There are many different tactics in fly fishing. One particular tactic that we really dig, is the Hopper/Dropper. You may have ...
There are many different tactics in fly fishing. One particular tactic that we really dig, is the Hopper/Dropper. You may have heard the term thrown around, because it rhymes, and people love fly fishing lingo. But cool name or not, a Hopper/Dropper rig can be a really fun way to fish.The idea is to fish a big dry fly, with a nymph trailing underneath it. This gives the fish the option of eating on, or below the surface. Fishing a Hopper/Dropper is essentially combining dry fly fishing and nymphing.
Does the dry fly need to be a Hopper pattern? No. We just say "Hopper/Dropper" because it's a catchy name. Some anglers will say "Dry/Dropper". It is the same idea. Some of my favorite dries to use for a Hopper/Dropper include: The Great Hopper, Godzilla, Chubby Chernobyl, Fat Albert, and various Salmonflies. Your dry fly/hopper does not need to be a big terrestrial, but big foam patterns work great because they are easy to see and they float well, even with a nymph trailing below it. Some anglers call the dry/hopper the "point fly".
Some droppers that I've had success with in Hopper/Dropper scenarios include small nymphs like a Beadhead Pheasant Tail, Beadhead Lightning Bug, Rainbow Warrior, or Barr's Emerger PMD.
To set up your Hopper/Dropper rig, first tie on a big dry fly to the end of your leader. Once you've got your big dry or "point fly" tied on, attach a piece of tippet to the bend of the hook of your dry fly, and add a dropper at the desired depth. You can experiment with the depth of your nymph; I usually let my dropper hang two to three feet behind my dry fly.
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| Fat Albert makes a great hopper. |
One cool thing about a Hopper/Dropper rig is that your dry fly acts as a strike indicator. If you see that dry fly dip under water, SET! And if your dry fly gets hammered, well that's even better! Sometimes a fish will come up and refuse one, but take the other. Or if you're lucky a fish will have both of your bugs, and a loop of tippet, in his mouth. I like to think that a fish has a harder time refusing two flies than one. But maybe that's just me being optimistic.
A Hopper/Dropper is a great tactic to use in the summertime, when big terrestrials are out. I also love this tactic during the Salmonfly hatch. The dropper is nice if the fish are seeing a lot of pressure. If they're shy to eat a big foam Hopper, at least you're offering them something else, too.
-Did you catch my drift?
