Dropper Loop, why use it?

Question

Going fishing tomorrow for the first time this year in Kansas. So like normal I read like crazy on the net to find new ways to do things. I understand the Dropper Loop is not a new discovery but it is to me since I am a rookie when it comes to fishing. I know how to tie the Dropper Loop, but what do you use it for? When I am fishing for crappie I often find that the light lures I use do not sink far enough to get down to their depth... I am reluctant to put a weight right by my lure in case it does not work right... If I use this Dropper Loop to put a weight on, will this work? Does anyone use the Dropper Loop for this? Or did I just miss something and thats why its called the Dropper Loop?

Thanks for your help!

Answer 1

i have never used this knot in fishing,but i will tell u that this knot carries over to my job.
i build cell phone towers and work at heightd at greater than 300' normally.
a dropper loop knot(we call it an inline bolan) is tied to the center of a rope in order to hook materiels or men into the rope to be lifted to the work on the tower.
this is a very safe knot and will not come untied.
i would guess that it is used basically the same in fishing line as in a rope.u can either tie another hook to the knot or a weight to the knot.
u can tie the knot far enough away from ur lure that it shouldn't affect the action of the lure.
but like i said i have never used this knot in any fishing application,but i do trust it with my life to get me to the top of a cell phone tower.

Answer 2

I've used the knot an awful lot in saltwater, though mainly with bait. You use it so the weight is not inline between the hook and the rod tip, so a fish doesn't have to move a sinker (typically 2-6 ounces) for you to feel the bite. (This is generally with the sinker on the loop and the hook at the end of the 2-3 foot leader.)

For bottom fishing we hang the sinker at the end of the line and have the hook on the loop. This allows us to present the bait 3 feet or so off the bottom.

Though I've never fished for crappie, I believe a small sinker hung on a dropper loop a foot or two in front the the lure would work to get it deeper without messing up the action or spooking the fish too much. If you tie it correctly you won't weaken the line much at all. You might as well try it.

Answer 3

in crappie fishing I use the dropper loop quite a bit . first tie on the regular crappie jig with a polomar knot to the end of the line . Next tie the dropper loop about three or four feet up the line and to that tie on another piece of line or leader about two to two and a half feet long . you can put either a hook for bait or another jig on it . It gives you a little more weight and you can also present different colors of jigs or totally different bait and jig combos to better find out what they are biting on.