Couple Of Tippet Questions

[Jdecoudres]

1st question : Is there anyone out there not using fluorocarbon. I have always used it but this last weekend on tanney I bought the cheaper non fluorocarbon and fished midges with low water and got lots of fish. Made think if there was really that much difference?

2nd question I have what's the difference in tippet material vs. regular fishing line. Why can't I buy bigger spools of 2ib line for example and use it for tippet is there really that much difference or is it just a market game they play? Thanks

[fishinwrench]

Plenty of folks not using flouro, but I'm not one of them. Does it make a difference ? I've become rather fond of flouro's abrasion resistance. However, I don't buy into the whole invisible theory, nor the fast sinking claims either.

Specialty "tippet material" is a bit more refined (slightly more consistent in diameter throughout the spool, and is wrapped onto the spools in a way that avoids twists, minuscule kinks, and anal crap like that) and I do use it on 5x and thinner stuff. But for anything 4x and heavier I do fine with Trilene 100% flouro, or P-line Flouro and buy it in 250-300 yard spools.

The greatest thing about REAL "tippet material" is the handy little spools.....So much handier than carrying a 250 yard bulk spool around.

So I buy and use just enough Rio Flouroflex Plus @ 15.00 per 30 yards so that I have handy little pocket sized spools to refill with "other stuff".

[Lancer09]

Wrench is right on. Really with your tippet spools your paying for the consistency and the handiness. I build most of my leaders and tippet and use bulk spools of mono, but Sometimes it is a bit of a pain to carry around a spool of whatever I want to use for my tippet size.

[Jdecoudres]

You guys should check out these spools I found called tippet boss u can use a drill to fill the spools.

[Lancer09]

Those are pretty cool. I'll actually have to take a look at that. It looks like it would hang on a lanyard as easy as spools of actual tippet.

[Jdecoudres]

yea that's what I thought and now if I could find some bulk line to fill the spools with that would save me a lot of money on tippet vs buying the spools of tippet that's why I was wondering if I could just buy line in the same diameter of tippet and use it.

[Wayne SW/MO]

The problem with using just anything for a tippet is that not all tippet is equal. As a rule you want a stiffer tippet with dries and more supple material with wets for trout. That's why brand can be important.

Like Wrench I don't think the invisibility makes a difference. They lack of stretch when compared to mono could make a difference to some and I do believe it weakens in extreme cold, either side of 30 in my experience.

Size is probably the most important element in tippet selection when fishing for harassed trout.

[stlfisher]

I used fluorocarbon for about two years, but I grew to hate it. I have switch back to mono and I am much happier. The only time I use really light tippet is in the trout parks 6x usually. Other than that most of my fishing is done with 4x or 5x and sometimes I use 3x when throwing streamers.

I agree with wayne that fluoro does not seem to handle really cold weather well.

[Brian Wise]

I haven't used "fly fishing specific" tippet in probably 5 years. I went to Maxima for anything 4lb test or heavier and Seaguar for anything under 4 (which I never use). 10-15+lb test for big streamers, and the VAST majority of the time 4lb Maxima for my nymphing rigs. There is a give and take obviously as Maxima in the same weight is slightly thicker but I haven't seen a day of fishing where I thought ".001" would have caught us more fish. But, I am fishing a river where the fish aren't tippet sensitive but when I venture out to other streams I don't change my setup at all and catch fish.

[Jason R.]

I haven't used "fly fishing specific" tippet in probably 5 years. I went to Maxima for anything 4lb test or heavier and Seaguar for anything under 4 (which I never use). 10-15+lb test for big streamers, and the VAST majority of the time 4lb Maxima for my nymphing rigs. There is a give and take obviously as Maxima in the same weight is slightly thicker but I haven't seen a day of fishing where I thought ".001" would have caught us more fish. But, I am fishing a river where the fish aren't tippet sensitive but when I venture out to other streams I don't change my setup at all and catch fish.

Brian- do you use the Maxima Flouro for nymph rigs? I have way too many little spools rolling around in my truck but it seems like a cost effective method to transfer those big spools onto empty small spools.