TIP OF THE WEEK // MANAGING YOUR TAG FLY WHEN TIGHT-LINE NYMPHING

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Adjusting Your Tag Fly for Optimal Tight Line Fishing During a Mayfly Hatch

One of the most overlooked yet highly effective adjustments you can make when fishing a mayfly hatch with a tight line nymphing setup is the placement of your tag fly. As the day unfolds and trout behavior shifts with the progression of the hatch, where you position that tag can significantly influence your catch rate.

Morning: Keep It Tight

In the early hours, before the hatch ramps up, trout tend to hold tight to the bottom. Water temps are still on the cool side, and fish are less willing to move far for food. At this stage, keeping your tag fly close to your point fly — typically within 12 to 18 inches — is ideal.

This positioning ensures that both flies are near the substrate where trout are feeding. Your point fly (often a heavier anchor pattern) should still tick bottom, while your tag fly rides just above it, in the fish's line of sight. This close proximity maximizes your chances when trout are hugging the riverbed.

Midday: Rise with the Hatch

As the hatch begins to develop and intensify, trout start moving up in the water column to intercept emerging insects. This is when your rig needs to evolve with the hatch. Gradually increase the distance between your tag and point fly to allowing your soft hackle or emerger to drift higher in the column.

While your anchor fly continues to serve as your contact point with the bottom, your elevated tag fly now mimics emerging mayflies suspended just beneath the surface. The soft hackle's natural movement and profile can be irresistible in this zone.

Once fish are feeding on adults, ditch the tight-line and have some fun with dry-fly!

Why It Matters

This simple adjustment lets you cover multiple feeding lanes in a single drift—from the bottom-feeding opportunists to the suspended risers watching for the next emerger. Instead of changing flies or re-rigging entirely, you're adapting with precision by adjusting depth and presentation.

Next time you're fishing a mayfly hatch, think dynamically. Let the hatch guide your setup, and make sure your tag fly is riding where the trout are looking.

Stay tuned for more spring fly fishing insights, and get ready for some exciting days ahead!

We teach these techniques and more through our various courses in our University of Fly Fishing.

UPCOMING COURSES TO HIGHLIGHT 

Our classes are moving and shaking and folks... it's getting good!  We have many offerings and you can access the course calendar anytime to find a class that works for you.  Women's Intro Course this Saturday, April 12th at 10am. Get after it Ladies!

• Thursday, April 17th, Trout Taxi, 11am (Cle Elum)
• Friday, April 18th, Trout Taxi, 11am (Upper Canyon)
• Saturday, April 19th, Fly Fishing 101, 9am
• Sunday, April 20th, Fly Fishing 201, 12pm
• Tuesday, April 22nd, Trout Spey Fishalong, 9am
• Tuesday, April 22nd, Yakima Fishalong, 1pm
• Wednesday, April 23, Euronymphing Fishalong, 9am 
• Thursday, April 24th, Trout Taxi, 11am (Green Bridge-Diversion)
• Friday, April 25th, Yakima Fishalong, 12pm
• Saturday, April 26th, Technical Intro to Double Haul Casting, 10am

ENTIRE COURSE CALENDAR HERE 

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