# Double Drop rig for Stripers



## squalus (Sep 26, 2007)

Cygnus X-1 was telling me about a double drop rig used for striper fishing in the Chesapeake.

My only question about this is what LB-test would you use to tie this rig?

Is 50LB too much or not enough?

Thanks for any and all responses.


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## fishbait (Nov 11, 2005)

Check out the bible thread on the other board I frequent. There's some good instructions on how to tie this rig. I tie them up with anything from 30 to 80 lb test depending on what I'm fishing for. The 30 is for general use like spot and croaker. The 80 is for deep-drop fishing. 50 should be ideal for spring run. You can even go down to 30, but I like to bring those stripers in fast so I can get them back in the water fast.


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## squalus (Sep 26, 2007)

fishbait said:


> Check out the bible thread on the other board I frequent. There's some good instructions on how to tie this rig. I tie them up with anything from 30 to 80 lb test depending on what I'm fishing for. The 30 is for general use like spot and croaker. The 80 is for deep-drop fishing. 50 should be ideal for spring run. You can even go down to 30, but I like to bring those stripers in fast so I can get them back in the water fast.


Thanks fishbait! Is that the thread with the red-line rigs?

I got plenty of 50LB and 2 dozen 5/0 inline circles... guess what I'll be doin' this weekend??


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## fishbait (Nov 11, 2005)

squalus said:


> Thanks fishbait! Is that the thread with the red-line rigs?
> 
> I got plenty of 50LB and 2 dozen 5/0 inline circles... guess what I'll be doin' this weekend??


Yep. Don't use red line though. That was only done so that the line could be seen better in the pictures. If ya have any difficulty with it, bring a paperclip to Spring Fling with ya.


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## fyremanjef (Feb 17, 2005)

a tip about double hook dropper rigs. Play with them and vary the size of the loops. it takes a while to find the right size so they are big enough to move a little and get a tad off the bottom, but not too big to twist up.

Something to keep in mind with the larger leader line material, be sure that the line can fit into the eye (it will be doubled up as it pass through) plus the loop has to pass over the hook. Sometimes mine are just barely able to stretch over.


There is a way to tie the dropper loop with the hook already threaded, but its a little tricker. They also make big eye circles, i forget the brand.

dont forget to make the perfection knot at the end and leave a good bit from the top hook to the swivel. 

Not sure if this is a duplicate, as I did not read the section in the bible before replying.

I also like to mix it up and put a smaller hook on the top or bottom on times when the wp or croakers are stealing bait. That way, you can target big and smaller fish at the same time. Its a plus about this type of rig, it allows you to change the hooks as needed, I still have about 20 or so tied up from last year.


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## John81 (Apr 24, 2007)

fishbait said:


> Yep. Don't use red line though. That was only done so that the line could be seen better in the pictures. If ya have any difficulty with it, bring a paperclip to Spring Fling with ya.


I like the red line works good for me. Ive used both red and clear no difference found last year


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## cygnus-x1 (Oct 12, 2005)

fyremanjef said:


> Something to keep in mind with the larger leader line material, be sure that the line can fit into the eye (it will be doubled up as it pass through) plus the loop has to pass over the hook. Sometimes mine are just barely able to stretch over.


Jeff makes a good point here. If you know you are going to use dropper loop bottom rigs with 25# or more mono make sure the hooks you buy have large eyes. If you do not you will have to snell the hooks to both ends first and then tie your top and bottom loops ( bottom for the sinker connector or sinker if you loop it through the sinker eye)


fyremanjef said:


> Its a plus about this type of rig, it allows you to change the hooks as needed, I still have about 20 or so tied up from last year.


20 ??  I have about 80 from last year 

I just started going over them and looking for nicks and rough spots and looking at the overall hook health to see if I need to trash it before I reuse it and regret it.


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## AtlantaKing (Jul 7, 2002)

If you're just dropping it off a boat, or lightly lobbing it from the beach, the double dropper loop rig (Hey, Fishbait, that's a nifty looking rig...wonder who showed you ) is fine. However, if you're planning on using that knot system on a heaver and power-casting with it, I'd _strongly _advise against it. 

The dropper loop only retains about 65-70% of the knot strength and the sudden impact that power casting creates at the "hit" will weaken it further. I know, I've broken several. A better way to tie dropper rigs would be the Earl Brinn method, or the Hatteras Outfitters method. Both of these ways results in a much stronger rig body that's less impacted by casting hard.


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## seajay (Dec 18, 2005)

Dito on the Earl Brinn best going,and simple to make.


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## squalus (Sep 26, 2007)

AtlantaKing said:


> A better way to tie dropper rigs would be the Earl Brinn method, or the Hatteras Outfitters method. Both of these ways results in a much stronger rig body that's less impacted by casting hard.


Would that be the "puppy drum rig" on the HO website AK?


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## cygnus-x1 (Oct 12, 2005)

I typically make my double drop rigs by snelling the hooks to either end instead of a dropper but on occasion when i am in a hurry I will use a double droppers. The snelled rigs are stronger and provide more movement in the current than the dropper loop rigs but I have not had many dropper loop rigs break on me especially when I am using 25# plus test. I usually don't get enormous fish on the dropper loops but I have caught double header skates and a 4' shark and never had a problem.

The Earl Brinn rig looks interesting however the one I saw only had one hook and it was tied directly to the mainline. I prefer keeping my rigs off my main line and attaching the rigs to a snap swivel. This gives me ultimate flexibility for changing rigs on the fly and saves a lot time. Time in the water is VERY important to me because many times my fishing window will be as short as 2 hours so I need to be in the water as fast and as long as possible.

I recommended to Squalus and others the double dropper loop rig mainly because they might not know how to snell a hook (Squalus I think I have that correct forgive if I am slandering you  ) Since this was for Stripers at SPSP they should be able to use strong enough mono to compensate for the dropper loop.

But hey to each his or her own.


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## squalus (Sep 26, 2007)

cygnus-x1 said:


> I recommended to Squalus and others the double dropper loop rig mainly because they might not know how to snell a hook (Squalus I think I have that correct forgive if I am slandering you  )/QUOTE]
> 
> I didn't take it as "slander" even though I can snell a hook.
> 
> ...


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## cygnus-x1 (Oct 12, 2005)

I stand corrected, I found an Earl Brinn rig that has the capabilities I require and you can make them in 1 to 3 hook (2 for us MD guys) configurations and store them away and switch out as needed. I will have to give this a try.

Here is a pic of the rig.











> Excerpt from his post on another forume:
> The main line is 4 feet long , the first hook is one foot from top , next hook is 12" from top hook . you can add a third hook if you like 3 hook rigs . The idea of the long main line is to keep the sinker away from the baits . I make up my hook traces up ahead of time .I put the swivel and the sinker clip on the main lines before puting the rigs togeather. I tye the hooks using 40# florcarbon , after tying each hook I cut the trace line 10" to 12" and slip them into a ziplock bag. IMPORTANT : always wet your knots and always insert the hooktrace line thru the overhand knot from the side the main line comes out going to the bottom . When tying the hook traces I like to leave them 4" long , Lyndon tyes his at 2" and he catches more fish than most of the fishermen on this board ( YOU WON'T BE ABLE TO BREAK THIS RIG CASTING IF YOU FOLLOW THE RULES 6OZ=60# main line ,8oz=80# main line


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## dirtyhandslopez (Nov 17, 2006)

I just tie the dropper knot then cut one end of the loop and tie the hook directly to that line. Have pulled in many large rays and large catfish. Haven't used it for strictly striper fishing yet, but will be trying it on drum and striper this year. I also will be threading a cut off small hook up the line to hook the baited hook onto to stop helecoptering, as shown in the Assateague story from a few months ago.


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