In the “Droppers” thread, I stated I NEVER use a Dry-nymph combo. My reason is that when using that combo, the nymph tends to pull the dry under the surface in a long drift. Even quicker in semi turbid waters.This is especially true since I generally use small ( #14-#20) stuff. To those of you who DO use this combo, how do you overcome this problem? AND if it’s NOT a problem for you, just what are the SPECIFIC flies, both dry and nymph, you tie on?
Mark
Mark -
I use dries with droppers rather regularly.
Believe it or not, the first thing I will recommend is going to a thread furled leader that submerges. The ones I make out of Danville 210 Flymaster Plus tying thread submerge but will not sink a dry down to size 20 in moderate currents. I often fish a size 18 Griffith Gnat with a size 16 midge larva dropper or soft hackle pheasant tail off the same leader in fairly strong currents. Getting a good casting angle to minimize the chances of drag and the need to mend line helps a lot.
Beyond the submerged thread furled leader, I don’t have much to recommend other than beefing up the hackle on the dry flies, maybe going to CDC for the post on parachutes or for wings, or using a dry with some deer or elk hair in it, like a Quigley Cripple or deer / elk hair caddis. Or maybe a dry with some foam in it, like Scott Sanchez’ PFD ( personal floatation device ) emerger, or the Foam Back Royal Humpy that Lotech put up as FOTW a while back.
For the nymphs or trailing flies, go with the least weight that will get the fly down where you want it. Most of the time with a t.c.t.k. midge larva or a small unweighted softhackle p.t., the flies are high in the water column and the fish will come up for them, if presented properly.
John
I don’t seem to have this problem. My rig is a #12 dry with a long tail and two hackles. The nymph is always a # 16-20, usually a GRHE. I tie the nymph to the bend of the dry fly hook and step down one tippet size. I reserve the technique for slow to moderate flows and always fish the rig upstream. When trout are flashing under the surface, this is a very effective set-up for me.
Coughlin
Hey Marco I mostly start with an Elk Hair Caddis in about size 12 with a small bead head PT under it, mostly it will not sink even in a fairly heavy riffle and if it does I just fish it wet, it still catches.
If the trout are not on the Caddis I will change to a general foam terrestrial pattern, these seem to float better than most indicators.
The dry is mostly an attractor anyway and if they want a very small dry I will switch to a Kakahi Queen on its own or any small up wing pattern with a very small emerger on the dropper.
All the best.
Mike
Elk hair caddis, trudes, hoppers, foam beetles. Basically dries that are extremely boyant to begin with. I usually fish the dry a couple sizes bigger than the nymph, especially if a beadhead is involved.
I like to fish a dry & dropper rig. For success I need to balance the size and floatation of the dry to the size and weight of the nymph. I even tie some extra bushy high floating bugs for this technique.
For example…
size 12 adams parachute with a size 18 zebra midge or unweighted pheasant tail
size 8 foam hopper with a size 14 bead head pheasant tail
size 6 fat albert with a big size 12 bead head green drake
size 4 rogue salmon fly (really big foam and LOTS of hackle) with a size 6 weighted stone
I fish the big, buoyant dries not with any real expectation of catching fish on them. I use them because they have hooks that regular strike indicators don’t and evey village has an idiot. I am nymphing, not dry fly fishing with this rig.
Gentlemen,
Thank you for your very informative responses. I guess I can remove the “never” from my fishing with dry-nymph combo statement. I’ll gve it a try. Initially I did think like Colston that the dry was merely an indicator with a stinger
Thanks again,
Mark
Mark -
The dry / dropper is a good way to start the day, especially if fish are not taking on the surface or high in the water column. If an equal number of fish hit both the dry and the dropper, I’ll keep fishing the combination. When the majority of fish starting eating the dry, I’ll drop the the dropper. If most are taking the dropper, I’ll more likely go to straight wet fly or nymph fishing, with or without an indicator.
John
P.S. Considering your thread a while back on your first experience with a furled leader, how could I NOT start off my first post here the way I did ??
Marco, I have caught bluegills in December on very large, parachute dry flies with a nymph dropper. The nymph certainly got more attention, but I got about 1/4 of the 'gills on the dry. Temps were mostly in the 50’s.
Ed