[Steven Kidd]

Hello,

I have been thinking about the '3 fly cast' , upon googling you find nothing unless you type in '3 fly rig',  ,  sad really.

However, what do we all do on a day at a new Loch we have never been to before for our three fly cast, when starting our day, say early season default set-up?

Dull overcast, point to bob i'm on - Black Pennell, Sooty Olive, Claret Bumble or a Claret Pearly Dabbler
Bright sunny Day - Black Pennell, Silver Invicta, Soldier Palmer..........I may change things up here with a Leven Spider on the point

I know local knowledge, location, wind, hatches etc all play a part on fly selection / size etc.  but what do you all do for a default cast?

Steven

[James Laraway]

To be honest it is very rarely fish a 3 fly cast. I almost always stick to 2 flies. Far less potential for trouble.
Also, as its the start of the season I would not shy away from big flies and lures. Humoungous or something similar on the point and  something big and bushy on the dropper. Sizes 6 and 8 have proved successful for me early season. The trout are hungry and aggressive. Also don't go too light leader wise......
My favourite casts last year:
Goats toe on point and half hog hopper on dropper
Streamer (humoungous or similar) on the point and a big bumble on the dropper
CDC hopper on both

[Hamish Young]

Been a while since I've considered this sort of thing, I tend to make up my three fly cast (as in choose the flies) when I'm looking at the water.
Will even change flies if I'm out in a boat if what I've tied on doesn't 'feel' quite right.

That said, I can pretty much guarantee the following will be selected as a starter for ten:

1. My Loch Ordie variant on the bob, which Allan didn't feature in FF&FT
2. In the middle a Black Pennel or a Zulu
3. On the tail a shuggy, or something else equally vile. They work, end of   

H

[Bob Mitchell]

Like at the start of the season to have a large dark fly on the tail. Nymphy thing on the middle and about a size 12 bushy thing on the bob. That way I have flies I can fish fast or slower. The most important bit to me is to stand well back from the waters edge and fish the shallows right into the edge.
Bob.

[Allan Liddle]

Hedgehogs for lochs for me 

[Steven Kidd]

So.....upon walking to the bank of a wee hill Loch last weekend, my cast plans dreamed up over winter just didn't, 'feel' right.  So I opted for the following:

Bob Fly - Blue Zulu
Point - Leven Spider

Promptly caught 6 brownies in 20mins........

Sometimes, just going with what 'feels' right works.





Steven

[Peter McCallum]

Pretty much a DHS on the bob with a palmer, maybe a bibio or claret bumble in the middle and a wet on the point, maybe a pennel or march brownish thing.

[Steven Sinclair]

Assuming fishing blind and not knowing the Loch my set up would be:

Katey on the Bob.
My dad's modified black pennel middle (it catches fish no matter where it is on the cast so its best there 👍)
Shuggie on the point

 

Steven

[Eddie Sinclair]

Three fly cast.

Point, teal blue and silver bumble style, middle, modified pennel and on the top is the claret bumble.

This does for most loch fishing other than Durness.

Eddie

[Bob Mitchell]

When i am ready to start i just open my fly box and put on what catches my eye. See others spend ages trying to think what to put on. They have boxes of flies with them and spend a large part of the day changing flies.
My out look is if the fish want it fine if they do not so what.
Bob.

[Barry Robertson]

Every water is different depending on the time of year and the weather

The likes of Lintrathen which is a mix of browns and bows early season cast i would opt for a Snatcher top dropped / buzzer or bach in the middle and a cat boob on the point. This cast would serve you well as a standard cast.
You could also just have as much success straight lining buzzers on a floater 

For a pure brown trout cast, Kate Mclaren on the top dropper, black n silver dabbler middle dropper and black and gold shuggie on the point.

[Steven Kidd]

I've a plan to re-visit Loch Watten at the end of this month.....so the traditionals will be put to good use there.  This carry on at Leven with buzzers just doesn't feel right.....

I remember a Soldier Palmer doing well there a long time ago and I had a 2lb fish on a Black Pennell.

I think i'm a born romantic when it comes to flies.....just love the old stuff.

Steven

[Mike Barrio]

Hi Steven

In my experience, if you fish a Soldier Palmer and a Black Pennell at the same depth and speed as a red buzzer and a black buzzer ..... the fish won't mind at all 

Trouble is, we often find it difficult to resist the temptation to pull wet flies.

Cheers
Mike