How to tie a dropper tag knot
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- Опубліковано 17 жов 2024
- Dropper tags have a lot of drift and rigging benefits but many anglers struggle to tie them or think they are too hard. In this video I show how you can easily tie a dropper tag in your tippet with a surgeon's knot. I also clear up which piece of tippet you should use for the dropper tag as that is a common source of knot failure.
I’m so stoked you do this as well! I started doing this out of necessity when my “main” piece of tippet became too short. The added piece of tippet becomes the point fly attachment and the “main” line becomes the dropper. It’s a real tippet saver 👍🏼
Really cool. You just saved me time and materials. I love learning different ways to rig up. Don’t have to tie in the shank with this. Cool channel. Always great stuff on this channel.
Thanks and glad you enjoyed it.
Thanks for the tips Devin. Got a question, does it matter which end to use for the point fly? For instance, I tie the exact same knot but instead of adding a longer piece of tippet for the point fly, I instead add a short piece for the dropper. That way the initial tippet (tied to the tippet ring) goes all the way to the point fly, with a dropper tag added 24"-20" above.
Both ways work. I can get my measurements easier this way so I prefer it.
I've noticed recently, that if I tie a double surgeons knot on my 5x to 6.5x tippet, it holds better than if I tie a triple surgeons. At what point to do you switch to tying a triple surgeons?
With 6x tippet, do you prefer a double or a triple surgeon's knot to form a tag? Thanks for another installment in this valuable series of videos.
Triple surgeon’s for anything 4x and smaller.
Glad the videos help.
Thanks for the simple explanation of this knot. One question, would this set up work well for a dry/dropper rig instead of attaching the dropper leader to the hook of the dry fly?
Yes. I use it for dry dropper as well
Thanks Devin. Have you done a video of replacing a shortened tag with a new one. Is it as simple as looping an open cinch knot over the point fly, and moving it up and past the original/remaining surgeons knot, and then tighten it up? Or is there an easier way to rig a new tag?
I just redo the sequence in this video Jim. I haven’t found a way of replacing it that is as strong.
What knot do you use to add a dropper tag after you have cut this one down over the course of the day?
I just redo this knot. The other add ons I’ve tried end up weaker.
Thanks Devin. You answered a lot of questions especially using the Triple Surgeons knot on smaller tippet. Do you ever use an overhand knot on the dropper to keep the dropper perpendicular to the main point fly leader? Thanks once again for all of your tips and advice.
No I don't. When you are fishing with fine tippet it will definitely weaken at that point.
Devin: sorry that on my screen the green material was very difficult to see. I am a bit confused what was trimmed off after the surgeons knot was tightened. You cut off the top green? The bottom green became the dropper tag? The final red was now the point fly? (Please use a dark blue for the add on material for me 😊).
Cut off the waste tag that is pointing toward the rod. Leave the longer waste tag that is pointing toward the point fly.
Hey Devin, great video as always. Question tho, have you ever tied the dropper by looping the main (red) line over and tying the double surgeon knot in that? You then cut the loop at your tag length with the longer piece becoming your point line. No separate dropper tag (green line) is needed.
I have tried that method. I don't really see a benefit personally and I can replicate my measurements for the spacing of flies easier with this method.
Steve, I do this method when I'm having to put brand new tippet to my sighter. Faster and likely saves some tippet. I often wondered if Devin's method here was "weaker" than tying above on the main stem but if Devin's doing it, I'm going to do it.
Hi Devin, thanks the video. For some reason when I have a 6 inch or so long dropper my dropper tag always wraps around my main line and gets coil memory, I try and straighten it out but usually have to cut it off because it never straightens, or quickly reverts to being wrapped around the main line so the tag fly isn’t fishable. Do you know when this is happening? I don’t think the tag end is too long- it’s in that sweet spot for length. I feel like when it’s much shorter it doesn’t do this but then the tag is way too close to the main line to be effective.
Are you still using 7x Cortland flourocarbon? Thanks
Lots of potential reasons for this. Could be casting or letting your flies hang at the end of the drift. If they have materials hanging unevenly off of them they can spin when they catch water. If your tag isn't spinning all the way down to the fly though it's usually not an issue. I only try to fix a tag spin if 2/3 or more of it has spun. Also take a look at it underwater to see if it is still spun or if it unravels. Much of the time the tag will separate from the main tippet during the drift but spin back together when you pull it from the water. And yes, I'm still using 7x Cortland a lot.
I’ve had issues with the triple surgeon breaking on hooksets with 7x. Am I setting the hook too hard??
Probably but I’ve also switched to the figure of eight knot for dropper tags. It has been much more reliable.
I have problems with my dropper tag twisting around the tippet. Is that a crap knot or crap casting on my part? Thanks
If it isn’t twisting all the way down to the fly don’t worry about it too much. There can be lots of problems that cause this to happen including poor casting and flies spinning in the current. To help, try focusing on wide oval based casting, keep your tags no longer than 6”, and don’t fish unweighted dropper nymphs.
How strong os the knot, would you recommend it for salmon and steelhead?
It's what I've used for salmon and steelhead myself and it works fine. If you've used a surgeon's knot before to join tippet, that's all this knot is.
Got any tips on tying a dropper off of a dry barbless hook? I find the factory barbless hooks so so slick, my dropper will sometimes slide off.
I use the dropper tag that I demonstrate n the video. I don’t tie off the bend of the hook.
I use the dropper tag that I demonstrate in the video. I don’t tie off the bend of the hook.
An extra step - with the tag end make another loop around the leader and tie an simple overhand knot, tightened all the way down to your original surgeons knot.
The result is that your dropper tag will be perfectly perpendicular to the main leader helping you avoid tangles, works better with a dry fly on the dropper and a wet fly or nymph on the end of your main leader.
@@TheRosenmi12 it will also be noticeably weaker in my experience which becomes critical with 6x and smaller tippet. It’s why I don’t add an overhand knot. I recommend watching my two follow up videos as well.
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Very helpful.
Devin, Thanks again for all your tips. One question: If you need to change the distance between your flies, how do you go about doing that? Thanks.
I just retie
Did I spy you rocking an overlook chest pack in the intro, or was that someone else?
Yes. I switched to it last month.
@@tacticalflyfisher3817 welcome to the club. I cut the net slot off of mine to make less catch points for my net retractor.
Excited to see your review once you've spent some time with it
This system tangle's a lot
Music ducks for fly fishing. Best is no music. Great content though, I buy all your stuff. Please don't take it personally. Thx
Sucks, that is.