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3. Droppers

Does anyone else lose their dropper if a fish takes the dry? It has been happening to me quite a bit lately and I don't know why - Knot? Where I tie on? Hook-set? During the fight (which is what I think happens)? Thanks for any help.

Al,
Well, how do you attach your droppers?
and what is the loss mode?
I like to tie on a midge dropper with 18"
of dropper tippet tied to the bend of my dry
using a 7 wrap clinch knot.
If your dropper tippet is too long, or
your dropper fly too heavy,you are probably
hanging up on the bottom.
Hope this helps.
Dick

To All,

I read an Old North American Anglers book that stating that the Dropper line is attached to the main point of the main stem of the leader. I am curios to note what the loss rate is from anyone that uses this setup on a regular basis.

V/R

As Flybyknight stated when I add a dropper to my dry, which is very often, I always add it to the bend of the top fly hook. I usually use the same break strength line as that of the tippet. I've noticed, that often if I am late striking, the dropper fly will "hook" the fish in some part of their anatomy other than the mouth. Sometimes even when the fish is hooked in the mouth with the top fly the thrashing of the fish makes the dropper get impaled in a fin or someplace else.

One note about droppers that many of you may not be trying is to add another dry fly to your line. I often have a dry fly on and will add piece of 5X or 6X (12" - 30") and add either the same pattern (create a hatch LOL) or add another size or a different pattern.

It is easy to watch two flies if they are only 12" apart but it is really a test of your eyesight to try and keep track of two when they are 30" apart.

Hello,

Thank you for the information. I am anxious to try this set and asked my fly supplier to make some suggestions regarding this strategy. Dan at flydealflies.com has come up with some patterns to use that I will try once I get another order placed. I see nothing wrong with creating your own hatch and kind of like the idea personally. Now all I have to do is capture the type bugs we have out on our streams and and either tie or buy the little buggers. My eyes are getting old and spotting those little buggers can be a challenge these days.
Concerning the setup, do you know of anyone that ties the dropper line to the main leader junction?

The more traditional dropper set up is to leave the tag ends of the tippet in a knotted leader about six inches long. Then you can add a fly to each of the two tag ends and another to the end of the leader.

Another method that I like better is to make two Perfection loops in the leader about 12" - 15" apart. Then tie short sections of tippet to the loops and add your fly. When the tippet gets short cut off the remnant and add a new 6" piece.

I prefer to tie the dropper off of the eye of the lead fly. I feel more confidence in the hookset this way.
Jeff

Hi Guys,

I am going to experiment with all your suggestions along with the one I mentioned just to try them all out. This is new territory for me so I am anxious to give it a try. I love wet fly fishing and really enjoy the dry fly side of it too. I appreciate the great feed abck. Now all I am waiting on is the rain to stop falling and my new fly line to get here so I can get my new Mystic rods and reels out on the water

Cheers