Tandem rigs

Rich Strolis calls these kind of flies articulated. I like to use the term tandem or double hooked rigs. Over the last 5 yrs I've experimented with numerous different types and have found this method work best with the designed flies I tie as it gives a more realistic swimming action through the retrieve.

First run a 5mm length of your cotton along the hook shank to the bend of the hook. Then cut yourself a length of flexible wire 65mm (2,5 inches) I used Visions 35lb wireline here. Place the wire directly ontop of the hook shank and tie on with your cotton up to your start off point.Add a dab of head cement.

Then cut a small piece of flexable plastic tube 25mm (1 inch) long and slide down over the wire so it butts up against the bend of the hook. This tube acts not only as an extra protectant for the wire but gives the trailing hook more regidity when casting these kind of flies yet allows for just enough sideways swimming action under the water.

Slide the wire through the hook eye of your trailing hook (Tail). you can either have the hook point facing down or up but I like to have the hook point facing upwards on all these kind of flies as it eradicates any unwanted snag ups through the toungue. Then slide the open end of the wire back through the tube making sure the tandem hook is just loose enough for movement and that the plastic tube is butted up sufficiently against the main hook and then tie directly onto the top of the hook shank again and add another blob of head cement.

This is the completed fly with the tail I used in the tutorial. Some fine white speckled Xmas tinsel was used between black bucktail to give this fly optimum movement with a lot of volume and weighs practically nothing. I added a small collar of black raccoon and bug-bonded a couple of eyes on. Total length 220mm. Click images for larger view!