Via Colorado Fly Fishing Report to Front Range Angler a vid on the Bottom Roller Pattern. The heavily weighted ‘anchor fly’ provides the mean to sink one to three flies while dredging nymphs. This stems from competitions, in which no attached weights (like split shot) are allowed.
I like Czech Nymphs for Scud/Caddis like patterns. Could not embed the Andy Burk Bottom Roller vid.…but linked it and it gives good explanation on tying the anchor pattern.
SwittersB & Exploring 
I am fishing a big river, so I am not really using the Czech technique. But I will be tying this type of fly. Depending on how fast I have to get my fly down I may want to use a length of sink tip to help get some depth. It is caddis time so I am going to make a few of these and use it in some seams where I can drift it in and then slowly tighten up and try to make the fly look like a rising pupae. We’ll see.
Isn’t there some sort of Japanese technique that uses just line tied to the rod and worked in small streams?
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Hi Tyrone,
Well, big rivers and nymphing or swing streamers then a sink tip may be well in order. I think the weight or swing of the heavy nymph may help set the hook. The Japanese technique is called Tenkara. It has several qualities that are worth adopting: the nymphing technique is a high sticking method and the fly patterns have a reversed hackle that creates interesting look, worth incorporating. Thanks for reporting back.
Gary
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Excellent example and vid. I am wondering how you are using this type of pattern. Are you using sink tips with this or just leaders off a float line? (On a river).
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Hello Tyrone,
I use a floating line. I use a shorter leader (7′ to 9′). I have never been a fan of 3 fly rigs and usually use the 2 fly set up where lead is prohibited. The anchor fly is heavily weighted and gets the set up down. I have sink tips and honestly never think to use them for anything but lakes or fishing streamers. The Cz Nymphing technique, as you probably know, uses very little fly line, if any, beyond the tip of the rod. So, a sink tip is probably a waste and creating too much drag. If you have used it, please share your experiences, because actually I have often forget to pack it for stream fishing.
SB
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