Summer is here and fishing patterns will soon change with the warmer water. The back waters are still cool well into the ebbing tide and the stripers are around for almost the whole tide. But that will soon change quickly and fishing closer to the cooler inlet waters will be necessary. However, throughout the summer, around the spring tides when small stuff, for example, 1-inch silversides, shrimp, crabs are around in abundance, a visit to where back water meets bigger water is in order.

Match the hatch is also in order. To break the code quickly and quickly is an understatement because in less than a couple of hours of outgoing current the very warm back water will arrive and the stripers will quietly exit for cooler water.

Fishing multiple flies is the key to summer night fly fishing. The best way I have found to tie on droppers is to use a 4-turn Surgeon's knot and leave a 5-inch tag. With experience I can add that when using droppers do not use anything less that 20# mono or there will be break offs. I have total confidence using this class tippet for droppers even when there are larger stripers hitting.

One advantage of using this knot is the benefit gained by having the tag lie straight along the leader rather than at right angles other types of knots create. When a heavy fish hits that tag it will pull in line with the leader and reduce the force on the knot and line. Also, never let the tag exceed 5 inches or the fly will foul around the leader. Tie on as many tag as you want or can handle casting. Here is a basic guide line for distance between flies. I tie in the first dropper 24" from my leader's loop. Subsequent droppers are added at 18-inch intervals. Always tie the largest fly at the very end of the tippet and the smallest fly on the dropper closest to the rod tip. This will aide in casting. Another tip is to slow your casting cadence and open the loop a bit. With just a little practice distance does not have to be sacrificed.

Follow these links for more on fishing small flies for stripers on summer nights: Get Enlightened and Out of the Dark: Summer Night Time Striper Fishing and Popping on Shrimp: Stripers on a Dry Fly.