BROWN ON HOPPER

[Lshack2]

John,

Do you ever use a hopper /dropper combo outside of the catch and release areas? I have fished out west with the big foam hoppers and trailed a pheasant tail or hares ear 18 inches below, but don't hear much about anglers doing that here....

Larry

[Danoinark]

John,

Do you ever use a hopper /dropper combo outside of the catch and release areas? I have fished out west with the big foam hoppers and trailed a pheasant tail or hares ear 18 inches below, but don't hear much about anglers doing that here....

Larry

Actually Lahack its quite common on the Ozarks tailwaters. I see hoppers, stimulators, big hairy drys and other combinatios that take good fish here on

a dropper right.

Dano

[John Berry]

I also fish it quite often out west. I do not do it so much here because I spend so much time fishing catch and release water where it is illegal. it is a killer technique. I caught a monster Yellow Stone Cutt at Buffalo Ford several years ago using that very method.

[WebFreeman]

That's one thing I've wondered about. Should the dry and dropper have any logical connection?

[John Berry]

I assume by logical connection that you mean a sulphur nymph suspended from a sulphur dry or similar combination. I don't think that is necessary. In fact, I prefer to use a pretty small nymph (like a brassie or Pheasant tail) so that it will not sink the hopper. I think the fish comes up to see the hopper and takes the trailing nymph. Most of the fish I catch this way take the dropper.

[WebFreeman]

That is what I meant John. Thanks

[Lshack2]

We have typically used a pretty small nymph like a 16 or 18 and tried various dropper lengths but it seems that 15 - 18" seems to work best out west. I agree that we generally catch more fish on the dropper for some reason.

I have heard argued that single barbless hook means no treble hooks and it is legal to fish two flies in the C&R areas, but I don't think the game warden would see it that way....

Larry