[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"learn-card-tying-on-a-dropper-rig":3},{"id":4,"title":5,"applyCta":6,"authorId":10,"body":11,"cardType":52,"description":17,"difficulty":53,"discipline":54,"editorId":10,"extension":56,"glossaryRefs":57,"hook":64,"meta":65,"navigation":66,"path":67,"publishedAt":68,"readingSeconds":69,"regionTags":70,"relatedCards":71,"safetyDisclaimerRequired":74,"seo":75,"status":76,"stem":77,"track":78,"updatedAt":68,"version":79,"__hash__":80},"learn_cards\u002Flearn\u002Fcards\u002Ftying-on-a-dropper-rig.md","Tying on a Dropper Rig",{"label":7,"action":8,"target":9},"Try it on the Provo","open_water","provo-river",null,{"type":12,"value":13,"toc":48},"minimark",[14,18,21,42,45],[15,16,17],"p",{},"The dropper rig is the most efficient way to fish moving water. You float a buoyant dry on top — a Parachute Adams, an Elk Hair Caddis, a hopper — and dangle a heavier nymph 12 to 24 inches below it on a separate piece of tippet. Two flies, two strike chances per drift.",[15,19,20],{},"Setting it up:",[22,23,24,28,31,39],"ol",{},[25,26,27],"li",{},"Tie your dry fly to the leader using an improved clinch knot.",[25,29,30],{},"Cut a 12–24 inch length of tippet, one size lighter than your leader tip (usually 5x or 6x).",[25,32,33,34,38],{},"Tie one end of that tippet to the ",[35,36,37],"strong",{},"bend of the hook"," of the dry, also with a clinch knot.",[25,40,41],{},"Tie your nymph to the other end of that tippet.",[15,43,44],{},"The dry doubles as a strike indicator. If it dips, pauses, or skates, set the hook — the nymph below has either found a fish or a rock. Most days, it's a rock; some days, it's the difference between zero fish and ten.",[15,46,47],{},"The signal the rig is wrong: your dry keeps sinking. The nymph is too heavy. Drop a fly size, or use a smaller bead head.",{"title":49,"searchDepth":50,"depth":50,"links":51},"",2,[],"technique","2",[55],"fly","md",[58,59,60,61,62,63],"dry-fly","nymph","tippet","dead-drift","presentation","indicator","Running a nymph below a dry — the workhorse rig that gives you a strike chance on the surface and below at once.",{},true,"\u002Flearn\u002Fcards\u002Ftying-on-a-dropper-rig","2026-05-08","110",[],[72,73],"the-clinch-knot","the-dead-drift",false,{"title":5,"description":17},"published","learn\u002Fcards\u002Ftying-on-a-dropper-rig","building","1","enRakaoGMRAc63-0vTk7ISg_PcSj9Yrtr4TjIR5Xsx4"]