Is anyone up for answering a stupid question?!

Before I start I should point out i'm a complete novice and am in the process of getting ready for my first trout season.

I had originally thought that attaching a three fly cast was a simple case of tying three flies at different points along a stretch of the same leader which I did and immediately thought it didn't look right.

I've searched the internet for demonstrations and have found some advice concerning attaching seperate lengths of leader off of the main line but couldn't quite work it out to be totally honest.

I've searched on here to try and avoid duplicating old posts but have either missed the one I was looking for or was struggling to understand the posts I did find.

Does anyone have the patience to explain this to me and help my try and avoid making a tit of myself on the loch next week?!

Thanks

Adam

There's loads of ways of doing it but the way I go about it goes something like this:

Say you've got a 9ft leader, you want to add two droppers - made up of short pieces of the same leader material and no longer than six inches (to minimise tangles).
Attach the two droppers with a two-or-three turn water knot (like a simple overhand knot, but looped through 2/3 times) spaced evenly down your leader.
Start about 3ft from your main fly line with the first, then another 3ft down for the second.
Attach your two dropper flies to these with whatever knot you prefer.
It's always worth making sure the longer piece of the dropper ie not the tag (waste) bit, is facing away from your rod, down the line as this minimises tangles.
Your third fly goes on the end of your leader.

As I say, there are many other ways of doing this and no doubt some of the more experienced guys will be along soon to tell you better ways, but this simple set-up works for me and I'm fairly new to this too.
One word of warning though, prepare to be dealing with tangles quite often if you're new to fly fishing and new to three-fly casts.
Patience is a virtue
Hope that helps

Steve

PS The only stupid question is the one you don't ask!

__________________
There's a fine line between fishing and just standing on the shore like an idiot.

As a beginner.I would advise you to have your leader about 9-10' long.Once your casting gets a bit better then 12-15' is better.
You can have a level length of leader with the droppers tied in.Or you can have a tapered leader with the droppers coming at the joins
1)10' level leader, from point(furthest from flyline,Go back 3 ft and tie in with a 3 turn water knot(http://www.animatedknots.com/photos/...eonsjoinR9.jpg) a 10'' piece of the same leader material cutting of the tag end nearest the flyline,leaving you with 6'' dropper.Then do the same 3' from the 1st dropper.Tie to loop on flyline with Half blood knot(http://www.animatedknots.com/photos/...edclinchR9.jpg) or loop to loop(http://www.animatedknots.com/photos/...eonsloopR7.jpg).
2) 6lb point tapered leader.Start with 5' of 10lb leader tie to 4' of 8lb leader with 3 turn water knot. cutting the tag nearest the flyline.then,Tie 4' of 6lb to the 8lb leader with 3 turn w/k.Again cutting tag nearest flyline..This should give you a 10' tapered leader with 2 droppers.

as a beginner I advise you to only use 1 Or 2 flies.If you decide on 2 flies ,I recommend you tie a level cast of 10' with the dropper at 5' tied in the same way as no1 description.

Jim

__________________
The Fishermans Friend is the Flirty Fly,Fickle Food for Fleeting Fish.

I reckon this is the best advice you will get on this matter but then I would because I'm giving it.

Forget about tying your own leaders at the moment and buy pre-made tapered knotless leaders.

Ian woods, membername Grommit on here sells them

Leeda Profil Wet Fly Casts with Two Droppers

These have 2 droppers which allows you to present 3 flies at the one time but I'm going to give you another bit of advice seeing as you say you are completely new to the sport.


Forget about multi fly casts to start with and fish with one fly on the point until you get used to casting. Once you can do this confidently I would then suggest trying the tapered leaders but only tying a fly onto one dropper and if you can deal with this then go onto 3 flies.

You'll find many people never make the progression to fishing with 3 flies at one time as it's better to have 1 or 2 in the water as 3 on the bank in a fankle.

I fish with at least 3 flies all the time .

__________________
Tight Lines. :)

Adam,

If your a complete novice? I suggest you fish with one fly, especially if your a novice at casting! You could ad one dropper if you feel capable? But a team of three flies can sometimes get the better of an experienced angler.

Team of three?

If your using a 9ft, leader? You'll need to join your tippet mono to the leader, a three foot length of mono, lay the tippet mono alongside the end of your leader so the mono and leader are overlapping each other by about 6/7, inches! Form a circle of the overlapping mono and leader end, then pass the tippet mono and the short end of the leader through the circle you formed, do this three times! Now here comes the important bit!! Lubricate with saliva the knot you've just created; and pull on both sides of the circle to form a dropper! Cut off the mono tag facing up towards the fly line! You should have one dropper! You then repeat the process lower down on the tippet mono to form another dropper.

My advise would be to; just fish with a point fly and one dropper, especially at the beginning of your first season fly fishing.

M

I would concur with the advice to fish only one fly on the point if you are a complete novice. If you use 3 flies you will end up untangling your leader most of the time rather than fishing.

When your casting has improved you can graduate to using more than one fly.

I have been fly fishing over 20 years now and I usually use just two flies. I will only use 3 when conditions are mild enough not to get tangles every other cast.

One other bit of advice, have a lesson with a qualified casting instructor. It will be the best thing you can do to get you fishing competently.

Enjoy your fishing.

Here's a link to a thread from away back in the mists of time.

Making leaders

I did a wee diagram on post 13 ( unlucky for some ) which may or may not be helpful should you decide to make your own tapered casts/leaders .

__________________
Tight Lines. :)

You have had some good advice regarding the tying of your cast.
The bit I think that is not needed is regarding tapered leaders as I personally think there is no real need for them on the lochs.
When I first started a good friend showed me how to tie a 3 fly cast so that is how I first started fishing and have only ever fished with one fly a couple of times while down fishing rivers.
Yes I have had tangles but I put it down to a steep learning curve

Agree with Mostyn and others if you are a beginer learn to fish effectively with one fly . Its better to fish well with one fly than badly with 2 or 3

Andy


Becks and Brown Trout

Agree with Mostyn and Coasty. Until you've seen what a newbie at casting can do with a 3 fly cast, you would not believe nylon could get into such a horrible tangle....I know, many years ago I was that soldier.

Even when you get much more experienced, I'd suggest that using multiple flies should be a conscious tactical choice, not your default setting.

__________________
"In wine there is wisdom. In beer there is strength. In water there is bacteria." - German proverb
JH based near Southampton