How to tie a dropper loop knot [Easy Guide]

How to tie a dropper loop knot. The dropper loop is a great fishing knot for jigging, bait fishing, trolling, and more. I use the dropper loop knot for bait fishing just off the bottom, for trolling for crappie, and more. It’s a great versatile fishing knot.

Normal dropper loop knot

You may now make a dropper loop out of braids, fluoro, or mono. But for this knot, I’m going to use some heavy-duty mono.

Furthermore, hefty stiff mono works slightly better for the double twist dropper loop. So, initially, let me demonstrate a standard dropper loop.

Simply make a loop, then tie an overhand knot, then a double overhand knot, and finally a triple overhand knot. The tag end is being twisted in and out of this loop.

Do it approximately three times, and then take your finger or a pair of pliers or a pencil or something and keep wrapping the same number of loops, three more loops, and this will form a small hole in your wraps.

And then you’ll take the bottom of the loop and insert it through the hole you’ve created, pulling it tight to form your dropper loop.

The length of your dropper loop is not determined by the length of your initial loop. The dropper knot grows in size as the loop grows in size.

This knot is great for bait fishing near the bottom. So you tie a lead to the end of your line and place the dropper loop a few inches or feet above it. It works well for fishing right off the bottom.

It’s also suitable for jigging and can be used with lures. However, if you need a longer, stiffer loop, you should master the double twist dropper loop.

The double twist dropper loop knot

This knot is nearly identical to the standard dropper loop except that you twist the loop before tying the knot, and with this loop, you want to wrap the line around something and twist it from behind.

The knot you tied would untwist if you turned the pliers while holding the tag still. It must be twisted beginning at the tag ends.

You can repeat it as many times as you like. Stiff mono works best for this, and the rest of the knot is essentially the same as a regular dropper loop.

You make a loop, then tie an overhand knot, a double overhand knot, then a triple overhand knot, and you’re done. So you have at least six wraps, and in this case, I’m doing three wraps with one tag end and three wraps with the other.

But, in essence, you’re making a lovely loop with six wraps with the tag end. It’s lovely and symmetrical, nice and clean, and you can leave a gap with a finger or a set of pliers like I did in the last example, or you can just sit there and pull out one of those wraps and form that loop.

Then you take this twisted loop you’ve made and feed it through, and there you have the double twist Dropper loop.

One tip for treating this knot is to not draw it tight by the loop; that is not how you tighten it.

If you try to tighten it by pulling the loop vigorously, the double twist Dropper loop will have a gap at the bottom, reducing its strength.

Instead, pull the tag ends to tighten the knot. If you do this, the twist will hold and you’ll have a beautiful solid double twist dropper loop with a 90-degree angle to your mainline, which is stiffer, stronger, and more tangle resistant.

As a result, this is a fantastic alternative to the dropper loop.

High-low rig

You may have seen these in a fishing store; they are known as high-low rigs and are a favorite among the surf and bait fishermen. Use this double twist dropper loop to tie those.

Let me teach you a quick way for tying it. Make a loop in your leader’s line and tie a surgeon’s loop.

Make it nice and big, then go ahead and tie a tiny overhand knot on the very tip of the loop. It doesn’t have to be very large, and what it will provide is a flexible surface to which you may attach your lead weight.

So you have these two surgeons loops, which you can cut off and attach your lead to. You feed the lead through the loop after passing it through the eye of the lead.

You’re making a simple cow hitch knot. Tighten it up and you’re done.

But if you want to change your lead, all you have to do is pull that small tab, which reopens the loop, push the lead back through, and it’s off. You may easily switch out your leads.

So, move up the leader a few inches and tie the double twists dropper loop just like you learned. Twist the loop first, then perform a number of overhand knots, feed the loop through the hole, tighten it up with the tag ends, and you’ve got the first arm.

Do that twice and you’ve got a high-low rig using only monofilament, surgeon’s loops, and double twist dropper knots.

Take your hook and leader, feed it through your arms, tie a cow hitch knot, and you’re off to the races. You’ve just finished your own high-low rig with dropper loops and surgeon knots.

If you liked this article, you might be interested in some of our other articles, such as my favorite fishing knots. Thank you for reading!

FAQs on a dropper loop knot

What is a dropper loop knot used for?

When fly fishing, the dropper loop knot can be used to make multiple hook setups, keep your hook off the bottom, or fish with two flies at once. In other words, you can connect sinkers, hooks, or flies using this knot.

Is the dropper loop knot strong?

A Dropper Loop is actually more powerful than the knots used to secure a three-way swivel.

Can you cut a dropper loop knot?

If the loop is unusually large, one side of the loop can be cut where it exits the knot, resulting in a single strand of line onto which baits can be tied directly.

How long is a dropper loop?

2 to 3 inches (5–7.5 cm).