Rigging a dry dropper on a barbless hook

Dave here I am trying to give advice when I’m still fairly new at the fly fishing game. I have been working on Dry droppers and and other tandem rigs most of this year. I think tying off the bend of the hook works great but I do have problems with the dropper sliding off of a barbless hook. One solution is to carry a small tube of super glue and put a small amount at the tie in point in the bend. This works pretty good but does require that extra step. I’ve found that I can prepare tandem rigs at home with the right tippet so that all I need to do is attach the top fly to my tippet from the tippet ring and I’m good to go. These rigs can be wound on to a sheet or spool of foam and tucked into your vest. The problem there is not knowing what flies you will want to start with when you get to the stream.

I’ve also tied on tippet off of the eye of the top fly and dropped down below by 8 -24 inches depending on what and how you are fishing. I found this to be prone to tangles more so than other ways. The third way is to tie in a dropper tag above your bottom fly so the line come off of the upper part of the tag line at an upper angle. This will hold your dropper line out a ways from the main leader helping  to prevent tangles.

Like I said I’m still a new-be and I’m sure you could get a lot more and better ideas form more experienced FATC members or from on line articles from Orvis, Troutbitten and so many other sources.

Just remember, experience on the water will be your best teacher.

Good Luck Steve Baker

Hey Dave…I use barbs and mash them. The little nubbin keeps the dropper on the hook bend just fine.

Dear feather n fin:

what type of knot do you use to attach to the bend of the hook ?
thanks

You should not have problems with the dropper fly coming off the dry fly (barbless) when a fish is on. Keep the pressure on the fish and it should not. Once you “release” any pressure on the dropper fly then the fish may come off with a barbless hook. I do not lose fish with barbless hooks when I keep the pressure on. Most fly fishers I see on the water do not realize the amount of pressure they can put on a fish and not break off. Break offs happen during the initial hook set (too hard by the fly fisher) or pressure is released slightly and the fish shakes it’s head or the fish jumps and spits out the hook again because pressure is released. My point is keep using the barbless hooks but work at keeping the pressure on (rod at approximately 45 – 30 degrees). I see many fly fishers holding their rod almost vertical when fighting a fish.  The more vertical the less pressure on the fish. See if that helps not losing fish.

I attach with a Double Davy knot. It’s small and holds well.

But when I “swing” two flies I will usually set them up by using the tag end for the dropper fly similar to how ESN fly fishers tie two flies on. If I use a dry on the dropper or top fly with a nymph or larva below I will attach the nymph/larva to the barbless hook.