Dropperknots/performance

[Quill gordon]

When fishing two or more flies, I either use the 'dropper loop knot' or the 'blood knot'.
It seems to me that the fly on the dropper gets tangled/wraps on the main tippet. The length of the dropper is about 6".
Should the dropper be the same size(gague) as the main tippet, or should it be larger or smaller?
Is there a performance (fly movement) difference between the 'loop' knot and the 'blood' knot ?
Links included..........
* Dropper loop"..............
http://www.flyanglersonline.com/

** Blood knot..........
http://www.flyanglersonline.com/

[Midge Man]

I just use the standard ol' improved clinch knot on my dropper. I think the tangle that you are describing may be the result of false casting too much with the dropper rig. The more false casts, the more likely it is that you are going ot have a mess.

That being said, I usually go one size smaller on my tippet for the dropper. Typically I will use 5x to the lead fly and then 6x off of that to a very small midge. Works alright for me most of the time.

[Micropteris]

This is my post from the earlier warmwater thread

"Another rig is to use 5 turn surgeon's knots to tie in about a foot of leader material. You will end up with two 4-5 inch tags that ly parallel to the leader, one pointing towards the flyline and one lying toward the terminal fly. Snip the tag pointing toward the flyline and tie your droppers to the tag pointing to your main fly.

In this system you main leader is never cut and the droppers lay along side the leader on 2-3 tags, makes casting easier, plus the shorter your dropper leads the less likely the system will foul. Plus there are no obstructions on any of the hooks to prevent doubles.

If you are fishing a popper and dropper nymphs, by putting the Popper as your end or terminal fly it will keep your dropper nymphs suspending. Picture them as a U. Once your release pressure the nymphs will slowly sink creating a U in your leader. Put tension back into the setup, with a strip and the flies will rise up as the U straightens, this can be a killer technique, basicall it is like vertically jigging your nymphs.

By putting the popper as the first dropper line the rest of the flies will hang down behing it, that is how you can fish them deeper without creating that U effect.

I will routinely fish 3-5 flies using this technique, where legal I might add. Open your loops a bit and slow dwn your stroke and you will have no problems casting multiple flies.

Sorry no picture but picture it as

..................dropper......dropper......droppe r
flyline ______/_________/_________/________termial fly "


The shorter the leads the less likely they will foul. I use this setup all the time in the salt.

[Joe Billingsley]

I'll connect the dropper tippet to the bend of the first fly with either a clinch or a 16-20 knot, just like I connect the indicator fly and the dropper fly to the tippet. The tippet size will correspond to the size of the fly. There was an article in a magazine some time ago that recommended using a stiffer material for the dropper tippet to keep from tangling. I've tried it and it does seem to help maybe a little with the tangling, although exactly how much it helps I don't know.
Joe

[Quill gordon]

Midge man.....
Thank you.

JB,
I know a lot of people use that method. I think I would have trouble using that method.
thanks.

Micropteris,
That is a simple knot to use. I normally fish a BH nymph and an emerger, with the emerger on the dropper.
Thanks...
* I only make 2 or 3 false casts, so I don't think its the casting.
** My dad always said: "you can't catch fish unless your fly is in the water".......

Anyone use the loop or blood knot ?

[dudley]

I've used both the dropper loop and blood knot in the past, but I tend to stick mostly with the blood knot because it holds the dropper at 90 degrees
I use as heavy a tippet as I can get away with, 4x normally, and try not to have my droppers extend more than four inches.

Roll casts, open loops...yady yady yady

[raw69]

QG - Check out this knot. It is so easy that I had to tie it six times before I believed it. Allegedly 100% strength.
http://www.pechetruite.com/Noeuds/Davy-knot.htm

I tried it as a dropper knot and it works for that, too.

[Capt. Ahab]

I usually tie tippet or leader sections together with surgeons knots and flies get tied on from the eye or the bend with improved clinch knots. Simple and effective.

[Quill gordon]

Dudley..
Is the dropper the same diameter(X) as the tippet, or one size larger or smaller?
I do a lot of roll cast too, when I get lazy. Maybe that could be a problem!
Yes.... both knots are at 90* to the tippet, that is why I use them!

Capt. Ahab ...... thanks

raw69 ........... thanks

[dudley]

Is the dropper the same diameter(X) as the tippet, or one size larger or smaller?

The dropper(X)is heavier than the point(X)
... and roll casts are a good thing