The dropper loop is a fishing knot that creates a small, standing loop directly off the main fishing line. This loop acts as an attachment point for a hook, lure, or weight, allowing anglers to construct multi-hook rigs without using swivels or other hardware. The knot is valued for its simplicity and its ability to maintain a high percentage of the line’s original breaking strength. It creates a fixed, perpendicular branch line, which is useful when fishing with multiple baits.
Essential Materials and Initial Setup
Tying this knot requires only fishing line, though the material type influences the ease of the process. Monofilament and fluorocarbon lines are preferred for the dropper loop because their inherent stiffness helps the finished loop stand out from the main line, reducing tangles. While it is possible to tie the knot with braided line, the limpness of braid makes the resulting loop less rigid and more prone to collapsing against the main line.
Before beginning the knot, determine the exact location on the line where the loop is needed. It is important to ensure there is enough slack in the line to comfortably work with, typically a section of 10 to 12 inches. The line should be held taut between both hands, marking the desired spot for the loop to be formed.
Step-by-Step Guide to Tying the Dropper Loop
Begin by forming a simple, loose loop at the chosen location. This loop should be large enough to manipulate easily. The next step involves twisting the line multiple times around itself to create the knot’s structure.
To achieve the necessary twists, pass the line on one side of the loop through the center and wrap it around the other side. Repeat this action five to seven times, creating a neat, tight spiral of line wraps around the central axis. Maintaining the integrity of these wraps is important, as they form the body of the knot. Five to seven wraps provides sufficient strength and bulk.
Once the wraps are formed, push the bottom of the original loop up through the center of the spiral. Handle carefully to ensure the wraps do not unravel or overlap unevenly. Hold the loop open, often with a finger, while pulling the main line ends to begin cinching the knot.
The final stage involves slowly and deliberately tightening the structure. As the knot is pulled tight, the wraps redistribute themselves, locking the loop into a perpendicular position relative to the main line. Pull both ends of the main line evenly and firmly to ensure the knot seats correctly and symmetrically.
Practical Tips and Fishing Applications
Before the final tightening, lubricate the knot with water or saliva. Fishing lines, particularly monofilament, are thermoplastic polymers. Friction generated when pulling a dry knot tight creates heat, which can weaken or “burn” the line material and reduce the knot’s breaking strength.
Once the knot is fully cinched, the standing loop can be used immediately to attach terminal tackle. A hook or lure is typically attached using a simple cow hitch. This involves passing the loop through the eye of the hook, then passing the hook through the loop, allowing for quick changes of tackle.
The dropper loop is frequently employed in bottom fishing and surf fishing scenarios, where it is used to create a high-low rig with multiple hooks and a weight at the bottom. This configuration allows the angler to present multiple baits at different depths simultaneously. Fly anglers also utilize the dropper loop to attach a second fly, or “dropper,” to the leader, which is useful for testing different patterns or presenting a tandem rig.