Proper Hopper Dropper

[Guest Rocknbugs]

Hey, I read all of the posts about catching fish with a Hopper or a Hopper Dropper, I have about 30 differant Hoppers and have tried everyone of them with no success. IOs there a right and a wrong way to tie on or fish the Hopper Dropper. I tie the Hopper on at about the 6' mark then I tie the dropper off the bend of the Hopper probably about 18" below the Hopper, does this seem right. I feel like I must be doing something wrong because it just wont produce. Any feedback would be appreciated.

[NormanMcLean]

Why only 6'? I usually use a 9' leader to my dry.

[toolman]

I would try running a longer dropper tippet (4x), to get the weighted nymph down to the bottom of the streambed, where the trout feed on nymphs. You may want to try a finer, longer leader, maybe a 9' , 4x.

As for Hoppers...Most days, I don't find them to be a very effective prospecting pattern on the Bow river, but the prime time for Hoppers is just starting, so that may change.

I would recommend taking a look at the Hoppers that you find along the river and try matching it with one of your patterns.

[Guest Rocknbugs]

Hey, I read all of the posts about catching fish with a Hopper or a Hopper Dropper, I have about 30 differant Hoppers and have tried everyone of them with no success. IOs there a right and a wrong way to tie on or fish the Hopper Dropper. I tie the Hopper on at about the 6' mark then I tie the dropper off the bend of the Hopper probably about 18" below the Hopper, does this seem right. I feel like I must be doing something wrong because it just wont produce. Any feedback would be appreciated.

I have tried on the 9' leader but started to shorten it up after awhile because I find it difficult to cast a Hopper Dropper, especially with know room behind me. If I am casting just a dry fly then yes a 9' leader is ideal with know problem, its just that as soon as I tie on the Dropper my casting goes for a huge *hit.

[maxwell]

hey dude htey dont work everyday...mostly in the evenings and along the windy side of a grassy banks...

[Guest Rocknbugs]

Why only 6'? I usually use a 9' leader to my dry.

I have tried on the 9' leader but started to shorten it up after awhile because I find it difficult to cast a Hopper Dropper, especially with know room behind me. If I am casting just a dry fly then yes a 9' leader is ideal with know problem, its just that as soon as I tie on the Dropper my casting goes for a huge *hit.

[maxwell]

I have tried on the 9' leader but started to shorten it up after awhile because I find it difficult to cast a Hopper Dropper, especially with know room behind me. If I am casting just a dry fly then yes a 9' leader is ideal with know problem, its just that as soon as I tie on the Dropper my casting goes for a huge *hit.

thats the name of the game and good on ya for shortenin it up too save u the frustration....i might need a little weight or a beedhead too get tahtnymph down too...mosttimes i fish hopper dropper when fish are feeding in the film or jsut below teh surface...if i ant getten em on a hopper dropper its time too deep nymphs or dosomething else...

[Guest Rocknbugs]

thats the name of the game and good on ya for shortenin it up too save u the frustration....i might need a little weight or a beedhead too get tahtnymph down too...mosttimes i fish hopper dropper when fish are feeding in the film or jsut below teh surface...if i ant getten em on a hopper dropper its time too deep nymphs or dosomething else...

Thanks man, I read the posts and figure what the hell give'er a shot, I wont start throwing a hopper unless I see a fish near the bank feeding, like the other day I came across 2 huge browns feeding less than a foot off the bank and figured I would tie on the Hopper and try........NOTHING!! Hoppers are so big and easy to see and buggy blooking that I would just love to see that big brown take it off the surface. Oh well keep on trying, probably go out for a few hours this aft.

[walker1]

If your rig is not casting good the first questions I ask are, what weight rod, tippet size, and was it windy?

 

Rods 5 and up shoud throw a basic hopper/dropper rig well provided the other factors are in check. I floated last week and had my 4 wt. rigged for this. Also, if your hopper is a 6 or 8, I would use 2-3 feet of 3x to turn the leader over for you. You can drop the nymph with 24" 30" of 4x. Some people are weary of 3x and I see why, however, you often need this for a big fly. If your hopper is a 10, the 4x should turn it.

 

If windy conditions are your setting, then shorten everything up and if possible, use a heavier rod. I hooked 12 last week and half were hopper and half dropper. A yellow foam stimmiy is a fine hopper imitation and can still double as the popular Stones of the Bow.

 

Hope this helps!

cheers

[Guest Rocknbugs]

If your rig is not casting good the first questions I ask are, what weight rod, tippet size, and was it windy?

 

Rods 5 and up shoud throw a basic hopper/dropper rig well provided the other factors are in check. I floated last week and had my 4 wt. rigged for this. Also, if your hopper is a 6 or 8, I would use 2-3 feet of 3x to turn the leader over for you. You can drop the nymph with 24" 30" of 4x. Some people are weary of 3x and I see why, however, you often need this for a big fly. If your hopper is a 10, the 4x should turn it.

 

If windy conditions are your setting, then shorten everything up and if possible, use a heavier rod. I hooked 12 last week and half were hopper and half dropper. A yellow foam stimmiy is a fine hopper imitation and can still double as the popular Stones of the Bow.

 

Hope this helps!

cheers

Thanks for the info, I use a Sage SP+ 9' 6 weight (very fast rod) and typically use a 3x leader, so what your telling me is that I need some work on my technique. I will keep banging away at it and hope I can post a story of the big brown on my hopper dropper.

[walker1]

A 6 wt sp+ will be awesome for this. I have a 5 wt. sp, but was using my 4 wt xp last week for the h/d combo. If you had 3x to the hopper, it should turn over fine. Again, was it windy???

Sounds like you are doing things right.

[walker1]

I bet the big brown will be on soon enough!!! Also, I consider my sage sp a medium/fast rod. Maybe, yours being a sp+ is faster????

[SilverDoctor]

I only use a hopper dropper rig in shallow water next to the bank (less than 24"). And only when I see good rises. I fish other methods like high stick, swinging or indicator otherwise.

[Guest rusty]

SP+ is almost the fastest rod Sage has ever made. I have a 490SP+ for fishing the Bow and I really like it. My go-to setup for hopper-dropper fishing is a 9' 3X leader and a 3' 3X fluoro dropper on my 590XP. I always use tungsten beaded flies for droppers as they get down nice and fast.

 

Most people fish the wrong water with the rigs. I like to fish the fast shallow stuff - most of the better fish I've caught on the rig this year were in 2'-3' of choppy, broken water. For fish to take the dropper you often need to put it within 6" of them - so take the riffle, break it into 1' wide strips, and systematically work it through every strip. Once you've fished from the bank all the way out to the edge of the riffle or straight away from you, walk up 10' and repeat. You have to set the hook immediately if the dry does anything funny.

 

You obviously also want to fish the deep cutbanks and the like.

 

You will be amazed how many times a huge rainbow or brown will sit and feed in water you'd have a real hard time wading through.

 

I agree that the hopper-dropper isn't always the answer, but for the last two months, it's been what I've fished 90% of the time. It allows you to precisely place a nymph drag free in front of a fish 50' in front of you without the splat of a huge indy.