A few weeks into my Fly fishing comeback and maybe Iv tried to run before I could walk thing is I tried using a dropper last weekend, just one, used the three turn water knot and the thing just kept getting tangled round the mainline so after an hour I sacked it. the dropper was about 6 inches long, what did I do wrong?

id shortern it to be honest,i dont have mine more than 2 to 3 inches or i do just the same

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Been using droppers for years, usually only use the one these days and still have the same problem as you. I just unravel the dropper when I notice it twist around the main line. You can get away with short droppers if using flouro leaders. I have tried different brand of leader as well as materials, all end up the same. I have caught many fish on droppers so stay with it.

Why not try buying pre-tied tapered leaders until you're confident and then develop your own leaders from there. They normally come with two droppers but you don't have to use flies on both of them.

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I've posted some dropper questions on here in the past and recieved a wealth of knowledge from the far more experienced........ cheers guys.
a few points for you that i've found:

we'r all individuals..... at this time of year when the suns at its hottest and takes are unlikely, experiment with your rig for 10-20 mins, it'l cost you at worst a length of mono and a fishless 20 mins.

always have the line for your dropper going down towards your point, never up.

stiffer material gives less tangles (flourocarbon but i just dont use the cr'p anymore but thats for another post)

the shortest dropper simply wont tangle...... 1-2 inches is perfect but you cant change fly.

longer doppers tangle very easily, but as the line twists around you've still got a dropper of reasonable length.

concentrate or better still, practice casting..... keeping your rod stroke in a vertical straight plane. wafting your rod and casting at an angle is a sure way to tangles and wraps, let your cast fully un-loop before applying the following stroke.

keep at it, your always going to risk more tangles using droppers but there positives far outweigh the negatives in most situations (2 or worse 3 big lures presented perfectly will rarely fool the dumbest of fish!!!).

there are so many variables on this subject and im certainly no expert but try this for starters................ 4ft of 10lb to 12ft of 6lb then 5ft up from the point tye a 6 inch dropper of 6lb (standard mono, nothing special). heaviest fly on point. you can fish with a few wraps for a while before uncoiling becomes necessary, and change your dropper fly a few times before its too short to knot, when you need to change your dropper, change the end 5ft plus another 6 inch of the remaining line for your next dropper, hope it makes sense.

best regards

Rob

Droppers should be no longer than 4 inches. Put a half hitch on your dropper. This tends to make the dropper stand out a little preventing tangles.

All anglers, no matter how skilled or experienced get the odd tangle in their droppers if they use them. When using multi-droppers, cast smoothly and don't try to throw to the other end of the lake.

Use a really top quality fluorocarbon such as Kryston Incognito.

Have been experimenting with dropper rollers and find they work quite well and present a team of nymphs on a washing line rig particularly well.When you are retrieving as opposed to more static fishing offset hooks and boobies will tend to spin causing line twist and droppers to wind up.I have thought about using tiny swivels but have not tried this as yet.Yes as as been said we persevere with droppers especially reservoir fishing because of the advantages much of the time.New Zealand style droppers tied hook bend to hook bend tend to be much less problematic but more suited to straight line nymphing where you have your team of nymphs fishing behind a heavier point fly.Seems we prefer the dropper system here which stems I guess from the traditional dibbling technique.Have a friend who recently fished local Bristol Waters using the NZ style and he caught well so go figure.I guess in truth we all have our own preferences with dropper length and the way we form them but in my case tolerate the foibles to fish with a team of flies up to four depending on the conditions.Some days are better than others but I mostly fish from a boat on the reservoirs so wind at your back which makes a big difference.From the bank normally fish just a single dropper.
As also pointed out a good casting technique with well balanced gear will also go a long way to less tangles.

Best JP

Thanks for the replies, have to say I dont like flouro, I dont like its wiry characteristics, and it certainly isnt invisible in water but now I can see that mono being much softer will tangle more.

Rob, I did tie the dropper downwards but seems it was too long at 6 ins, the daft thing is after going to a single fly I had a brilliant day catching ten fish, best three going 7lb 9lb and a whopper of 15.2 lb which I know will take some beating. When I try a dropper again i`ll go for a shorter one and try Rons knot suggestion, oh and yeah my casting needs work

Some good answers... Personally, I use a 2 turn water knot connecting around 10" droppers to a continous length of leader of up to 25ft (loch Style ressie fishing) on a 3 or 4 dropper cast... All depending on water clarity... You will 'always' get tangles... just unravel them.. its frustrating.. i know... Even stiff Tinex tangled for those who used it... toothbrush mono!! Nature of the beast ..

As Martin said you will not stop the stuff twisting around the main line.
I use a two or three turn water knot depending on dia used and droppers 6-8inch long.
All i will say is stick with it and the best of luck your fishing will be better for it.

Cheers Craig