TroutTips
Technique Guide

Dry-Dropper Fly Pairings

A buoyant dry fly on top with a nymph or emerger dropped below it on a short section of tippet, fishing two depths in one drift. Already decided on dry-dropper? Below are all 88 sourced dry-dropper pairings TroutTips tracks, from every river and season, filterable by river and season. For help choosing a technique in the first place, see Choose Your Technique.

88 sourced pairings

Dry-Dropper across every river we track

Up to 2 pairings are always free to browse in full. Fly names, leader/tippet spec, and full source are unlocked by .

88 pairings
Early Spring
Griffith's Gnat, Parachute Adams / Vis-a-dun #18–24 + Unweighted/lightly weighted RS-2, Chocolate Thunder, Black Beauty / Juju Baetis #20–24
Shallow (<2 ft)Dry-Dropper
🪰 Hatching now: Blue-Winged Olive
Leader & tippet
  • Dry-dropper (light)
South Platte (Deckers) · Minturn Anglers, 3/25/26
Early Spring
Parachute Adams #18 (high-vis dry) + Tiny midge / baetis nymph, 12–18 in. below
Shallow (<2 ft)Dry-Dropper
🪰 Hatching now: Blue-Winged Olive
Leader & tippet
  • Dry-dropper
Gore Creek (Vail) · Colorado Angling Company, March 2026
Early Spring
Larger #16 dry fly used as a sighter + Mole Fly, midge cluster, Baetis emerger (BWO) or cripple #18–22, fished 2 ft+ behind
Shallow (<2 ft)Dry-Dropper
🪰 Hatching now: Blue-Winged Olive
Leader & tippet
  • Tandem dry / dry-dropper
Taylor River · Gunnison River Fly Shop, 4/6/26
Early Spring
Imitative BWO dry fly (indicator dry) + Unweighted BWO emerger behind it
Shallow (<2 ft)Dry-Dropper
🪰 Hatching now: Blue-Winged Olive
Leader & tippet
  • Dry-dropper
Arkansas River · ArkAnglers, How to Imitate the Hatch
Early Spring
Nymph-rig anchor / dry-dropper dry (pattern not named) + Small Zebra Midge or other slender striated pattern
Deep (>4 ft)Dry-Dropper
Leader & tippet
  • Either (nymph rig or dry-dropper)
Arkansas River · ArkAnglers
Runoff
Big foam salmonfly dry (size 6 class) + "Salmonfly Bugger" dropper
MixedDry-Dropper
Leader & tippet
  • Dry-dropper
Upper Colorado · Colorado River Outfitters
Runoff
Point fly & dropper
Shallow (<2 ft)Dry-Dropper
Runoff
Chubby #10–16 + Mayfly / caddis imitation #14–18
MixedDry-Dropper
🪰 Hatching now: Caddis
Leader & tippet
  • Dry-dropper (hopper-dropper)
Crested Butte-area creeks · Dragonfly Anglers
Runoff
Point fly & dropper
MixedDry-Dropper
🪰 Hatching now: Caddis
Runoff
Point fly & dropper
Medium (2-4 ft)Dry-Dropper
🪰 Hatching now: Caddis
Summer
Point fly & dropper
Shallow (<2 ft)Dry-Dropper
Summer
Elk-hair Caddis #16–18 (top fly) + Deep Sparkle Pupa
Shallow (<2 ft)Dry-Dropper
🪰 Hatching now: Caddis
Leader & tippet
  • Dry-dropper
Blue River · Pat Dorsey, The New Blue
Summer
Yellow Stimulator #14–16 + Gold-bead Pheasant Tail Nymph
Shallow (<2 ft)Dry-Dropper
Leader & tippet
  • Dry-dropper
Blue River · Pat Dorsey, The New Blue
Summer
Point fly & dropper
MixedDry-Dropper
Summer
Chubby Chernobyl or other big foam dry + Soft Hackle Pheasant Tail #12–16, rig ~3 ft
Medium (2-4 ft)Dry-Dropper
Leader & tippet
  • Dry-dropper
Gunnison River · Dragonfly Anglers
Summer
Chubby Chernobyl or other big foam dry + Spanish Bullet #14–16, brown or olive, rig ~3 ft
Medium (2-4 ft)Dry-Dropper
Leader & tippet
  • Dry-dropper
Gunnison River · Dragonfly Anglers
Summer
Elk Hair Caddis #12–16 + Light caddis or mayfly emerger, 12–15 in. below
Shallow (<2 ft)Dry-Dropper
🪰 Hatching now: Caddis
Leader & tippet
  • Dry-dropper
East River (Crested Butte) · Dragonfly Anglers
Summer
Point fly & dropper
Shallow (<2 ft)Dry-Dropper
Summer
Point fly & dropper
MixedDry-Dropper
Summer
Point fly & dropper
Shallow (<2 ft)Dry-Dropper
🪰 Hatching now: Caddis, Trico
Summer
Point fly & dropper
Shallow (<2 ft)Dry-Dropper
🪰 Hatching now: Caddis
Summer
Tiny Drake + Disco Midge dropper
Shallow (<2 ft)Dry-Dropper
Leader & tippet
  • Dry-dropper
Fryingpan River · Glenwood Springs Outdoors, July 2026
Fall
Point fly & dropper
Shallow (<2 ft)Dry-Dropper
Winter
Point fly & dropper
Shallow (<2 ft)Dry-Dropper
Statewide
Point fly & dropper
MixedDry-Dropper
Statewide
Point fly & dropper
MixedDry-Dropper
Inferred · commonly paired
Point fly & dropper
MixedDry-Dropper
Runoff
Point fly & dropper
Shallow (<2 ft)Dry-Dropper
Summer
Point fly & dropper
Shallow (<2 ft)Dry-Dropper
Summer
Point fly & dropper
MixedDry-Dropper
🪰 Hatching now: Blue-Winged Olive, Caddis
Fall
Point fly & dropper
Shallow (<2 ft)Dry-Dropper
Runoff · commonly paired
Point fly & dropper
Shallow (<2 ft)Dry-Dropper
🪰 Hatching now: Caddis
Early Spring
Point fly & dropper
Medium (2-4 ft)Dry-Dropper
🪰 Hatching now: Blue-Winged Olive, Caddis
Summer
Point fly & dropper
MixedDry-Dropper
Fall · commonly paired
Point fly & dropper
Shallow (<2 ft)Dry-Dropper
Fall · commonly paired
Point fly & dropper
Shallow (<2 ft)Dry-Dropper
Fall · commonly paired
Point fly & dropper
Shallow (<2 ft)Dry-Dropper
Fall
Point fly & dropper
Shallow (<2 ft)Dry-Dropper
🪰 Hatching now: Blue-Winged Olive
Early Spring
Point fly & dropper
Shallow (<2 ft)Dry-Dropper
🪰 Hatching now: Blue-Winged Olive
Summer · commonly paired
Point fly & dropper
Shallow (<2 ft)Dry-Dropper
Summer
Hopper, small Chubby-style attractor, Caddis or other buoyant dry + Caddis Pupa, Yellow Sally nymph, Pheasant Tail, Perdigon or small BWO pattern (sizes not stated)
Shallow (<2 ft)Dry-Dropper
Leader & tippet
  • "Dry/dropper should be a focal approach through much of the summer. Start with a Hopper, small Chubby-style attractor, Caddis or other buoyant dry and trail a Caddis Pupa, Yellow Sally nymph, Pheasant Tail, Perdigon or small BWO pattern." Classic South Park freestone; flow at Alma 5 cfs, low/clear, lower-light periods best. (depth inferred; no sizes given)
Middle Fork South Platte · Royal Gorge Anglers - "Small Water Fly Fishing Opportunities" (Middle Fork of the South Platte)
Fall
Chubby Chernobyl #10-16 (or Amy's Ant, or Foam Beetle, same size range) + RS2 #18-22 or Pheasant Tail Nymph #16-20, suspended below the dry
Shallow (<2 ft)Dry-Dropper
Leader & tippet
  • "This setup is ideal for the meadow sections of the Middle Fork. A buoyant dry fly (such as a Chubby Chernobyl, Amy's Ant, or Foam Beetle) serves as an indicator fly, with a nymph or emerger (like a RS2 or Pheasant Tail Nymph) suspended below." Late summer/early fall, clear water, meadow sections. (season bucket inferred from "late summer and early fall" + October report date; depth inferred)
Middle Fork South Platte · Rise Beyond Fly Fishing - "Fishing Report: Middle Fork of the South Platte River, 10.18.2024"
Summer
Small Chubby terrestrial (size not stated) + Small trico nymph / PMD nymph / attractor nymph (size not stated)
Shallow (<2 ft)Dry-Dropper
🪰 Hatching now: Pale Morning Dun, Trico
Leader & tippet
  • "Running dry/dropper rigs with smaller Chubby terrestrials trailing a variety of smaller trico nymph, pmd nymph, and attractors has been best."
North Platte River · Orvis Fly Fishing Reports - "North Platte River | CO Fly Fishing Reports & Conditions"
Summer
Stonefly or hopper dry pattern (size not stated) + PMD, caddis or green drake nymph (size not stated)
Shallow (<2 ft)Dry-Dropper
🪰 Hatching now: Pale Morning Dun, Caddis
Leader & tippet
  • "Fishing Hopper Dropper rigs with stonefly and hopper patterns with PMD, Caddis or green drake nymphs behind can be effective this time of year."
North Platte River · St. Peter's Fly Shop - "Upper North Platte River Fishing Report"
Summer
Hopper - "play around with different color hoppers" (size not stated) + Small perdigon or small bullet quill (size not stated)
Medium (2-4 ft)Dry-Dropper
Leader & tippet
  • "For the big river dry dropper fishing. Fish a hopper on top... Light tippet and watch your shadow... The dropper will be a small perdigon or bullet quill."
Rio Grande River · Rio Grande Angler (Creede) - "7/21/26 fishing report"
Early Spring
Coachman Trude or high-vis BWO (buoyant attractor, size not stated) + Small Baetis nymph, 2 feet below (pattern/size not stated)
Shallow (<2 ft)Dry-Dropper
🪰 Hatching now: Blue-Winged Olive
Leader & tippet
  • "The 'Dry-Dropper' rig is highly effective right now - using a buoyant attractor like a Coachman Trude or high-vis BWO as an indicator with a small Baetis nymph 2 feet below."
Roaring Fork River · Colorado Angling Company - "Roaring Fork River Fishing Report: March 2026"
Summer
Point fly & dropper
MixedDry-Dropper
Fall · commonly paired
Point fly & dropper
Shallow (<2 ft)Dry-Dropper
Runoff · commonly paired
Point fly & dropper
Medium (2-4 ft)Dry-Dropper
Fall · commonly paired
Point fly & dropper
Shallow (<2 ft)Dry-Dropper
Runoff · commonly paired
Point fly & dropper
Shallow (<2 ft)Dry-Dropper
Fall · commonly paired
Point fly & dropper
MixedDry-Dropper
Fall · commonly paired
Point fly & dropper
MixedDry-Dropper
Summer · commonly paired
Point fly & dropper
Shallow (<2 ft)Dry-Dropper
Summer · commonly paired
Point fly & dropper
Shallow (<2 ft)Dry-Dropper
🪰 Hatching now: Caddis
Summer · commonly paired
Point fly & dropper
Shallow (<2 ft)Dry-Dropper
Summer · commonly paired
Point fly & dropper
Shallow (<2 ft)Dry-Dropper
Summer
Amy's Ant #14 / Black Beetle #16 + Frenchie #18 / Pheasant Tail #18-20
Shallow (<2 ft)Dry-Dropper
Leader & tippet
  • Hopper-dropper rigs along grassy banks keep action steady.
Cache la Poudre River · Rise Beyond Fly Fishing, Aug 22, 2025
Summer
Small dark terrestrials #12-16 (dry-dropper) / streamer near structure + Pheasant Tails / Prince Nymphs / quill-bodied jig nymphs #16-18
MixedDry-Dropper
Leader & tippet
  • The dry-dropper rig rarely fails in this river.
Cache la Poudre River · Rocky Mountain Anglers, 8/23/26
Summer
Gray drake patterns + Small mayfly nymphs
MixedDry-Dropper
Leader & tippet
  • Dry droppers with gray drake patterns and small mayfly nymphs have fished good.
Conejos River · Conejos River Anglers, 07/24/2026
Summer
Small worm pattern + Caddis emerger / PMD emerger / general mayfly dropper
MixedDry-Dropper
Leader & tippet
  • Caddis activity continues to be a factor, and PMD activity has started to pick up as well.
Uncompahgre River · RIGS Fly Shop & Guide Service, Aug 25, 2026
Summer
Stimulators #12-16 / Chubbies #12-16 + Prince Nymph #14-18 / Copper John #12-18 / Pheasant Tail #16-20
MixedDry-Dropper
Leader & tippet
  • The classic dry/dropper rig is in order, but watch for hatches of caddis and PMDs as well.
San Miguel River · Duranglers Crew, Aug 19, 2025
Summer
Anti-Freeze Caddis #14 + Spanish Bullet #18 / Juju Baetis #18
Shallow (<2 ft)Dry-Dropper
Leader & tippet
  • Caddis continue to dominate the hatch, providing excellent opportunities for dry-dropper fishing.
San Miguel River · RIGS Fly Shop, Aug 25, 2026
Summer
Parachute Adams #20-24 / Sproat Midge #20-24 / Griffith's Gnat #18-24 + Killer Mayfly #20-24 / Pheasant Tail #18-22
Shallow (<2 ft)Dry-Dropper
Leader & tippet
  • This is mayfly water, BUT hoppers will be around too.
Dolores River · Duranglers Crew, Jun 11, 2025
Fall
Panty Dropper Hopper #8-12 / Morrish Hopper #8-12 + Killer Mayfly #20-24 / Pheasant Tail #18-22
Medium (2-4 ft)Dry-Dropper
Leader & tippet
  • Hopper/Dropper combos are a go-to but watch for good mayfly hatches.
Dolores River · NevadaFishReports.com, Sep 8, 2023
Summer
Elk Hair Caddis #8-18 / Chernobyl Ant #8-16 / Dave's Hopper #6-12 + Rainbow Warrior #16-20 / Zebra Midge #18-22
MixedDry-Dropper
Leader & tippet
  • Dry-dropper rigs are particularly effective throughout the summer months, especially in pocket water and along grassy banks.
White River · FlyGuysNLies, White River Meeker
Summer
Chubby Chernobyls / PMXs / Stimis #8-14 + Princes / Pheasant Tails / Copper Johns #14-18 (or Perdigons / Bullets / Frenchies #14-18)
Shallow (<2 ft)Dry-Dropper
Leader & tippet
  • Typical western dry/dropper rigs are pretty standard fare.
Crystal River · Crystal Fly Shop, Aug 20, 2024
Fall
Point fly & dropper
Medium (2-4 ft)Dry-Dropper
Summer
Point fly & dropper
MixedDry-Dropper
Summer
Point fly & dropper
Shallow (<2 ft)Dry-Dropper
Summer
Point fly & dropper
MixedDry-Dropper
Summer
Point fly & dropper
MixedDry-Dropper
Runoff
Point fly & dropper
Deep (>4 ft)Dry-Dropper
Summer
Point fly & dropper
Medium (2-4 ft)Dry-Dropper
Fall
Point fly & dropper
Medium (2-4 ft)Dry-Dropper
Fall
Point fly & dropper
Medium (2-4 ft)Dry-Dropper
Runoff
Point fly & dropper
Medium (2-4 ft)Dry-Dropper
Summer
Point fly & dropper
Medium (2-4 ft)Dry-Dropper
Early Spring
Point fly & dropper
Shallow (<2 ft)Dry-Dropper
Summer
Point fly & dropper
Deep (>4 ft)Dry-Dropper
Fall
Point fly & dropper
Shallow (<2 ft)Dry-Dropper
Summer
Point fly & dropper
Shallow (<2 ft)Dry-Dropper
Summer · commonly paired
Point fly & dropper
Shallow (<2 ft)Dry-Dropper
Early Spring
Elk Hair Caddis #16 or Mini Chubby #16 + Micro Frenchie #18 to Black Beauty #20, spaced 18-24 inches below the dry
Shallow (<2 ft)Dry-Dropper
Leader & tippet
  • "Boulder Creek Light Pocket Dry-Dropper Rig"
Boulder Creek · Rise Beyond Fly Fishing, Boulder Creek report 5/2026
Summer
Point fly & dropper
Shallow (<2 ft)Dry-Dropper
Summer · commonly paired
Point fly & dropper
Shallow (<2 ft)Dry-Dropper
Summer
Green Drake Sparkle Dun #12 + Soft Hackle Pheasant Tail #16
Shallow (<2 ft)Dry-Dropper
Leader & tippet
  • "Go-To Rig"
Fraser River · Rise Beyond Fly Fishing, best fly fishing in Colorado roundup
Summer
Chubby Chernobyl or Parachute Hopper #10-12 (attractor dry) + Juju Baetis or Two Bit Hooker #16-18
Shallow (<2 ft)Dry-Dropper
Leader & tippet
  • Dry-dropper
Fraser River · Troutline.co, Fraser River guide; DIY Fly Fishing, Fraser River fly list
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