Podcast: Tight Line Dry Dropper — Dry Dropper Skills Series #4

by | Sep 4, 2022 | 2 comments

 The Troutbitten Podcast is available everywhere that you listen to your podcasts.

** Note **  The Podcast Player, along with links to your favorite players is below.

This episode covers an extremely effective style for presenting both a nymph and a dry fly — I call it tight line dry dropper, and this may be favorite way to fish. I like methods that provide excellent control. And a tight line rig — with direct contact as the primary feature — is built for exactly that. It feels like we can make something happen rather than hoping to get lucky with a trout.

With tight line dry dropper, we get the contact and control of a tight line nymphing rig and the excitement of a dry fly rig. It’s very different than the other styles of dry dropper because it’s built on a Mono Rig. And the catch rate, for where this rig applies, is often doubled or even tripled.

Watch the nymph tuck in, exactly on target and see the dry fly land downstream of the nymph. You’re tight to the dry — from rod tip to fly — as it bobs and weaves back toward you.

With the dry fly in touch with the nymph and our rod tip in touch with the dry fly, strike detection to the nymph is excellent. So we set when the dry twitches, jiggles or dips.

And when a trout comes for the dry, you’re close enough to see him coming. It takes discipline not to set the hook too early. When he eats, you’re immediately tight to the fish, with no slack. You’re connected to a trout on a tight line only a rod length or two away, and the fight is on.

Tight Line Dry Dropper is a great way to fish.

My friend, Austin Dando, joins me for the fourth installment of this Troutbitten Skills Series on dry dropper styles.

In 2019, I published a full series on these Three Styles of Dry Dropper on the Troutbitten Website. You can find them here:

READ: Troutbitten | Three Styles of Dry Dropper
READ: Troutbitten | Three Styles of Dry Dropper — Light Dry Dropper
READ: Troutbitten | Three Styles of Dry Dropper — Standard Dry Dropper
READ: Troutbitten | Three Styles of Dry Dropper — Tight Line Dry Dropper

This podcast series is an excellent companion for that article series.

Here’s the podcast  . . .

Listen with the player above, or . . .

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— Apple Podcasts
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You can find the dedicated Troutbitten Podcast page at . . .

podcast.troutbitten.com

More Resources:

READ: Troutbitten | The Mono Rig
READ: Troutbitten | One Great Nymphing Trick

Episode Five of Season Four concludes this skills series education with a roundtable discussion with the Troutbitten crew about these three styles of dry dropper. So look for that one in your Troutbitten Podcast feed.

Fish hard, friends.

 

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Enjoy the day.
Domenick Swentosky
T R O U T B I T T E N
domenick@troutbitten.com

 

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Domenick Swentosky

Central Pennsylvania

Hi. I’m a father of two young boys, a husband, author, fly fishing guide and a musician. I fish for wild brown trout in the cool limestone waters of Central Pennsylvania year round. This is my home, and I love it. Friends. Family. And the river.

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2 Comments

  1. Thanks for this podcast. I strongly identify with the adage repeated in other podcasts (and articles) of ‘if it’s not easy, you won’t do it’. I’d always thought of dry dropper rigs as how you define the standard style, and hardly bothered with it. 99% of my river fly fishing is mono rig nymphing/streamers/bobber, but I can see how to fit this one in the kit bag and I’m look forward to trying it when the season opens next month.

    Reply
  2. I enjoyed the whole dropper series very enlightening. I want to thank all of you for the series. It always nice to hear other comment on tactics. speaking of tactics. I saw another video posted in another fly fishing post that might be of interest to you. similar to what you have presented but a different way to present. here is the link
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5IYWti8okLQ

    Reply

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Domenick Swentosky

Central Pennsylvania

Hi. I’m a father of two young boys, a husband, author, fly fishing guide and a musician. I fish for wild brown trout in the cool limestone waters of Central Pennsylvania year round. This is my home, and I love it. Friends. Family. And the river.

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