Dropper Flies: Part 2

[tctrout 0]

Continuing this series, in Part 2 I share an easy method to attach dropper flies above the point fly, plus give some sample situations in which this is encouraged. Feel free to share your thoughts and ideas, especially those that enjoy fishing droppers off of the leader.

 

TC

[GC59 0]

Hi Tim, I am curious do you ever use a strike indicator above these multiple fly set ups? Thanks Gary

[tctrout 0]

Hi Tim, I am curious do you ever use a strike indicator above these multiple fly set ups? Thanks Gary

 

Absolutely, Gary; I use different types of indicators, including floating and in-line. I also like the leader material that is high-vis (and sometimes two colors), which makes it nice to see in shallow-water situations.

 

Do you use indicators much?

TC

[GC59 0]

 

Hi Tim, I am curious do you ever use a strike indicator above these multiple fly set ups? Thanks Gary

 

Absolutely, Gary; I use different types of indicators, including floating and in-line. I also like the leader material that is high-vis (and sometimes two colors), which makes it nice to see in shallow-water situations.

 

Do you use indicators much?

TC

 

Just in certain situations, water conditions that I consider them useful,but no not much.

[Crackaig 0]

Having just watched both I have to ask why re-define the point fly? Almost all trout fishing done here involves the use of multi fly rigs. The point fly is always the one furthest from the reel. The "bob" fly, the nearest to the reel. The definition you are using seems to be the first fly you tie on. Changing this is confusing.

 

Historically up to 11 flies have been used on one line for Loch style fishing, but the convention today is three, with the slimmest / heaviest fly furthest from the reel. It is much easier to cast this way. On the occasions, when the wind dictates, two flies are used. There have been variations to this set up which have mostly come from competition fishing. Most notable is the "washing line". When the fish are high in the water table a bushy or even buoyant fly is used on the point (furthest from the reel) and a couple of slimmer flies (Diwal Bach, midge pupa, etc) on droppers. The point fly keeps the leader up in the water, letting the other flies hang down as if they were on a washing line.

 

Dropper loops are one way to attach a dropper, but frankly are a pain. They dictate where you have your droppers, You can't vary the spacing easily. Also they are a pain to tie. What has become our go to method is to just tie a dropper to the leader with a figure of eight knot. Only one knot is required per dropper, halving the work required with a dropper loop. When used up, or you want to vary the spacing, simply trim the dropper to the knot and tie on a new one where you want it. The figure of eight knot is much quicker to tie, and is particularly good for joining dis-similar materials.

 

The dropper spacing that we use are generally much greater than you are recommending, They can be anything up to 6 feet apart. Sometimes more. One reason for this it the way multi fly set ups work. Often the bob fly, creating a disturbance in or just below the water surface brings a fish up to look at your fly. Often they will turn away from it and take one of the other flies on the leader. If the flies are as close as you are suggesting by the time the fish has turned it is past the other flies. Some days you will be catching well on middle and point flies but the bob fly takes no fish. If you take the bob fly off, replacing it with something else that might catch, then you stop catching altogether. A sure sign that the bob fly is bringing the fish to your flies.

 

On rivers here multi fly set ups are used for north country spiders and Czech nymphs. For north country spiders it would be normal to use a spacing of three to four feet between flies. Czech nymphing sometimes closer. Talking with John Tyzak a few years ago, he explained that he never put a lighter nymph trailing a heavier one on his leader. It caused too many tangles. His heavy flies often contain up to 5 tungsten beads. Such flies are often considered "sacrificial" and are there just to get the other flies to depth.

 

Interesting subject using droppers, Much more to it than first appears. It also takes a while to get used to casting with them. You are right on the length, more than 6 inches is a recipe for tangles. They are even used for salmon here, with a small fly added up the leader.

 

Cheers,

C.

[tctrout 0]

Having just watched both I have to ask why re-define the point fly? Almost all trout fishing done here involves the use of multi fly rigs. The point fly is always the one furthest from the reel. The "bob" fly, the nearest to the reel. The definition you are using seems to be the first fly you tie on. Changing this is confusing.

 

Historically up to 11 flies have been used on one line for Loch style fishing, but the convention today is three, with the slimmest / heaviest fly furthest from the reel. It is much easier to cast this way. On the occasions, when the wind dictates, two flies are used. There have been variations to this set up which have mostly come from competition fishing. Most notable is the "washing line". When the fish are high in the water table a bushy or even buoyant fly is used on the point (furthest from the reel) and a couple of slimmer flies (Diwal Bach, midge pupa, etc) on droppers. The point fly keeps the leader up in the water, letting the other flies hang down as if they were on a washing line.

 

Dropper loops are one way to attach a dropper, but frankly are a pain. They dictate where you have your droppers, You can't vary the spacing easily. Also they are a pain to tie. What has become our go to method is to just tie a dropper to the leader with a figure of eight knot. Only one knot is required per dropper, halving the work required with a dropper loop. When used up, or you want to vary the spacing, simply trim the dropper to the knot and tie on a new one where you want it. The figure of eight knot is much quicker to tie, and is particularly good for joining dis-similar materials.

 

The dropper spacing that we use are generally much greater than you are recommending, They can be anything up to 6 feet apart. Sometimes more. One reason for this it the way multi fly set ups work. Often the bob fly, creating a disturbance in or just below the water surface brings a fish up to look at your fly. Often they will turn away from it and take one of the other flies on the leader. If the flies are as close as you are suggesting by the time the fish has turned it is past the other flies. Some days you will be catching well on middle and point flies but the bob fly takes no fish. If you take the bob fly off, replacing it with something else that might catch, then you stop catching altogether. A sure sign that the bob fly is bringing the fish to your flies.

 

On rivers here multi fly set ups are used for north country spiders and Czech nymphs. For north country spiders it would be normal to use a spacing of three to four feet between flies. Czech nymphing sometimes closer. Talking with John Tyzak a few years ago, he explained that he never put a lighter nymph trailing a heavier one on his leader. It caused too many tangles. His heavy flies often contain up to 5 tungsten beads. Such flies are often considered "sacrificial" and are there just to get the other flies to depth.

 

Interesting subject using droppers, Much more to it than first appears. It also takes a while to get used to casting with them. You are right on the length, more than 6 inches is a recipe for tangles. They are even used for salmon here, with a small fly added up the leader.

 

Cheers,

C.

 

Thanks for the reply, C., and I always am curious as to differences between our styles of fishing in our countries and types of waterways. In my video, I am referring to moving water in medium-sized rivers, with adjustments made accordingly.

 

Regarding the point fly, for nymph fishing moving waters, the first pattern tied to the leader (typically the heaviest) is the point. At times, it may be the "bottom" fly you elude to, but anything additionally tied on the leader qualifies as a dropper, regardless of in front of or behind the point.

 

The distances you mention definitely seem excessive, but alas for a different style of fishing. In the case of river fishing with trout on the bottom, the first fly through captures attention (ESPECIALLY in fast moving currents), and the fish then has moments to take on the second or third (hence why fishing a larger point with smaller imitative droppers can be effective). This is very similar to the Czech-style technique, though many fish with the lighter trailing a heavier. I wonder if the tangles are due to the excessive weight, of which I don't use that many beads on a fly! Though I find it very interesting...and may tie some up for future use. ;-)

 

Finally, regarding the dropper loops, they are a pain! Ha ha. I believe I said that in the video, but also mentioned that I have a leader exclusively dedicated to nymphing, with various points established. Because of that, tippet can be added easily to those points, and the spacing is already complete. I will normally have three locations for dropper loops above the point (and normally use these for emergers, soft, hackles, and other flies when fish are higher in the water column).

 

Like you said, there is a lot to droppers! When I first made Part 1, the video was nearly an hour long! I then went back to the drawing board, decided to simply share my general setups above and below the point, and then created the two-part series. Like you, I could undoubtedly discuss this for hours on end, as it is an extremely rewarding style of fly fishing with many intricacies.

 

Thanks for sharing your own insight, as the loch-style seems very unique in itself, too.

 

TC