20cm is fine if you are just using them to another trace to them, doing it that way if you do loose your hook you just undo that trace and dont have to replace the whole paternoster , we generally use 3 way swivels but can get costly but run a line with the hook around the 30 cm which allows more movement for the bait and looks more natural. we used to use shorter traces or droppers but found longer is better

I vary my lengths with most of my rigs, mainly because of the current some days.  Some days you will find the longer droppers wrap around the mainline and I find that once they are tangled, they seem to do it quite often causing the baits not to present well.  I will then change to a small paternoster with 10-15cm lengths and have no problems.  Other days you won't have a problem with the long rigs and they give the fish time to suck down the bait.

For Exmouth, varies with depth and current and what your fishing for.  If you have one or two different rigs made up for each scenario, then you are prepared for the conditions on the day that you can't really predict before leaving land.

Instead of using a dropper loop to a hook I tie my rig with very short (3cm) dropper loop then have a selection of traces and hooks pre tied that I loop onto the dropper. I found it good as you can change quickly- 80lb, 100lb, single hook, snooded twin hooks, longer, shorter etc. We used to catch a lot of bight redfish which often chaffed the trace. Cut it off and replace it in seconds. No need to have heaps of dropper loop rigs tied with different lengths, strengths etc. Just a heap of hook traces. Easy.

I do the same as Tim,tying them about 3-5cm long and varying the length of the hook trace to suit

sorry , what knot do you use to tie traces to dropper loops??

I just have a loop on the non hook end of my trace and do the loop to loop connection (where you thread the loop on the trace through the dropper loop, then pull the hooks through the loop on it's own line). Very hard to describe but very easy to do

easy to tie and swap sizes etc.

was also shown this as a rig to use in sharky waters as the only loss from a shark is the looped leader and not the whole rig

No dropper loops here ,three way crane swivel for me with a 30-50cm line to the hook,works well and i don't have to get Jesse to keep showing me how to tie the dam things.

the leader to the hook with thinner line , so it breaks first? cheers Pete

Not sure if that question was for me, but no my bottom rig is all the same 80-100lb

paul what knot do you use for your 3 way swivel??????

lucky tim what knot do you use for the non hook end ,,,,the loop you make so you can slip through dropper loop

i

use 80-100 lb jinkai

Can be a bit soft and pliable for twisted dropper loops, but good for the stock standard loops.

As Tim does I use a figure of eight knot at both ends of my paternosta, basically form a circle with a double of line and pass the double around itself 3 times then pull tight. Quickest knot known to man I reckon. Has good strength too.

If you ever go for twisted droppers change over to a stiffer trace like Penn 10x or your loops will curl around and not sit out proud from the knot.

but standard Jinkai is noted for it's suppleness which is not what you want for twisted droppers.

i use that same knot for my sinker at the bottom of the rig.

knots are my weakness. only the past year ive been getting onto bigger fish but i can certainly do the granny knot.