I would, mostly, consider myself to be a half decent caster. I can manage decent turnover into a reasonable wind and handle quite long leaders in a flat calm(sure aint no exhibition man thats for sure, but i gets the odd fish). My problem is DROPPER TANGLE!!!!!! Its really gettin on ma t1ts now!!! I use water knots for my droppers, two or three turn depending on diameter of material, as do most other folk i fish with, and they dont seem to have the same probs as me!!!!? I tend to fish droppers of 10" and as short as 5 or 6".
I think it must be my casting that causes it, but what part?
Please help!!!!!
Cheers
Scotty

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i was walking far from home, where the names are not burned along the wall, saw a building, high as heaven, but the door was so small

How many droppers do you use on the leader? I've found the more flies on the leader the more tangles. Now I just use a point fly and one dropper, still catch fish and spend a lot less time untangling the leader so I'm spending more time fishing and less time swearing.

It may be beneficial to have a qualified casting instructor have a look at your casting style, we can all develop faults which someone else could detect by watching us cast.

With droppers smooth casting is critical to make sure no one component of the leader has cause to 'overtake' and tangle, also more 'open' loops help smooth things out and lessen sudden direction changes which can also tangle leaders. Forget distance casting and tight loops, think smooth.

Also, give some thought to the flies, the bigger and more wind resistant they are they'll try and spin and tangle, also the heavier they are the more they'll try and follow their own path and not the leaders. Lastly, both of these can be helped with a thicker diameter leader to try and keep them under control, so maybe you're fishing too light? Illogical really, I'm saying use heavier mono and smaller flies, but try it out.

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Cheers guys. After reading your posts i look back and see the pattern, the more distance i strive for the more this happens!, i could fish 3 flies from a drifting boat all day without a tangle. They come when im on the bank and "pushing it". It was an isntance today which spawned the post but you have answered the question. The fish were holding the length of my fast glass out!!!. I ended up doing away wi the dropper altogether and i think this helped the catchrate too as this was a small heavily fished water, but i found it frustrating all the same. So to summarise, Droppers+trying to reach the horizon+crosswind=
Thanks again guys, i think i had an idea but its always better to get some more experienced advice when in doubt.
Boat fishing tomorrow YEE HAA!!!
Scotty

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i was walking far from home, where the names are not burned along the wall, saw a building, high as heaven, but the door was so small

Your droppers are much too long!

4 inches (100mm) is the longest that any dropper should be or it will have a tendency to tangle around the main leader.

Try it and see.

Hi Scotty

It could be your casting has improved Yes its possable.

Maybe its your loops are to tight,look back and take a look.

I would use an oval cast ,or just drop the tip a fraction to open things up a little.

Good luck mate


Gary
Nicho Bamboo Rod Co

Thanks again boys, Sorry tho ron but 4" droppers would leave me cold!!, bit too short if a few fly changes are required!!, i can see the practicality in the way of less tangles tho, thanks.
Bamboo, im out in a boat this afternoon for a few hours and iv roped mrs muddlerman in to video a few casts to check out whats happening. Cheers again folks
Tightlines

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i was walking far from home, where the names are not burned along the wall, saw a building, high as heaven, but the door was so small

Send it over I will take a look for you.

Just a thought are you using a new rod ?

Gary

Nicho Bamboo Rod Co

10" droppers are HUGE. i'm not surprised your having trouble. i use 4" droppers maximum. a little tip to save re-tyeing short droppers is to use mustad hook snaps, they make changing flies literally a 10 second job, and i've caught some of the jumpiest wild brownies using them, so they dont spook the fish and i've had a 12lb rainbow on them without them bending. plus on a cold day, they're a god send. here's an example-

Fly Fishing - Mustad Snap Hook

another thing i noticed when i fish 3 droppers, is that i dont lower the rod tip as much on the final stroke of the cast. this seems to turn over the line a bit quicker with the extra drag of three flies.

unless youre using weighted flies, the droppers will remain quite close to the leader on the retrieve anyway, so you might as well try the short dropper.

good luck, steve

Got it sorted. Loops had become far too tight. A more relaxed, open cast provided sweet turnover and no tangles, i cant understand how i managed to get into that habit as it was a fairly recent problem, iv been fishing for 20 years!. 10" droppers are quite long for some, but i know some folk who fish them a foot long, it was never a problem in the past, hence the question!!!!!.
Many thanks to all for taking the time to help me out it was much appreciated.
Scotty

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i was walking far from home, where the names are not burned along the wall, saw a building, high as heaven, but the door was so small