, you for yours." We like what we like, and I like catching fish on vintage bamboo with some dead man's name written on it. That said, the wind shuts bamboo down quickly, at east bamboo in the tapers that I like to fish. Medium-slow action bamboo sucks in the wind. Bamboo is best for me with a dry fly, soft hackle, or dry-droppey that offers little to no air resistance. Once the wind picks up, out comes the graphite. I really like fishing all techniques with all mediums. I want to have every technique available to me and be proficient in every one of them. I think each technique, each rod material, each method has its time and place. I want to catch fish that are eating size 24 trico spinners, size 8 hoppers smashed next to an undercut, a size 12 drake at that right moment after runoff's recession, a pair of heavy ass tungsten nymphs below a bobber the size of a balloon, a half of a foam Palsa with a single midge or sowbug fished below a certain big ass dam in the Ozarks, a pair of soft hackles swung in that right kind of medium, ass-deep current. It's all fun! I understand what Euro is getting at regarding the drag caused by surface currents and speed differences at various depths. It makes sense! But i also really like catching fish on topwater (bass fishing lingo). Dry flies, poppers, gurglers, whatever. I think that is the most thrilling, easily. I think it's a magnificent accomplishment to raise a fish to eat your bug off the top, to sight-fish to it, to observe him see your bug and move up to it. That to me is the ultimate. I am 100% sure the Euro dudes put the most numbers on the board. I have been the guy catching the least amount of fish in a run and I've been the guy catching fish consistently. I think of myself as a solidly mediocre fly-fisherman. Catching fish is really one of the ultimate goals of a fishing trip. But I've had plenty of days when I caught just a few fish, worked hard for those fish, and was completely satisfied with that day. To me, it's a successful day if I get out, light up a good cigar in the morning, and feel that fresh air on my face. A little fishy slime on my hands makes it all the better. I always have to keep in mind Rule 62: "Don't take yourself too damned seriously."

[huntnfish2much]

Hankinsfly, I appreciate your point of view!

JR

[darrelln09]

The next time you come east, hankinsfly , let me know. I’m totally interested in giving a bamboo fly rod a whirl! Although I’m guessing I’ll like it too much.

i share almost all of the priorities you wrote about, except for the cigars. However, that is easily filed under the Leisenring Principle!

[turfdawg]

Aug 12, 2020 20:47:21 GMT -6 darrelln09 said:

Aug 12, 2020 19:25:53 GMT -6 turfdawg said:

Speaking about fishing to certain fish “sight fishing “ I really stink. I’m getting better at the fishing aspect but still can’t spot fish in the water worth a darn. Every now and then I can spot one but most all of the time I’m “blind” fishing. I really wish I could spot fish like some of you

Get yourself a pair of Oakley glasses with Prism Shallow Water lenses. Aside from nearly eliminating the glare, they seriously enhance the red and green colors of the fish and also make the shadows of the fish on the bottom "pop" like never before. This alone has helped my sight fishing game by 300 percent. It's almost like cheating. They don't come cheap though.

I actually have some but 95% of the time I still were my Smith low light ignitor. After I finally find one I can see it well but I just have a hell of a time initially finding them.

[huntnfish2much]

Aug 14, 2020 4:28:52 GMT -6 turfdawg said:

Aug 12, 2020 20:47:21 GMT -6 darrelln09 said:

Get yourself a pair of Oakley glasses with Prism Shallow Water lenses. Aside from nearly eliminating the glare, they seriously enhance the red and green colors of the fish and also make the shadows of the fish on the bottom "pop" like never before. This alone has helped my sight fishing game by 300 percent. It's almost like cheating. They don't come cheap though.

I actually have some but 95% of the time I still were my Smith low light ignitor. After I finally find one I can see it well but I just have a hell of a time initially finding them.

I have a pair of Oakley prescription polarized sunglasses with amber lenses that I bought years ago for my trip to New Zealand. It poured rain the entire time I was there. LOL. I can vouch for the effectiveness of being able to cut the glare, though. I’ve worn them fishing a lot over the years. You can really spot a fish, especially if it darts or rolls a bit while feeding.

JR

[golferjeff]

My next trip I'm gonna have a 7'6 3 wt for small dry fly fishing, an 8'6 4wt for dry dropper, a 9' 5wt for big dry dropper dropper, a 9' tip flex 5 wt for indicators, and my 10'6 3wt for all of the above. Beginning to look like a tailwater targeting trip. Those Taylor river mysis eaters might need to stiff 5wt!

[darrelln09]

Hey FlyAndStream , can you add your probable split-shot locations to your “Money Rig” diagram? If not, it would still be interesting to hear about your usage of them.

[FlyAndStream]

Sure Darrell,

The first thing to consider is the water you’re fishing, how fast and deep is it, where are the fish holding and feeding, and where you want your flies to be in relation.

Then the next thing to consider is how much weight is built into the flies you’re going to present. Lead wraps under the body, and size of the tungsten bead. For instance I build a tremendous amount of weight into my stones and mini euro streamers, therefore rarely need additional weight at all.

Also, consider flies like Perdigons, while they are significantly smaller and don’t have much built-in weight, actually sink like bullets because there aren’t exposed fibers or drag, unlike an egg, pt, or waltz.

It’s common for me to fish one fly bouncing along the bottom, and a second fly 16-22” further up in the water column tied on the tag. Depending on the fly selection I usually don’t need additional weight, but let’s say you have to go light... maybe small 16 tungsten on the point and a size 20 emerged on the tag, but aren’t getting deep enough. In this case I would usually put a BB shot in between the point and tag, or you could fish three flies just to get weight needed.

Almost always if I’m adding shot it’s between the point and dropper, unless your fishing all flies on bottom, in that case shot is above both flies. If you need both flies up in the water column, and not on bottom, fish three flies with a heavy fly on bottom just to get the connection you need and keep your small flies up further. This is where some fish a Humphries drop-shot, but I would rather have a heavy attractor fly on bottom rather than lead shot, because many times a fish will eat that.

It can also pretty effective to trail an emerger or midge off the back of the point fly when fishing three flies, as they come in looking at the often larger point fly but eat the smaller unweighted natural.

Just need to come fish Crane with you once it cools a bit.

[glitchmo]

The other thing I just thought of is that when fishing nymphs you don’t have to battle with floatant all day. So there’s that advantage...

And I’m only kind of kidding