Does It Matter?

[fishinwrench]

12 minutes ago, Al Agnew said:

Revisiting this a bit...I researched the diameter of the Rio Fluoroflex tippet I use, compared to Maxima clear line that somebody else mentioned.

Rio Fluoroflex:

6X  3.6 lb. test, .005 diameter

5X  5 lb. test, .006 diameter

4X  7 lb. test, .007 diameter

3X  8.5 lb. test, .008 diameter

2X  12 lb. test, .009 diameter

Maxima Clear:

1 lb. test, .003 diameter

2 lb. test, .005 diameter

3 lb. test, .006 diameter

4 lb. test, .007 diameter

6 lb. test, .009 diameter

8 lb. test, .01 diameter

So the 6X that I very seldom use unless I'm throwing very small flies is the same diameter as 2 lb. test Maxima, but is rated at 3.6 lb. test.  The 4X that I probably use the most in very clear water is the same as 4 lb. test Maxima, but is 7 lb. test.  The 2X that I often use for streamer fishing and in murky water is the same diameter as 4 lb. test Maxima but is 12 lb. test!

Which goes to show that IF you're really concerned about line visibility, don't just look at the lb. test it is, look at the diameter.

Have you ever checked a length, say 10ft, of standard mono/flouro to see if the diameter is consistent ?

Supposedly "tippet material" is a grade above regular old line.  I would claim that I don't buy into the BS but I've bought too many spools of tippet material @ .50 per yard.

[Gavin]

Have checked Seaguar’s stuff with a high end digital caliper. It is spot on. +\- 10%. Have not checked all of them, but lots are out of advertised specifications.

[fishinwrench]

I just went out and checked P-line flouroclear 6#, Seaguar InvisX 10#, and P-line CX premium green 8# and 12# and on each there is a difference you can feel when pulling it through the caliper jaws....but it's less than .001"

Interesting to note that the CX premium (which is actually a co-poly) does not get thinner when you stretch it out real tight.  The others all do by about .002 and it takes them about 30-40 seconds to fatten back up.    Any idea how the CX can retain its diameter when stretched? How can that be?

[tjm]

Maybe it doesn't stretch?  Even steel gets smaller cross section as it stretches.

Al the Maxima line and tippet are the same as far as eye, touch and mic can tell. Most of my leaders come off the one shot spools. I have several times compared the spooled line with the tippet spools. People always say that Maxima under marks their (as if it is terrible thing to do) line so that in tests it break at higher loads than other lines, probably so and that would make it nearer to Rio and Orvis in a diameter /strength comparison.  I find that if I use the same brand from 20# to 2# the knots and especially the turnover work better than if I switch brands at some point in the taper. Often in the same diameter one brand is enough stiffer or softer as to spoil a knot or cause  a hinge. If Rio or Orvis made all diameters from ,004" through .025" I'd maybe change brands.  I have always gone by diameter, that's the reason for Xs. Pounds on label are meaningless once we tie the first knot anyway.

 

[JestersHK]

Thanks for the info and testing @tjm Good info here and I like learning from you all.  I have had mixed results with tippet from various manufacturers to the point I usually just throw 2lb ultragreen on there and call it a day... Will have to check out the RIO as its almost twice as strong with same diameter. 

[snagged in outlet 3]

I always use Rio Fluoro Flex Plus.  I even use it for leader material on spinning rods when jig fishing.

[tjm]

Last couple times I bought 6X I got FrogHair, (copolymer) it may be the best tippet that Ive used in strength to diameter and knot holding, or maybe I had a good day.  I build my own leaders and rebuild them as conditions or size fly calls for, some pretty complex Joe Brooks compound taper  recipe leaders still live in my leader wallet, though my leaders have become more simple over time I still may have 4-6 diameters in some leaders, so I'm not looking at just tippet material usually.

For those interested Fly Fisherman did an article a few years ago on how various brands compare,  http://www.flyfisherman.com/gear-accessories/fly-tying-materials-gear-and-accessories/2012-tippet-shootout/

[Al Agnew]

8 hours ago, tjm said:

Last couple times I bought 6X I got FrogHair, (copolymer) it may be the best tippet that Ive used in strength to diameter and knot holding, or maybe I had a good day.  I build my own leaders and rebuild them as conditions or size fly calls for, some pretty complex Joe Brooks compound taper  recipe leaders still live in my leader wallet, though my leaders have become more simple over time I still may have 4-6 diameters in some leaders, so I'm not looking at just tippet material usually.

For those interested Fly Fisherman did an article a few years ago on how various brands compare,  http://www.flyfisherman.com/gear-accessories/fly-tying-materials-gear-and-accessories/2012-tippet-shootout/

Yeah, I make my own leaders, too...after a few days of use, the store bought leader I started out with is so short that I've spliced about three sections of tippet onto it

[Ham]

On 9/20/2018 at 5:34 PM, Terrierman said:

It matters to me and I strongly prefer 2 lb.

I’m not there yet, but I do throw 4lb a lot more than I used to do. 

[snagged in outlet 3]

I use 6X Fluoro as a leader for jig fishing.  Works great.