Newbie Question....How much Tippet?

[dave potts]

Davy,

Maybe I missed it, but what knots do you use for connecting the 15 and 20 pound AM together, and then attaching the tippet above the overhand knot in the 15 pound AM?

Dave

[Davy Wotton]

Dave,

You can use what you choose. A regular blood knot works fine.

There are some other ones. You are not worrying about knot strength here by the way, 20/15 is way more than any other knot you will use lower down to the fly.

Davy.

[Rusty]

I have never liked conventional tapered mono leaders with one reason being they are just to stiff. I hate having to straighten them each time out or several times while on the stream. For that reason I switched to the Cabelas and Airflow mono Poly leaders. These are very suptle and have very little memory. I use the 5 ft. sections then add just the amount of tippet that I feel I need for the given fishing siuation. This method has worked for me whether dry or wet fly fishing.

I do use the loop to loop connection to about 12 inches of amnesia butt to the fly line. The tippet is also attached to the poly leader with a loop to loop. I also have some of the sinking poly leaders that work great for getting a fly down during higher water.

Dano

Wasn't there something stated somewhere about boiling the leaders? And, I think that boiling them takes away the memory. It's late and I could be wrong though.

[Davy Wotton]

Yes, that is true you can subject leaders to that treatment, way too much messing around and you have to do it right.

Far as l am concerned it realy serves no purpose. As it is used only for special conditons.

DW

[Terry Beeson]

The "memory" actually comes from the way we ship and store leaders. They are coiled while still warm from the production process. The boiling method does work, but like Davy said... too much trouble in my opinion.

It reminds me of the guitar strings that came out several years ago that were packaged straight instead of coiled. Sounded like a good idea, just not too practical.

[Davy Wotton]

Yes, that is about right how line is stored, same thing also for a fly line that is not used often, also related to how it was produced by the way here.

Often during fishing, particulary fly fishing you will cause a line to twist and that aggrivates the line to stay straight.

Same thing can happen with a fixed spool reel of low quality.

It is very good regular policy to strip say 60ft from the reel and while holding the end of the fly line stretch it. Needs tow of you of course.

The other means is to find something round that will not damage the line, place the line over that object amd walk back releasing line from the reel, 30ft gives 60ft of line.

Wing mirror works good, and fence posts, not some ones neck by the way !!!

Like wise if your line has a tendancy to twist you can reverse that twist.

Do that by , as much line as you can deal with. 20/30/40 ft

Swing the line above your head with a circular motion as such, using the rod of course, clockwise if you are right handed, counter if left handed.

That will twist the line in the opposite direction.

Take the fly off first by the way.

It is caused by a number of things, but due mainly to how you are casting.

Memmory with a leader can also be dealt with if you draw the leader through your warm hands, but do so with care as you can cause burns and cutts doing this.

IOt is the heat and tension applied that will sort it.

Will not work so well if the temps are too low. Do it before you go fish.

I will write something added here later for fly lines.

Davy

[Charley Hart]

I've been wondering what's the "correct" amount of tippet that should be tied to your leader? Is there such a thing? I've been tying about 2' with a blood knot. Does this sound right? Also, if you have a 4X or 5X leader but need a lighter leader, can you just tie on a 6X or 7X tippet to your heavier leader without consequences? And lastly, is there a prefferable knot to use over the blood knot? Any advice is appreciated!

I tried to read through all of the posts, so if someone mentioned this forgive me. As others have said it varies. Based on fly, water and other factors such as what you are fishing for.

For trout most keep a long leader/tippet combo. Not sure what the ratio is as I tie my own tapered leader / tippet. Kind of a pain but I have got it down to where if I have to I can take off the leader/tippet and tie on a new one fairly quickly depending on my mindset.

For warmwater I never use a tippet usually about 7 feet of 4lb test mono is good to go for all panfish species including bass!

Good luck and welcome to the sport!