# FLYFISHING WITH DROPPERS



## troutwhisperer (Jan 1, 2009)

Just curious how many of you use droppers? What are the advantages & disadvantages of using droppers and do you tie it on the bend of the hook or eye of the hook?


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## katorade (Sep 23, 2007)

I use them when I'm having a good day of not getting tangled up.


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## dartangion (Jul 2, 2008)

I typically use them at first before I have caught anything just to see what the fish are into. I usually keep one on to increase my chances!  I also like doing a dry-dropper if there are some rising. I have always tied it on the bend.


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## katorade (Sep 23, 2007)

dartangion said:


> I typically use them at first before I have caught anything just to see what the fish are into. I usually keep one on to increase my chances!  I also like doing a dry-dropper if there are some rising. I have always tied it on the bend.


What knot do you use?


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## dartangion (Jul 2, 2008)

I just use the good ole' improved clinch knot....it hasn't failed me yet! How about you?


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## katorade (Sep 23, 2007)

Ya it failed me last Saturday once, just checking that's what I use. 

Thank


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## dartangion (Jul 2, 2008)

Well now that you mention it, when I tie on my dropper and do the improved clinch, I always give it and extra hard tug to see if it would break while fighting a fish. I'd say 20-30% of the time it does. Now I don't know if it is due to bad line, bad tying or something else, but I make dang sure that that thing isn't coming off before I throw it in. There are others that you can use, but I always use the clinch cause it is the first one I think of and I can tie it the fastest.


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## sinergy (Mar 6, 2008)

I rarely ever fish with just one fly anymore tandem rigs are the way to go. It gives you the opportunity to fish 2 depths either surface and sub-surface or bouncing off the bottom and mid-currant. As of lately it seems the fish zero in on my attractor and end up hooking my dropper.

Heres a really good article

http://www.midcurrent.com/articles/tech ... ouble.aspx

Theres also another link in the article some were on fly combination's

Simple way to tie a improved clinch knot is make a loop with an inch or two of tag end hanging out stick your finger in the loop and twist 4 or 5 times then push the tag end through the loop then back through the loop in the tag end and pull


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## lehi (Sep 13, 2007)

sinergy the same thing always happens to me. They go for my dry and when I set my hook, I hook them on the outside of their mouth with my dropper. It works :lol:


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## troutwhisperer (Jan 1, 2009)

Thank you for all the input, sinergy yours was the meal ticket I was looking for, Thanks again.


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## cosmo71 (Aug 12, 2009)

I used to be strictly a clinch knot guy until I came across the Davy knot. It is quicker and easier to tie...especially this time of year with cold fingers.


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## dartangion (Jul 2, 2008)

you're right the Davy knot is a lot easier, I'll try and remember that next time I'm out.


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## katorade (Sep 23, 2007)

How do you tie it any videos?


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## flyguy7 (Sep 16, 2007)

I don't even bother with a improved clinch. just a standard clinch works fine as long as you use the correct amount of wraps (depending on line diameter) and spit on it before drawing it down. One mistake i see people make when tying it is pulling the main line and the tag. You should never touch the tag, only the hook and main line. When fishing bigger dries, nymphs and streamers, I use a non slip loop knot. WAY stronger than a duncan and gives the flies awesome action. I think it makes all the difference when streamer fishing and fishing big rubber leg dries like Chernobyls and Hoppers. BTW, the non slip mono is the ONLY knot used for any saltwater fish where a wire bite leader is not necessary (works great on 60-100lb fluoro shock, though). If its strong enough to land 150 pound tarpon on 16-20lb test, im sure it is strong enough for any trout.


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## wyogoob (Sep 7, 2007)

Davy? non slip loop? duncan? non slip mono?

Yer all knuts!

I use the goober knot....ah....and the spit.


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## campfire (Sep 9, 2007)

There are advantages and disadvantages to fishing droppers. Many of the advantages have been mentioned. But the two big disadvantages are 1) they increase the chances of foul hookups and 2) they increase the chances of tangling. I use droppers allmost exclusively while nymphing (because I don't make a lot of false cast while nymphing) and I use them when using a dry attractor for a strike indicator (dry and dropper). But I find that I have much fewer tangles when dry fly fishing if I don't use tandom flys.


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## Leaky (Sep 11, 2007)

I'm one that fishes with droppers. I like them because of offering different selections to different fish or even the same, i.e. whities and trout. I really hate the time to spend un tangling the line when the second dropper hooks the fish.     Is there any way around this? I realize part of my problem is I actually put my weight on the end with the 2 droppers above for better bottom bouncing and when I snag the bottom I lose the split shot only because I use a much lighter line for the split shot. Any suggestions??? 
P.S. good subject - thanks for posting


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## USMARINEhuntinfool (Sep 15, 2007)

So Leaky, you put the split shot below your tandem fly rig? Does that work well? Never heard of that being done.


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## sinergy (Mar 6, 2008)

Leaky have you tried switching to a bouncing rig like the provo bouncer ?


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## USMARINEhuntinfool (Sep 15, 2007)

Sinergy you have my attention WTH is a Provo Bouncer? Sorry still new and learning a lot. Thanks.


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## sinergy (Mar 6, 2008)

This one will cost a 6 pack of your finest no cheap beer allowed ..    

The Provo bouncer is a simple rig to drift your flies along the bottom of a river. Its similar to a drop shot rig a bass fisher would use. You basically pinch on weight at the very end of your leader then tie in one or two lengths of tippet 6 to 12 inches up in the leader then tie in your flies. The weight bounces along the bottom of the river while your flies drift higher up in column

Only downside is this rig cant be cast like a normal dry or you will end up with a tangled mess. Best to high stick it letting the river load your rod or roll cast it.

I fish this rig more on the weber than I do the provo but on a hot day were the fish are holding in deeper water this rig slays them.

Heres a much better write up 
http://www.flyfisherman.com/content/bounce-nymphing


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## Leaky (Sep 11, 2007)

Ive read your post on the Provo bouncer and can't see anything different from what I do. My main problem is tangles, especially when I get one on the upper dropper and the fish does a lot of rolling and direction changes.  Maybe my dropper line needs to be shortened to about 2" max????


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## flyguy7 (Sep 16, 2007)

I use a bounce rig for 90% of the nymphing on my guide trips throughout the year. Here are a couple tips to help keep tangles down

-Use short tag droppers. I like to keep mine around 3 inches
-the distance between the two flies MUST be longer than the combined length of the tag droppers
-Use heavier tippet. Even on size 20 flies, you do not need anything lighter than 4x. People have a hard time believing this one but when bouncing i almost use regular 4x mono exclusively
-forget about putting on a new leader and just run tippet off of the butt. The weights at the bottom will straighten out the tippet easier because it is not as stiff. Purely the opposite as turning over a dry fly
-Use a very buoyant indicator. I like either balloons or the larger thingamabobbers
-Keep adding weight until your indicator looks like a ping pong ball bouncing down a staircase
-Never EVER use brass or tungsten bead head flies on a bounce rig
-When you form your surgeons knots for the tags, make sure you clip the BOTTOM tag and tie your fly to the TOP tag.

If any of you are interested I will be teaching the nymphing class at the Wasatch fly fishing and tying expo this year


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## wyogoob (Sep 7, 2007)

Ooh, good pointers flyguy. I'm gonna go with the 4x you recommend. 

I use thingamabobbers, I do.


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## sinergy (Mar 6, 2008)

Leaky that is a very good question every once in a while I get tangled up or my second fly get tangled in my net but there days I can go all day and not get one tangle... As mention earlier what diameter of tippet are you using ? I know if I go 7x or smaller it get tangles 



Another pointer is no need to use expensive tapered leaders with this rig using fishing line will suffice. For the leader I use 6 to 8lbs p-line evolution since it has a very thin diameter compared to normal mono or flouro I also use 4 to 5x tipped for the flies. But Ive also run out of tipped and used 6lb flouro and it work just fine.


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## kochanut (Jan 10, 2010)

Leaky said:


> Ive read your post on the Provo bouncer and can't see anything different from what I do. My main problem is tangles, especially when I get one on the upper dropper and the fish does a lot of rolling and direction changes.  Maybe my dropper line needs to be shortened to about 2" max????


alot of tangles when fishing a dropper (that i have found, and im by no means good at fly fishing) come from from the cast, and snapping the wrist. try loading the butt of your rod underneath the wrist cuff of a long sleeve shirt. it keeps the wrist straight all the time.... again this is what i have found, and it works like a charm, especially when its towards the end of the day and im getting tired.


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## Leaky (Sep 11, 2007)

Thanks guys, good suggestions! Just a point to re clarify. I don't get tangles casting, just after I have landed my fish. I either just use a medium to short role cast or just a swing and drop on small waterways. Of late, I have been using 3X for my leader and 4X for my droppers. and 6X for my split shot tag line. Haven't been using a surgeons knot. I guess maybe I need to change. All I've been doing is tying an over hand knot in the area I want my dropper and then simply tying a improved clinch Knot to the fly and leader. I use an overhand knot at the end of the leader to attach my 6X (or lighter) tag line with a clinch knot and than another overhand knot at the end of my split shot line so the split shot doesn't slip off. I hope I explained this right, a little confusing, maybe?


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## USMARINEhuntinfool (Sep 15, 2007)

Thanks for the info guys, do any of you have illustrations for your setups they would be much appreciated and help my simple mind to understand better. Thanks again guys.


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## USMARINEhuntinfool (Sep 15, 2007)

Oh and sinergy what beer do you prefer :wink:


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## flyguy7 (Sep 16, 2007)

4 main types of nymphing rigs-


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## USMARINEhuntinfool (Sep 15, 2007)

Thanks Flyguy, any recomendations for when to use each rig...


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## troutwhisperer (Jan 1, 2009)

WOW! Lots of good stuff, Thanks guys.


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## ScottyP (Sep 12, 2007)

There is a certain size of stream with a particular type of character that just begs for a Chernobyl ant with a # 12 or 14 copper john dropper below it. Like maybe a medium small freestone stream with a classic run-riffle-pool type of feel to it.


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## troutwhisperer (Jan 1, 2009)

Yea, been dreamin about it the last three months. :mrgreen:


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## flyguy7 (Sep 16, 2007)

ScottyP said:


> There is a certain size of stream with a particular type of character that just begs for a Chernobyl ant with a # 12 or 14 copper john dropper below it. Like maybe a medium small freestone stream with a classic run-riffle-pool type of feel to it.


+1000, im with ya on that one, Scotty


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