Fishing A Dropper ?

[King Fish]

I've been hearing that a lot of flyfisherman are fishing droppers.. I'm usually a single fly guy.. I did it once when I took a guided trip to the south platte in Colorado, but that was 7-8 yrs ago and the guide rigged it up.. How do you tie the 2nd fly in ? and is there a size # fly formula for the top/bottom... I guess this is something else I need to learn... any help?

PK

[Terry Beeson]

Well... let's see... there are about 437 different combinations of size and tie in techniques... So have you got a few days?

The first method of tying is to tie the second tippet to the hook on the first fly at the bend.

The second is to tie just above the eye of the hook.

The third is to tie six to 24 inches above the first fly.

As for size of the fly, there is a whole book that could be written about that. Dave Whitlock has written several articles about it. Almost every fly fisherman I've talked to has a bit of a unique approach.

However, there are a couple of schools of thought on the size. One is that it makes little or no difference. You're just trying to get the fish's attention with one fly or the other. Another is that you want the larger, more buoyant fly at the front with the deeper running smaller at the rear (commonly called the dropper.) Even using the first fly - a dry - as an indicator.

Then there is the idea of tying a small fly in front of a larger fly to imitate a larger "fish" chasing a smaller "fish" or insect.

Then there is the idea of tying an egg in front of a wooly bugger or other streamer...

Then there is also...

Well, you get the idea...

I would try tying a small fly about 18 inches behind a larger fly to begin with. You'll find casting will be a bit different with a lot of these rigs, so start out rather simple. But get ready for some tangles in the beginning until you get the idea. OH... and start out with shorter casts...

[Danoinark]

OH... and start out with shorter casts...

......and hopefully little wind. Terry nailed it all with is suggestions.

Dano

[King Fish]

Well... let's see... there are about 437 different combinations of size and tie in techniques... So have you got a few days?

The first method of tying is to tie the second tippet to the hook on the first fly at the bend.

The second is to tie just above the eye of the hook.

The third is to tie six to 24 inches above the first fly.

As for size of the fly, there is a whole book that could be written about that. Dave Whitlock has written several articles about it. Almost every fly fisherman I've talked to has a bit of a unique approach.

However, there are a couple of schools of thought on the size. One is that it makes little or no difference. You're just trying to get the fish's attention with one fly or the other. Another is that you want the larger, more buoyant fly at the front with the deeper running smaller at the rear (commonly called the dropper.) Even using the first fly - a dry - as an indicator.

Then there is the idea of tying a small fly in front of a larger fly to imitate a larger "fish" chasing a smaller "fish" or insect.

Then there is the idea of tying an egg in front of a wooly bugger or other streamer...

Then there is also...

Well, you get the idea...

I would try tying a small fly about 18 inches behind a larger fly to begin with. You'll find casting will be a bit different with a lot of these rigs, so start out rather simple. But get ready for some tangles in the beginning until you get the idea. OH... and start out with shorter casts...

Thanks Terry for spending the time to respond.. I guess another question is.. what percentage do most flyfisherman fish a dropper? I guess I'm going to start getting my dropper eduaction for next time on the water.. Thx to all for responding.. I guess thats why I come to this web site everyday.. Thx again..

PK

[flyfishmaster]

KingFish,

I fish a two rig setup 99% of the time. The vast majority of the time I'm nymphing, but when I throw a crackleback or hopper I will still tie on a small bead head as a trailer. I still catch more on the dropper fly then I do on the lead fly.

Terry was so right about something... casting. I use the short line, high sticking technique where there is no to little false casting. The more false casting you do, the higher the changes of tangling your flies.

Terry mentioned multiple ways of attaching the leader, and of course I perform this task a bit different. I run both lines through the lead flies’ eye. I use a knot tying tool and make one knot with both lines. I have been doing this for 8 years now and that knot has only failed me 3 times. All those times were I'm fault for not testing the knot first.

Good luck and I hope this will help you out.

FFM

[Brian Wise]

I'm with FFM. If the water I am fishing allows a 2 fly rig I will be fishing one if I am nymphing. To add to the list of tips that have been given so far I will add this. If your first fly is barbless do not tie your dropper onto that fly at the hook, it will slip off. If you are fishing a barbless hook as your top fly I would suggest tying your dropper to the eye of the top fly, it can be a pain if the eye is small but it will stay on.

The way I look at dropper fishing is that in a lot of water we fish we have to add weight to a one fly rig and that weight (split shot, putty, etc) does not have a hook and does not look like a bug! It kind of drives me crazy to put enough shot on the line to get a smaller fly to the bottom. Having said that though a lot of the time I still have to add weight above the top fly.

Brian

[Thom]

All of the ideas above are good. I make it real simple. I usually tie the first fly mostly as an attractor. Multicolored egg fly or san jaun worm first with the usual knot I tie on a single fly just leaving about 18 inches of tag line past the first fly. The second fly , the dropper, is the main attracton or best fly in my opinion and accounts for most of the strikes. Using the dropper has greatly increased my daily counts and strikes usually on the lower dropper fly. The reason I start at 18 inches is that it allow for tying on a few times if the first dropper don't work or if you want to go more shallow. I usually end up at abut 12 inches on my dropper if they are midging with 12 inches below the indicator or as deep as 4 to five foot below the indicator if the fish seem to be deeper in the water column. That's what works for me.

I have tried the other method of tying onto the bend of the first hook and not found great benefit. It is also harder until you get the drift of it.

[Paola Cat]

I rig it exactly like Thom. I use the dropper primarily when nymphing. Larger and/or heavier attractor nymph or egg on top .... smaller pattern on the bottom. Occaisionally I'll use big dry as an indicator (Stimmie, Humpy, or EHC) and use a dropper midge/nymph. I use some sort of dropper rig about 1/3 of the time. PC