Fishing a Dry and Dropper Rig

Possibly the most effective way to catch trout during non-hatch periods is by fishing a dry and dropper rig. This method is nothing new to fly fishing, but it is a technique that many are not familiar with. The dry and dropper rig is one of my personal favorites and I will describe some of my most effective rigs.

First you need to understand the basics. A dry and dropper rig is simply fly-fishing with a dry fly and another fly fished underneath the dry fly. The dry fly is usually a highly buoyant pattern that can still float with another fly below it. The dropper is usually a lightly weighted nymph, wet fly or emerger pattern that sinks below the surface. So with one rig you are fishing above and below the waters surface. This allows you to catch fish that are looking up for flies on the surface while still having the chance to catch the finicky fish below the surface.

Tying a dry and dropper rig is not as complicated as you might think. Let's start with your tippet to leader connection. Attach a slightly heavier tippet to you leader then normal. Normally I use around two feet of 4x or 5x tippet. Remember, you will be casting 2 flies so your initial tippet needs to be able to support both flies without twisting. Tie your dry fly to the end of that piece of tippet with your favorite knot; I prefer a clinch knot for all of these connections. Next attach another piece of tippet to the bend of the hook of the dry fly; again use your favorite knot. The length of tippet off the bend of the dry fly should not really exceed 12 inches or you may make a mess while casting. Finally tie on the dropper to the end of the second piece of tippet. There's your rig ready to go and catch some fish.

Now that you've learned how to set up the rig let's look at some options of what flies to use. For dry flies it is most common to use very high floating patterns. Flies like stimulators, grasshoppers, royal coachman's, and large adams work very well. You can use more hatch specific flies, but remember most of the time this rig is used during non-hatch periods. For droppers I prefer bead-headed pheasant tails, prince nymphs and hair's ears, but there are many other combinations. Just remember that the dropper should not pull the dry fly under water.

Fishing this rig has a somewhat different style then your standard dry fly. You want to stay away from making false casts. One may be fine, but this rig is better suited to flipping your line upstream, especially for beginners. Making to many false casts can lead to a tangled line that you will need to replace. This rig is ideal for all kinds of water, whether you prefer fast or slow water this rig will produce. Finally, the dry fly will act as your strike indicator for the dropper, so if you see the dry fly go under water and your rig is properly weighted you have a strike on the dropper.

Fishing a dry and dropper rig is incredibly effective. Instead of fishing either above or below the waters surface, you are doing both on one cast. Learning to fish this rig is great for non-hatch periods and can often produce fish in area's where other methods may not work. Personally I always start with a 'hopper and a dropper during non-hatch periods and the results have kept me using it.