Hi all.
I have been flyfishing for a few months now, and my casting has improved to the stage where I rarely hit my rod tip on the forward cast, (happened twice in 8hrs fishing on Sunday) and only occasionally get a tangle or a knot forming unless its quite windy.
I have been fishing with a single fly on a 9-10 foot leader of monofilament.
So far I have only fished small stillwaters.

I want to increase my skill level(and my chances ) and try using 1 or 2 droppers, so a few questions if I may :

How long does my leader need to be?
Do I stick with mono or should I try fluorocarbon, or move to tapered leaders?
How many droppers should I tie on (2 or 3?)
How long should the length of the droppers be?
finally what flies combination should I try?

Sorry to ask so many questions in this post, but I want to progress a bit.
regards,
Gary

It should be ok for you to try 1 dropper about 4' from the point fly.remember to keep the cast balaced with the heavier/larger fly on the point.also try to avoid wind resistant flies on the dropper at 1st.
Try a 12' leader,no need for flouro. 6'' dropper.something like a sz 10 damsel or nymph on the point with a sz 12 buzzer/diawl bach/cruncher on the dropper

Jim

__________________
The Fishermans Friend is the Flirty Fly,Fickle Food for Fleeting Fish.

Depending on your knotting capability use dropper rings. They make life easier for me.

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Carl

http://www.wandlepiscators.net/
http://teiseangling.co.uk/index.htm

TOMORROW THE TRENT COULD BE YOUR FISHERY! When are YOU going to JOIN THE ANGLING TRUST?

Your approach has been very sensible. Better to have one fly in the water than three tangled on the bank, but follow what Jim says and add one to a slightly longer leader. When I fished regularly on still waters I rarely fished more than two flies and caught as many or more than most, now that I fish rivers most of the time I usually fish a three fly cast but then it's a shorter leader and minimum distance casting. ATB, Alan

Thanks for that Jim, exactly the kind of advice I was after.

Hi Carlos. Are these dropper rings the same things as tippet rings? about 2 or 3mm diameter? I don't have any, but I could get some if I can find some-one who sells them.

Thanks again for the replies, it's why I like this forum so much. A wealth of information so freely dispensed.

Best regards,
Gary

Stick with a 3 turn water knot at 1st for your dropper,My advice is you have a straight 12' leader and add in the dropper length cutting the tag end nearest the flyline.
I have no love of tippet rings for droppers. why tie 3 knots when 1 is perfectly adequate.

Jim

__________________
The Fishermans Friend is the Flirty Fly,Fickle Food for Fleeting Fish.

I agree with Jim. Just practice on the sofa while watching TV with a few lengths of leader. Some people find using string to start with helps. If your right handed have the end that is going towards the Fly line in your right hand and the other end were the point fly will be in your left. Within a few goes you will be doing it with your eyes shut which is always handy when you go after the sea trout

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Allan
Only dead fish go with the flow.

If you fish small, busy, stillwaters, i believe the fish get used to seeing teams of flies inching uniformly to the bank. In these situations it can often pay to fish only a single fly.

scotty

Thanks Jim.
I am a definite supporter of KISS - Keep It Simple Stupid !! The simpler the better for some-one who, in fly-fishing terms, is quite stupid !
The variety of advice shown thus far is showing me that there probably isn't a "right or wrong" way, just a few different ways. Different people, different waters, different methods.

scotty, I did wonder how un-natural it looks to the fish seeing formation swimming by a team of flies!! But recently most people have been catching on teams, or at least that's the way it seems to me.
But a good thought to keep in mind nonetheless.

thanks to Gary for raising the question - have been thinking about this myself. Jim i'll give your advice a go at the weekend .... gimme 2 on maybe
or if not, no worries, we don't always get it rite or strike lucky first time. still enjoying the learning curve
maggie