Dry Dropper Combo

[sjfries]

I have read a lot of guys use a dry/dropper combo, usually i have read about a hopper/dropper combo. i recently tried this on the weekend and found that the dry was constantly being pulled under by the current affecting the dropper.

 

is this the norm for this type of fishing? also what length is the dropper as this might have been my problem, dropper too long?

 

steven.

[Guest bigbadbrent]

Heres my steps if i'm getting pulled under while dropping, but this is all dependent on what i'm trying to keep the same. If i'm only hopper dropping and want to be using that nymph, and don't really care which hopper im using, i'll just straight off change to a much bigger hopper...if you're more balanced and looking for the best of both worlds i'd follow this pattern

 

1. Dry off and Gink (floatant) your hopper

2 shorten the length of the dropper

3. get a smaller dropper

4. get a non-beadheaded dropper

5. bigger top fly

 

I usually only hopper/drop when i'm using a hopper size 8 and bigger, or any dry those sizes. Anything under that size i find lasts 2 seconds on the surface before it disapears (but again, dependant on the size of the dropped fly)

[bigbowtrout]

Using a foam hopper works well with gink on it

[birchy]

I have read a lot of guys use a dry/dropper combo, usually i have read about a hopper/dropper combo. i recently tried this on the weekend and found that the dry was constantly being pulled under by the current affecting the dropper.

 

is this the norm for this type of fishing? also what length is the dropper as this might have been my problem, dropper too long?

 

steven.

 

Set the hook!!

 

[Guest rusty]

I like to fish a 3' dropper in most places and I always try to use a tungsten beaded fly. Obviously you need a larger hopper to float it - but it gets that nymph into some really fishy places in a hurry.

 

You can also use a smaller bead and stop the cast abruptly to get a sort of tuck cast out of the rig.

[toolman]

Hopper/Dropper rigs were originally developed for fishing SLOW water, along the grassy banks where the hoppers live and get blown into the water on hot, windy afternoons of late summer. Having the Hopper pulled into the film a little, by a weighted wet fly hanging off of it, helped improve the presentation of the Hopper, as dead hoppers don't often float very high on the surface, but slightly in or below the film. The bonus was the dropper fly hanging down in the water column 20"-24", to entice the shy fish that would not risk taking anything off the surface. The slow water along the banks, with tall grass, was the ideal habitat to produce hoppers and slow moving water with a uniform speed from surface to bottom, allowed both flys to drift harmoniously without causing any problems with the swim of each fly.

Todays Hopper/dropper combo's include Skid Bitches, Large Beetles, Stimulators etc., as the dry and even small leeches as the dropper. Leeches like slow bank water too, so do worms and cranefly larva, some species of emerging Caddis and Drakes...not to mention drowned adults of every species of mayfly, stonefly, ants, beetles and the list of possibilities goes on. Best check the water and see whats in the drift and where it is drifting in the water column. That's what and where you want your Hopper/Dropper to be, just like the natural insects drifting.

[Christofficer]

Toolman has it bang on. Let it ride low. I only put floatant on the very top with a small amount, and don't use floatant that gets runny when it's been heating up in your vest all day. I still don't use a beadhead with a hopper/dropper setup though, because I find it's easier to cast the lighter rig. Using a fly as an indicator is the best setup imo, and I use it all the time, even in fast water. You don't need all that weight people use just to get the dropper down.

[Guest bigbadbrent]

Toolman has it bang on. Let it ride low. I only put floatant on the very top with a small amount, and don't use floatant that gets runny when it's been heating up in your vest all day. I still don't use a beadhead with a hopper/dropper setup though, because I find it's easier to cast the lighter rig. Using a fly as an indicator is the best setup imo, and I use it all the time, even in fast water. You don't need all that weight people use just to get the dropper down.

 

Why wouldn't you use the runny floatant. Technically you're supposed to apply the floatant to your palm and wait for it to warm up and get into a liquid form before applying it, though few people do it that way.

[maxwell]

it weights the fly more dude rubbing it into the bodies of floss and dubbed flies i still do tho but im more of a foam guy now....birchy has it all right tho..if the dry goes down set the hook dude....ur nymhps may be too big too

[dryfly]

bbt mentioned foam-bodied flies.

 

Foam-bodied flies

[MMAX]

When I fish I'd say 90% of the time I use the "hopper dropper" set-up. I usually use a size 10 or 12 Stimulator on top although you could use anything that floats reasonabally well (H&L, Bastard Adams, etc.) and lots of floatant on the fly and up the length of the leader. I use no more that about 24 inches of dropper tippet and use a bead head at least a hook size smaller than my dry. This set-up also gives the trout either a dry or a nymph to choose from and possibly a chance for you to hook two fish at once.

[Hawgstoppah]

One other quick note, might help the problem. Take out all your flies tonight and apply floatant to them. Let it dry on them. You'll notice a difference next time your on stream. It seems to sort of seal them, and make them a lot more bouyant.

[bigalcal]

One other quick note, might help the problem. Take out all your flies tonight and apply floatant to them. Let it dry on them. You'll notice a difference next time your on stream. It seems to sort of seal them, and make them a lot more bouyant.

 

I was wondering about that ,Bowcrow. When I switch dry flies I usually tie on the fly, check the barb then apply Gink. I'm sure the Gink must come off pretty quick if it is wet when it hits the water. Ginking and letting it dry for a while makes total sense.

While we are on the topic, after releasing a fish and fishing again quite often the fly sinks. Probably due to fish gob, rearranged hackles, post etc. I had a pill bottle of that Loon silica type stuff which I would use to dry it out with a shake. It fell out of my vest and before I buy another can anyone recommend another product or technique?

Thanks

[Hawgstoppah]

Blowing on it and false casting works well, as does switching flies (for a bit) and just letting the soaked fishy one dry out on your vest patch...

[bigalcal]

I do that too...

[MMAX]

I fold my vest patch in two and squeeze the fly inbetween, that usually soaks up a lot of the water. Then blow on it, re-apply Gink and false cast it a few times. Of course when a fish takes it again you may have to change flies.

[Christofficer]

Why wouldn't you use the runny floatant. Technically you're supposed to apply the floatant to your palm and wait for it to warm up and get into a liquid form before applying it, though few people do it that way.

I don't know where you've been reading this, because floatant is best used when it's a consistent texture. Hence why loon makes a floatant that stays the same texture through any extreme temperature. And besides, did you even read the rest of my post? I said I like to have my dry riding low. That runny crap ends up sinking the fly even more.

[tgo]

I've used the hopper-dropper technique a little bit, but always end up taking the nymph off because it is more difficult to cast along the bank in tight spots. Never caught nothing using that technique, but keep hearing it works so well. My question is, since you only use about 24" of tippet for the dropper, doesn't that mean you can only use it two feet of water or less? I fished hoppers and stimmies in fast runs 3 or 4 feet deep all the time, where there is no chance the dropper could sink fast enough. That being said, is it possible that a big dry on the surfce get the trout's attention and if it doesn't want to rise at least it will prbably see your dropper and hit it? I just can't imagine a beadhead with no split sinking fast enough, let alone an unweighted nymph on only 24" of tippet. This is a timely topic since lately I've noticed hoppers coming out.

[maxwell]

tgo i here ya dude i got hinking about that oneday highstick nymping on teh bog when i saw how logn it too for my nymph rig too sinnk in a foot riffle...so now i usually fish my droppers a bit longer than 2ft more like 3-4 for those reasons and sometimes ill fish two tine 16 or smaller just for more weight but ive fished droppers with a 7 foot leader and a 5 foot dropper a few times. really ugly too cast and not really typical hopper dropper fishing. but on teh eastlopes i run 3-4 ill fish a shorter 2ft if the fly im dropping is a pupae or emerger and teh fish are taking them in the film...

[MMAX]

Start buying or tying your nymphs with tungsten beads instead of brass. A very dense heavy metal, it will sink your fly in no time.

[tgo]

Maxwell, that's a good point about the emerger or pupa riding just below the surface. I always tell myself to tie on a little larger elkhair caddis and then a couple of feet down tie on an emerger and use it as a strike indicator. I've heard people tell me that it's all they do when fishing that hatch, and that they swing it around at the end of their drift too.

[Hawgstoppah]

Try this right now guys, from about 6-10am or so, should be trico hatches and spinner falls. Tie on a #20 adams (your indicator) on 5x... then go with about 18 inches of tippet, and tie on a #22 - 24 trico spinner (wings flat on the water). Watch your #20 dry... if there's a rise within 2 feet, set hook.

 

This is how I became part of the 24/24 club