...used 7X, 8X tippets?
R.
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...used 7X, 8X tippets?
R.
Rocketfish,
I fish a tailrace in E. Tennessee and almost always use 7x fluorocarbon tippet. It's necessary because the fish have seen a lot of flies and a lot of pressure. Last summer, late one evening, I was fishing with my 7 yr old daughter, Istuck a good fish and handed the rod to her. She almost lost the rod and quickly gave it back to me. I was fishing a dry fly with a small midge dropper (sz.24). I got the fish it and it was a smidge over 24 inches long. I was also using 7x tippet. I didn't have to play the fish long at all; when I took out the hook it quickly swam away. Sweet fish, sweet memory.
Yes, and even smaller. Today's 7x and 8x tippet is about 2.5# and 1.6# respectively. That's probably similar to what 5x and 6x was maybe 20-25 years ago.
Allan
I'm not good enough to fish that light of gear. I use 6 or 8 pound mono. It's the best I can do.
7X very rarely, 8X never.
For the trico hatch on a tailwater I fish, I use 6x and haven't had any issues, my poor slackwater casting aside. The fish get pounded daily and really don't care much for drag, but the river is full of weeds (and very large trout) and with 7x I'd just be leaving flies in the fish's mouths or wrapped in the salad (a number end up donated to the ecosystem as it is anyway); heck, none of the 3 shops in town carry anything smaller than 6x. Can't say I ever left that water thinking "if I only had spent the $4.50 for a spool of 7x I would have slayed them", more like "if only I'd spent some time practicing my casting, I might have actually put a fish on the reel".
Regards,
Scott
I've used 7x, and even 8x, but I can't say that I think it makes much difference, other than more fish lost to broken tippet.
I'm somewhat of a believer in theory that if you're getting too much drag, your leader is too short, not too fat. I fish mostly tailwaters and spring creeks ("technical" waters) but even so, I'll fish the largest leader that will fit through the eye of the hook.
I also believe that fish see even the finest leader, flourocarbon or not, just as they see the hook. They just choose to ignore it.
Never, and not even 6X all that often. Maybe I could catch more and I just don't realize it, but it seems like I do OK.
Talking to a guide on the Bighorn who said he nearly always used 3x when he was using dries, because it floated better. He seems to be successful, but I couldn't believe he would hook fish or that the flies would float better. Anybody else go heavy?
I fish 7x flourocarbon about 50% of my waters.
I have fished 7x when needed in areas that required tiny flies on highly pressured fish. i don't think fish care about the tippet just the flawless drift of the fly.
I just got back from Colorado with tricos in the morning and micro caddis in the evenings and managed to get by with 6x
Yes, I use 7x on occasion. But only on crystal clear, glass smooth water with tiny flies and fussy trout. Of the streams I fish regularly, there are only a couple where I even bother to carry anything smaller than 5x. I usually have down to 7x in my stillwater stuff.
I agree 100% on this.Quote:
Originally Posted by redietz
Rocketfish
I can't even see an 8x tippet.
no, because it is ridiculous to believe that a trout can't see it...I mean, you can see it, right? and a trout has much better eyesight underwater than you do...
have used 7x on many trout streams but you want to use a soft rod
Not that I'm advocating 7x, but to be fair to those who do, their argument isn't that the fish can't see it, it's that it allows a more drag-free presentation, and that for nymphs, that it sinks better.Quote:
Originally Posted by maodiver
The former can just as easily be accomplished by a longer leader and/or a slack-line cast. A heavier fly and/or a tuck cast takes care of latter. Or you can use a finer leader and lose more flies and fish.
I figure there must be a use for them, or they wouldn't make them. I always thought they were for little midges, and sz. 22 flies.
Never used 8x, but when fishing on the San Juan River below Navaho Dam, if you aren't using at least 6x, you aren't catching fish.