The hopper dropper technique involves attaching a nymph or other small fly to the bend of a hook of a larger dry fly (often a hopper) as a "dropper."
Here's a breakdown of how to tie a hopper dropper setup, incorporating information from the provided reference:
Setting up the Hopper Dropper Rig
Materials Needed
- Your chosen dry fly (hopper)
- Your chosen nymph or small fly (dropper)
- Tippet material
- Nippers or scissors
Step-by-Step Guide
-
Tie on the Hopper: Begin by tying your hopper fly to your main leader line as you normally would. This is your primary dry fly that will float on the surface.
-
Attach a Length of Tippet: From the hook bend of the hopper fly, attach a length of tippet material. The reference suggests using approximately four to six inches of the tag. This tag will be used to tie your dropper fly.
-
Attach the Dropper: Attach your nymph or small fly to the end of the tag of tippet that you just attached to the hopper's hook bend.
-
Adjust the Length: Adjust the length of tippet material between the hopper and the dropper fly to match the depth you want to fish. The reference mentions adjusting the length of the tippet to match.
Here's a concise table summarizing the key points:
| Step | Action | Details |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tie on the Hopper | Attach the hopper fly to your main leader as usual. |
| 2 | Attach Tippet to Hopper Hook Bend | Secure a 4-6 inch section of tippet to the bend of the hopper's hook. |
| 3 | Attach the Dropper | Tie the dropper fly to the end of the tippet you just attached. |
| 4 | Adjust Length | Modify the tippet length to achieve the desired depth for your dropper fly. |
Important Considerations
- Tippet Strength: Make sure that your tippet material is appropriately sized for the fish you're targeting and the size of both your hopper and dropper flies.
- Dropper Selection: Select your dropper fly based on the water conditions and what you think the fish might be feeding on below the surface. Nymphs are a popular choice, but smaller dries or emergers can also work well.
- Adjust Depth: Experiment with the distance between your hopper and dropper. A longer dropper will reach deeper into the water column, while a shorter dropper will fish shallower.
By following these steps and considerations, you can effectively tie a hopper dropper setup.
