Popper/Dropper One Weight Hoot

[rrhyne56]

I have told myself countless times "man, you need to fish that popper/dropper" and I've continually been too dadgummed lazybones to do so. Finally I grabbed myself by the scruff of the neck and tied on a dropper under the foam spider I was fishing.

Interesting fly, my buddy Dan got a big box of them from a bargain bin at Cabelas in Fort Worth. Not at all sure of the name, it looks like this Some goose biot behind a beadhead behind some marabou; all on a #14 or #16 hook.

So I tied about 12" of tippet off of the bend of a simple foam spider and started working the edges of my "comfort food" pond. The results were pleasing and I ought not to have been so surprised. I took to hand a number of nice bream as well as a load of rinky dinks. Not too surprisingly, there were some bigguns hanging around the fishing pier pilings. I should have gotten photos but I was too excited and just tossed them back with a kiss and big "thank you".


See all that weed in the background? It is my favorite in the whole wide world! Not only does it provide cover and holding fish but its so wimpy that when the fly snags, just take up the slack, give a steady pull and the weed just gives up and breaks off. No more lost flies or need to invent new swears! I guess I oughta market the stuff!

[Rick Z]

IF you did not get a fish on the rubber spider at the same time, there is some more fun inthe future for you. Good looking water.

Rick

[FishnDave]

I also have heard good things about the popper/dropper, and also have not made myself try that rig. Too lazy to make 2 more knots!

[Buddy Sanders]

Robin,

I think I'm going to spearhead an effort to OUTLAW the use of a dropper fly behind a popper or spider in fisheries where bluegills exist.

It's soooooo effective it shouldn't be legal.

There is something about 'suspending' a fly in the water column that 'gills just can't resist. Maybe it's the popper causing all that fuss on the surface that draws them in, where they find a nice little fly that poses no risk to them when they eat it.

Just as a warning, don't even THINK about using a similar rig when targeting bass........it won't work at all .

Buddy

[warmfishernc]

yeah the popper/dropper doubles are a lot of fun...

[Greg Hunsicker]

I use a dropper when fishing for just about every species that I fish for with fly rods.

[FishnDave]

Warmfishernc,
What kind of sunfish are those in your picture? The spots ahead of the opercle are confusing me...

[rrhyne56]

Look for my "Ought Weight Hoot" coming soon (as soon as I fish with my ought weight this afternoon!)

[Eight Thumbs]

The world waits anxiously to hear the results of your afternoon adventure! 8T

[rrhyne56]

The ought weight hoot turned out to be a bummer. The fish just weren't cooperating with me that day. I need to get out there early in the morning.

I did return to the scene of earlier one weight hoot and had a fine time.
Today I was headed down to Dallas after work and had an hour or so to kill in between. So what with three fly rods and my tackle sitting in my truck I called Don with an invite and headed to Duck Creek.

I am finding more and more that this little one weight is about my favorite. It's plenty light and gives a good fight with smaller fish but I can still toss a small popper or a Cap Spider without too much cursing and ducking at all.

Don brought his bespoke one weight bamboo that he built out some time back.

Right off the bat I got into a mess of sunnies right where the neighborhood rainwater drain empties into the creek. captured the first two on my new phone's camera (whoo hoo!). 1.3 megapixels sure beats 0.3 any old day! Never buy any product with a VGA camera if you are at all interested in any quality photos.



Here are some shots of the rods:


Don's bamboo one weight
Don's one weight and my Cabela's one weight

I finally worked my way down to what I have come to call "the cheating hole". Way on down at the bottom right next to the Jupiter Rd. bridge is a large pool. One side has a storm drain inlet and a small tree growing over it. It's tantamount to the old saw about shooting fish in a barrel. Bass hang out in there as well. I may do a wee hours popper session some time soon.