Super Hopper Dropper

[cpierce]

I ran across this video by Mike Wier on his dropper system.
I am interested in figuring out how this works. Does anyone know what he is doing here to attach his hopper on the line so that he can move it up and down?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pkrnqcxNSMw


Thanks!
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[iliketofish]

Thanks for posting that video. I'm definitely going to be trying that this summer. It looks like he just attaches the fly through the eye with a loop, then threads the tag end through a loop of mono tied into the back of the fly. I guess I'll have to tie up some "indicator" hoppers and give it a try.
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[cpierce]

I finally figured it out!!! The video doesn't show the fly well enough. He has tied a 20 lb mono loop on the fly body both in the front and the back. I didn't get it until I found his blog and also looked at a picture of his fly on the Idylewilde site. I am including the picture of the fly here in case anyone else was interested.



Quote from his blog:
"Here's a little instructional piece i put together to help show people how to use my Hop-icator fly and the super hopper dropper system. It's a great rig for trout fishing and takes the place of traditional indicator fishing. The main advantages of the rig are that you can catch fish on the indicator, you don't need splitshots, it's easy to cast and it complies with team USA fishing rules. I've been using this set up for a few years now and it has worked great in a variety of different fishing situations. I use different sizes of hop-icators to hold up the different amounts of weight i need depending on the depth and current speed of the area i'm fishing. I've tied a variety of weighted nymphs, mostly using tungsten. They are the "bomb" that gets into the zone. I don't always fish an additional dropper, but if i do, i have a variety of non weighted, more realistic flies i like to choose from. The key to making the system work well, that's not mentioned in the video, is balancing the weight. You have to have the right size hopper to work with different amounts of weight. The bigger size can hold up as much as two ab shots. The smallest one works best with one bb. If your using the hop-icator with weighted flies, or splitshot, just experiment until you have enough weight to get your flies down near the bottom quick, without drowning the hopper. The hop-icator is currently available in sizes, 8, 10 and 12 from Idylwilde flies along with my split wing foam hopper. They also have four of my favorite nymph patters including the caramel and lime caddis pupa, mint chocolate nymph, Cherry chocolate nymph and three flavors of sprinkles. Best way to get your hands on these flies is to request them at your local fly shop. If they don't have them in stock, please encourage them to make an order. The hop-icator is a great fly for fishing out of a drift boat or wading and will float all day. This video illustrates how i like to fish the rig, but i highly encourage getting creative and experimenting with different techniques that fit your personal fishing style.


nice, i fish the hell out of andy's indicaddis and am amazed at how much weight i can use. i've had up to 3 nymphs with 3 abs hanging off that thing. i'd like to try your fly, and the loop to loop deal is pure genius. i always end up tying hella knots to change depth. how do you tie the loops to the eye and shank?


Mikey said...
It's just 20 lb mono tied back over the hook, all the way down the shaft, then looped back again in the back and meeting in the middle where the first cut was tied in. I fished the Truckee and little T this week with the Trout Unlimited show. Indicator flies worked very well.turbodog720"
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[cpierce]

I thought he was going through the eye also to loop it on. That didn't make sense to me because the thicker part of the line he was talking about you wouldn't be able to get through the eye doubled unless the hook was huge. What he has done is tied it with a special mono loop in the front as well as one on the back. The loop in the front is big enough to not pinch the line too much and isn't filling the eye. I liked how he threaded the tippit through the eye and then through the back loop so that the fly floats inline. Interesting I think I will tie up a few big stimulator etc...
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[cpierce]

I think this is a great way to tie up some indicator flies. I am embarrassed [blush]to say that I am ancient enough now that I don't fish small dry flies much anymore, because I can't see the little buggers!

But if I get some moderate sized indicator flies tied, this is a good way to put them on the line with a small dry fly that I can't see when it is by itself.

They won't need to be very big because the trailer is a dry. That way I have a good idea of where my little fly is on the stream, and I can set the hook when anything strikes in the area of the fly that I can see.
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[iliketofish]

awesome thanks, looks like an easy tie too
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[flygoddess]

I have been tying my hoppers with a dropper loop for years. Like the way they float.
I agree, thanks for the vid. He is attaching the eye of the hopper like a Thingamabobber, or yarn indicators, but by going through he dropper loop, like he says, the hopper floats straight out.

I am going to try it with out the dropper loop as well, because I think it will still be fine just off the eye.

I always attach the dropper off the eye, instead of the bend. Ths just taught me can move the fly up and down with out cutting the line.

Now, if I could find one that allows the line to run freely through the hopper, so I could do the Hopper with a 20' dropper....that is what I am working on.

Thanks for the youtube.
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[Jim_T]

FG,

A friend of mine was at the FFF conclave last year and attended a session with Charles Jardine in which he showed a stimulator like fly tied in such a way that it could be slide along the leader. It's all second hand to me but it sounded like the fly was tied with the leader embedded in it along the shank compressed in some foam.

I have not been able to find much about it online other than the following possible reference to an article in the May 2009 Fly Fishing & Fly Tying Magazine on a UK forum (google "sliding dry fly duo rig" for the discussion). Let me know if you know someone that has the magazine and it there's anything useful in there.


Jim
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[flygoddess]

Interesting and worth experimenting. There is the one, where he attaches a tag for the dry, but the knot allows the dry to slide. Great and sure it works IF a fish hits the dry, but I am afraid, it it hits the nymph that is more than 9' (length of the rod) down, that the dry will end up getting tangled in the guides.

But now I am thinking, attaching a tag and dry to my slip indicators.....BINGO, I think I am on to something now. I will try this out first chance.
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