Tandem rig
Also called Two-fly rig, Double fly rig, Double nymph rig
Two flies tied on the same leader, one behind the other. The point fly is on the end, and a second fly rides above it, either on a short tag or with the point fly tied off its hook bend.
- Group
- Multi-fly rigs
- Category
- Flies & fly types
- Level
- Intermediate
- Water
- Freshwater
Last updated
What Tandem rig means
Two flies on one leader is the basic idea. The fly at the end of the tippet is the point fly. The second fly rides above it, either on a short tag end left from a knot or with the point fly’s tippet tied to the bend of its hook.
In freshwater, tandem rigs show up most often with nymphs and midges, or in a dry-dropper setup where a dry fly supports a nymph below. A common example is a heavier nymph paired with a smaller Zebra Midge.
Why it matters on the water
A tandem rig lets one cast cover two feeding lanes or two depths. The point fly can get down and act as the anchor, while the upper fly rides higher and drifts a little freer.
It also speeds up problem-solving. If fish show interest but refuse, swapping one fly at a time helps narrow down whether the issue is size, weight, or profile without changing the whole setup.
Read next
- Dry-dropperA two-fly rig where a dry fly is tied on top and a nymph hangs below it on a dropper. The dry fly serves as the visible fly and often as the strike indicator.
- LeaderThe leader is the clear, tapered line between the fly line and the fly. It turns the fly over and gives you a clean, controlled presentation.
- NymphA nymph is a subsurface fly meant to imitate an aquatic insect in its immature stage, or a small food item drifting in the current. Nymphs are fished with or without weight, an indicator, or tight-line methods.
- TippetTippet is the thin, level line tied to the end of your leader. It’s the section you cut back and replace as you change flies and re-tie knots.