Question on droppers

Bob Weinberger wrote:
"Mike" wrote in message
ups.com...

snip

Apart from which, using the tag end of a knot is asking for a break,
it is a very weak rig, and not at all advisable.

MC


Maybe so, but in 30+ years of fishing for steelhead with a two fly
rig, swinging flys on or near the surface, that has been my standard
set-up and it has never given me any problem. I almost invariably use
hand tied leaders of Maxima Chameleon with 8# tippet and 10# next
section. The dropper fly is tied on the 10# tag end.

I don't know how many steelhead I've caught in that time, but it has
to be high in the thousands with the largest being a 22#er. Many many
years ago I thought it was my duty to catch as many steelhead as
possible, and in the last season of that period of my evolution as a
steelheader I stopped counting 2/3 of the way through the season at 200
fish brought to hand..

Have I had fish break off? Of course, far more than I like to admit.
But I can probably count the number that broke off at the first blood
knot as a result of using the tag for a dropper on my hands with fingers
left over. Most breaks occured: 1. At the connection of the tippet to
the point fly, 2. At previously unnoticed rock nicks, or 3. At unnoticed
(or to lazy to deal with) wind knots.

I have however acquired some leader rings (per your suggestion) and
will likely switch over to them so I don't have to replace both the 8#
and 10# sections as often.

Bob Weinberger




I used that system quite a lot for a while, years ago, but I got too
many breaks at the knot when using fine nylon. Always on snags. I know
quite a few other people who have had problems with it as well, and lost
fish as a result. There is also quite a bit of info on the web about
it.A search will turn it up.

In thicker nylon, it will not cause the same problems, as the reduction
in breaking strain is not then really relevant.

I dont count fish, it just seems pointless. That is not a crticism of
anybody who does so, it is just something I don´t do.

I have never had a fish break off, although I lost a large seatrout once
when the knot failed. Obviously my fault for tying a bad knot.

Since using the leader rings, I have had no problems at all. Also very
much more convenient for changing tippet or droppers etc.

The blood knot itself can also be very unreliable, and must be tied very
very carefully indeed. there are quite a few better knots.

A simple pull test will serve to demonstrate the weakness of a blood
knot in comparison to others. using the tag end of such a knot is really
asking for trouble. Of course, peoplem ay use whatever they please, and
if it works OK that is fine. I merely gave my opinion.

TL
MC

Just a few links, with no claim to any particular authority or
completeness;

http://www.fishing.sh/htmfiles/knots/blood-knot.html

http://eis.bris.ac.uk/~cckhrb/fish_knot.html

http://www.marinews.com/Improved-Blood-Knot-214.php

http://www.rackelhanen.se/eng/10017.htm

( In my experience, using haemostats and similar to hold the line when
tying knots can easily dmage the line considerably, and i pwould not
advise it, but it seems some people still do this).

http://www.animatedknots.com/indexfishing.php

http://www.fishing.sh/htmfiles/knots/platloop.html

There are plenty more on the web, and a few tests of various knots as
well.

TL
MC