Real Dead Drifts -- Up Top and Underneath

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Find the companion Troutbitten article with important details, along with links to other key Troutbitten articles about understanding great dead drifts.
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A dead drift is the most common presentation in fly fishing for trout, because it imitates their most common food forms. We want a dead drift on both a dry fly and a nymph. But what is it?
It’s a one-seam drift that travels at the speed of the current without tension from the attached tippet. That’s hard to achieve, but it is possible by first understanding what a dead drift looks like, both on the surface with a dry fly and below the surface with a nymph.
We achieve that up top by providing slack and s-curves in the tippet. And underneath, we do the opposite, keeping the connection tight to the nymph, but critically, always keeping that tippet in one seam.
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Thank you for your support.
Fish hard, friends.
Dom

[@philruth1]

Dom, between your OG site and now these vids you've managed to put together some of the highest quality educational content in the sport. Keep it going, dude. I hope it's paying dividends for you. Even the way you discuss gear and your "system" are very entertaining.

[@Troutbitten]

Nice. Glad you connect

[@rhinofist1]

These videos really are some of the best fishing education videos on KZbin. Concise and demystifying. Thank you. Stoked

[@Troutbitten]

Thanks. That's a great compliment.

[@joesebia6138]

A day with Dom shortens the learning curve by years. Upped my nymph game immeasurably. Thanks Dom for all your help, your podcasts, website, and now videos. All the best to you. Hey now.

[@Troutbitten]

Hey now.

[@Jon626]

Troutbitten & a trip with Dom upped my game tremendously!

[@Troutbitten]

Hey now!

[@emmettkeegan3754]

Great video. That little hook set at the end of the drift is lighting quick and looks effortless.

[@Troutbitten]

Thanks, buddy.

[@dc2717]

Thank you for taking the time and effort to produce and share your knowledge. You do a great job! I appreciate you.

[@Troutbitten]

Thank you. Very kind.

[@markjack8202]

New to your videos and can't seem to get enough. I was introduced by a Pastor friend, and he was right. Your instruction is next level information.

[@Troutbitten]

That's a nice compliment. Thanks, Mark.

[@Pwrcritter]

Nice information. He's got a seriousness about him.

[@Troutbitten]

He does

[@markleone6700]

Awesome tutelage. Thanks. Dom. Can't wait to get out there with you and my boy in November.

[@Troutbitten]

Same here

[@wulgar9648]

Such great content. Thank you. Looking forward to buying that hat.

[@Troutbitten]

Good stuff.

[@carrollvoss4611]

graduate level instruction and advice. thank you, I'll process and take it to the river with me.

[@Troutbitten]

Ah, that's very nice. I appreciate it.

[@felixsantos474]

Totally get it now!!! I’ve been doing it totally wrong 😑! Thank you for the the awesome videos

[@Troutbitten]

Cheers.

[@johnjones850]

Great video Dom. Great explanation of drift vs dead drift. They definitely aren’t the same….🎣

[@Troutbitten]

Right on.

[@tspoontv8056]

Crushing it Dom! Just like the loop pedal! - Tyler Spooner

[@Troutbitten]

Hey now

[@mikerapeer4848]

Awesome video!! Thanks for sharing

[@Troutbitten]

Yes

[@haydenstewart1659]

You talk alot of 'sense' in your explanations. Having been euro nymphing for a while now alot of what you were talking about makes way more sense than it would have before I started euro nymphing. Having that understanding of currents, drifts and strike zones as you mentioned and also around keeping it tight certainly makes for better success on the water. Great content bud

[@Troutbitten]

Excellent

[@fredleroux6920]

Brilliant video , thank you 🙏

[@Troutbitten]

cheers

[@Pwrcritter]

Love Dom, hes like Lt Kilgore in Apocalypse Now..

[@Troutbitten]

Cheers.

[@martyoconnell899]

“Slower than the bubbles” explains it all.

[@Troutbitten]

Thats the stirke zone. troutbitten.com/2019/07/17/the-water-column-and-the-all-important-strike-zone/

[@andrewflores4602]

Incredible!!!

[@Troutbitten]

Thank you

[@dmo712]

Thanks dude

[@Troutbitten]

Yes

[@DAVIDDAMIENR]

THANK YOU !!!!

[@Troutbitten]

Thank you too

[@Bob-pg2rl]

Excellent as always troutbitten has helped me so much the last 3 years keep it up and thank you for sharing all your info still waiting to hear about the secret junk fly at the sweetheart hole lol What wader belt do you use does it offer support?

[@Troutbitten]

Ha. There ya go.

[@scottisbell1819]

Dom has a list of recommended gear here: troutbitten.com/recommended-gear/ including the belt. Thanks Dom!

[@Bob-pg2rl]

@@scottisbell1819 thank you I just found it thank you again

[@talongrandbois8994]

Was this filmed with gro pro? Really good video

[@Troutbitten]

Thank you. No, not a GoPro.

[@andymolloy5608]

"Fish hard, friends. Have fun out there." Will do.

[@Troutbitten]

Nice

[@jimmyharvell4021]

What fly rod action do you use

[@Troutbitten]

Here ya go. Full article on my favorite rods: troutbitten.com/2021/09/22/the-best-fly-rods-for-the-mono-rig-and-euro-nymphing-my-favorite-rods/ I'd say my favorite rod is medium-fast. Cheers.

[@wmccoy10]

Why does Dom wear two clamped forceps?

[@Troutbitten]

Hi there. The small ones I use for split shot. Here's a video: kzbin.info/www/bejne/ipWZeXuMjbigjNU

[@wmccoy10]

@@Troutbitten interesting! Thank you for answering!

[@jamessims5240]

Where do I find guide trip info

[@Troutbitten]

Hi James. The Troutbitten website is the hub of the whole project. There are nearly 900 articles there. It's easily searchable and pretty well organized -- although I'm working on making it even better this summer. Here is the guide page: troutbitten.com/troutbitten-guided-fly-fishing-trips/ Cheers. Dom

[@dankochanek8056]

This is a great video, but what about people who use a hopper for an indicator or a bobber. Not all of us do the tightline or Euro crap.

[@Troutbitten]

Please watch the video and listen in detail. I mentioned the indicator style as well. We still want the line from the indy to the nymph to be tight. You can do that with a regular setup. But if you put an indy on a tight line rig, you have even more control over the placement of everything. We do that every day. Here's a link to a Troutbitten article with more detail about all of that. troutbitten.com/2017/02/14/tight-line-nymphing-with-an-indicator-a-mono-rig-variant/ Read that and follow the contained links. But you'll have to do it with an open mind. Goodl luck.

[@dankochanek8056]

@@Troutbitten I did watch it. On low because I'm working lol.

[@vincenttrzeciak878]

Don't tell em too much. We don't want everyone catching your fish. 🤣

[@Troutbitten]

That's right.