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New Zealand dropper


Jim Murray

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Was reading of this method as a good tactic when fly fishing for mullet. It involves tying a big dry fly to the leader end then a short piece of nylon directly to the bend of this hook. To this you attach your chosen nymph or lure, etc.

 

I'd like to try it as my local lagoon has lots of mullet but at only 2 feet deep I want to suspend the nymph maybe 6-12" down. Been using a strike indicator but this idea appeals as you have the dry fly available as well.

 

However it doesn't sound "right" to me, although I can't quite think why :blink:

 

Anyone used it or have any opinion as to whether it would work well, compared to a standard dropper setup?

 

JIm.

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I have done this for Black Bass before, big top popper and sinking fly tied 18inches behind in the bend of the hook.

Does two things - weight of the sinking fly keeps the popper head up and pops very well that way and I caught more bass on the sinking fly, I think the popper attracts them and then they see the sinking fly and grab that.

I always used a big Mrs Sinpson or woolly bugger.

I think you get less tangles with this method.

Ocean Kayak Scrambler XT, fishfinder and GPS.

Lots of flyrods and stuff.

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The original 'New Zealand' dropper method was developed for upstream nymph fishing in very fast clear water where a small nymph was needed but was not heavy enough for the fast water. Basically a heavy gold head or tungsten head nymph was used with a small unweighted phesant tail or hares ear tied to the bend of the large nymph with 6 - 10 inches of line. The lot was cast upstream and the large nymph would trundle down bumping the gravel with the small nymph suspended just off bottom.

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I use it almost exclusively when trout fishing. I'm not sure what to say except that it works really well!

 

Good I'll give it a try. I presume fish come to both dry and wet flies? Would you advise applying float/sinkant to any part of the leader?

 

Jim.

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