Mono rig?

[Philf]

Are any of you guys familiar with the mono rig a substitute for conventional fly line?  I’ve been reading about it on a sight called Troutbitten. Sounds like it might work well with the heavier flys we throw for smallmouth.  Thanks. 

[Rob G]

Thanks Phil for bring this to our (my) attention.  Had not seen this before.  Lots to read on that site.  

[Mike G]

Sort of. My 12' Tenkara pole has 12' line mono or flouro about 20# attached to the tip; then a 5-6' leader on the end of that. That gives me a 30' range similar to your author. Lines that gauge are pretty much tangle free. I could see this long leader working on a conventional outfit if I double the 12 ft to 24 ft to compensate for the distance from the reel to the tip. Your author seems to be pushing this as a close quarters, 30' or so proposition.

[Steve S.]

I believe it’s called level line in Tenkara applications 

[Rob G]

After reading thru several of his articles, I don't think I would enjoy it as he does, since he is willing to chuck very heavily weighted jigs (1/8 oz)  and streamers in order to make it work. I personally don't enjoy that type of casting all day and often need greater distances than what he achieves.  But he has some valid points and if someone enjoys it, I say go for it.

[John Loebach]

Steelhead guys call it chuck & duck for a reason.

[Tom L]

As John said, it sounds like a chuck & duck.  It also sounds like a modified Euro nymphing technique.  Had tried the chuck & duck before.  It has its times and places, but I didn't enjoy  fishing that way.

[Mike G]

I Jury rigged a long leader setup sort of like his using 20# mono (generic). Since the big Brammer bucktails I tied last winter can weigh up to 1/3 oz when wet, it works. But it requires a different casting stroke just like a full sink line is not like a floater. Since the cheap mono I used has a few tangling issues, I am going to revisit this using 20# Amnesia and add a stripping basket.

Of course I could probably just use spinning gear, but what fun is that?

[Mike G]

This is a work in progress for me. HMH came out with a nice foldable stripping basket last year solving the problem of wearing a dorky plastic dish tub on my waiste. One came for my birthday recently. Birthday also delivered some 20# green amnesia line. So my mono rig has been upgraded. Here it is. 

30' 20# generic mono reserve or backing

30' 20# Amnesia hivis green working line

tippet ring to 2' Amnesia hivis red sighter

Tippet ring to 7' (4" 20#, 3' 12#)  leader

2' tippet

All this was reeled in on top of an old fly line I had on a spare reel. Now I will try it with the basket on the water.

PS Gunnar approved. 

https://www.primeflycompany.com/products/hmh-line-tender-shooting-basket