Have found conflicting advice in a few books I have read.

The one that looks the most simple, is to tie the dropper onto the previous hook bend.

Looking at the diagram, I struggle to see how a fish could take a hook with another line tied on in this way.

Any advice on this?

Cheers Bri

Isn't that specifically for fishing a nymph under a dry fly, "New Zealand style"?

No it was for all droppers throughout the book.

This is the book.

A three turn water knot.will do to get you started. easy to tie and reliable

http://www.animatedknots.com/surgeon...matedknots.com

Welcome to the Forum

Jim

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

Welcome Bri957 not heard of that method before but there is a lot I have still to learn. I would say that the normal way or the way that most fly fishers that i know tie doppers is about 4-6 inch dropper tied around 3-4 ft. from the point fly or fly at the end of your tippet and if you want to fish 3 flies then another dropper 3-4 ft. again from that one hope this is of some help.

Alan

Welcome to the Forum.

If you are fishing stillwaters then Jim is right and all you need is the 3 turn water knot. This allows you to tie up your own leaders and to vary the distances between flies (and hence the depth they fish at) and the length of the dropper itself (very much a matter of personal choice so try a few different variations)

Tying the leader to the hook bend, called New Zealand style, is a technique used mainly in some types of river fishing.

Keep reading the Forum and you will find a wealth of knowlegde and experience to help along the way.

Good luck

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Andrew W

"Maybe all one can do is hope to end up with the right regrets." Arthur Miller

Regarding the New Zealand style which I haven't used a lot myself but have witnessed others using it. Do people not find it produces a lot of foul hooked fish or fish that have been hooked outside of the mouth. I suppose this happens because the fish rises for the dry fly which is missed only to be hooked by the nymph following behind.

I've seen this a number of times, has anybody else?

Me I use a Four Turn Water ( or Cove Knot ) it has proven very reliable in the 38 years since Arthur taught me and I'm not being in any way sentimental about this.

The only other droppering knot I have any confidence in is the Blood Bight System - showed me years after by Roy Shuter . This features a blood bight loop ( as small as you can make it on the main leader and the dropper tied to that tiny loop with a tucked half blood . It is almost foolproof for fishing three flies traditionally on the dangle as they come through the surface absolutely right in terms of the way they hang . It is a time consuming swine to set up .
Roy Shuter used to prepare whole 100m spools with Blood Bights tied onto them at 4.5 ft 5ft and 6ft intervals ( a couple of spools of each ) - different base spacings for differing wind conditions - he did this in the Close Season with a nicky wee needle in a stick to fix the loop size held in his teeth when tightening down ( try it and you'll find out why ! )

Good men both - Arthur and Roy ! Excellent at knots as well as the rest of the game.

Best wishes

Steve P

Yes north73 I've sometimes struck when a fish has risen for my dry only to hook it with the nymph. Not a lot but it can happen

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And when none bite, I praise the wise
Whom vain allurements ne'er surprise.

Steve, do you mean this knot?



Knots - How to tie the Dropper loop knot

or this one?



Blood Bight Knot

I sometimes use the former for fly fishing droppers (and all the time for beach fishing ones).