It may not seem earth shattering but it was in popular use among the guides until the mid 1980's. It was the late 80's early nineties before the dry dropper really took off among the general flyfishing population.

 

Overseas people had used dry droppers and the old methodology was to tie your bloods and leave a long tag as the place to tie the dropper. This was ineffective for NZ for a number of reasons, the size of the fish being the primary cause. None of those knots have strength when the pressure is applied to the tag. They have their strength in the straight mainline pull. On the smaller fish prevelent overseas this wasn't so much of an issue as the knots were still not being pushed as hard as we would commonly encounter here. So when Kiwis started using the dry dropper technique it was quickly discovered by some of us that using a dropper off a tag was a great way to lose fish and two flies at a time. the obvious and simple solution was to tie of the bend of the hook and this put the pressure back onto the mainline section of the knot and remidied the situation.

 

You're right, it is obvious but it was the circumstance we have in NZ that lead to the innovation... as they say invention comes out of necessity... The reason we came up with it first? We needed a better system.

 

I think the main reason it is called the NZ Style  is that it was invented and popularised in New Zealand!

 

Was rather intrigued Badger to find that tying off the back of

the hook is referred to as "tying New Zealand style" in the UK.

 

Would have thought such a simple procedure hardly deserves

any country putting claim to something so obvious & surely

far from an earth shattering innovation.

 

Cheers