The weakest link

[Ole]

When does tippet strength become strong enough that 20lb dacron backing (or the backing to flyline knot)becomes the weakest link when all the fly line is out of the rod? For instance, if tippet rating is 14lbs does one need to be a little careful how much pressure to exert on a fish when all the flyline is out of the rod and the backing is 20lbs? Breaking off a tippet is one thing but breaking off a flyline is quite another.

Thanks,
Ole

[dudley]

A good rule of thumb is to never use a tippet that tests heavier than your backing, although the tippet knot will usually give way first.
Many salt water guys around here regularly use straight 20# test mono for a leader. That's why they make 30# backing

[CT Bob]

It will take a lot of pressure to break 20 lb backing. You can lean on a big fish pretty hard without much worry. If you have a 14lb tippet and 20lb backing you probably won't break either unless you are fighting an absolute beast. I have landed a number of saltwater fish up to 18lbs on 16-20lb tippett (9wt) and never once have I been broken off.

[Gramps]

We just had a thread that a 12lb trout was caught on a 6x tippet. That's 3.6 lb test.

[Garic]

Have landed a 13b 2oz on a 4lb test tippet, so obviously the rod takes a lot of the stress off the backing, line, tippet. The results would be much different if you had a straight pull on the same setup without a rod to cushion it.

[Wednesday Caster]

Old, rotted backing...weaker link.
Quinn

[Micropteris]

A little different view.

I got into a discussion one time with an old timer over this same question. I was concerned about using a lightweight leader so I wouldn't lose my flyline. We were discussing using 30lb test for a leader in rocky big surf conditions where a fish could easily rub through a double 30 lb leader. His response to me was we don't fly fish to save money. If I had any hope of landing a good fish 30 lb of hard mono was the minium leader to use. Everytime you throw your line out there with any type of leader you risk losing it.

First of all try an put 20 lbs of pressure on a fly rod. Unless you are pointing the rod at the target you can't do it without ending up with a multi piece rod, more than the two to four pieces it should be. Fly rods are good at protecting light leaders and delivering presentations. They are poor at hook setting and putting heavy pressure on fish.

I took his advice and haven't regretted it yet. I have had small fish rub through 30 lb hard mono not because I put 30 lbs of pressure on them but because it wore out on the rocks. I have not yet lost a fly line to a snag or a fish. My hooks will usually bend if I get a snag before my leader flyline or backing parts.

If you are really worried about it get some really heavy backing or use a light leader and plan on losing a lot of fish.

[CT Bob]

A little different view.

I got into a discussion one time with an old timer over this same question. I was concerned about using a lightweight leader so I wouldn't lose my flyline. We were discussing using 30lb test for a leader in rocky big surf conditions where a fish could easily rub through a double 30 lb leader. His response to me was we don't fly fish to save money. If I had any hope of landing a good fish 30 lb of hard mono was the minium leader to use. Everytime you throw your line out there with any type of leader you risk losing it.

First of all try an put 20 lbs of pressure on a fly rod. Unless you are pointing the rod at the target you can't do it without ending up with a multi piece rod, more than the two to four pieces it should be. Fly rods are good at protecting light leaders and delivering presentations. They are poor at hook setting and putting heavy pressure on fish.

I took his advice and haven't regretted it yet. I have had small fish rub through 30 lb hard mono not because I put 30 lbs of pressure on them but because it wore out on the rocks. I have not yet lost a fly line to a snag or a fish. My hooks will usually bend if I get a snag before my leader flyline or backing parts.

If you are really worried about it get some really heavy backing or use a light leader and plan on losing a lot of fish.

This post got me thinking....Is it even possible to put enough pressure on a fish when you have the whole line out to break 20# backing or the knot. Now I am a saltwater newb. I started this past spring, and if I were to venture a guess, I probably spent at least 60 days on the water. I use a 9' 9 weight with a tippett that is between 14 and 30 lb test. Never broke off a fish unless the tippett was damaged. In most of the books I have read the pros tell you to use a backing that is stronger in #test than your leader. In theory it sounds like a good idea-after all you certainly don't want your weakest link to be behind a $65 fly line. But in reality, is there really likely to even be a problem if one were to use 20# backing with a 30# (or even heavier tippett)? There is a reason why I am asking this. On my 9wt I can only fit about 125 yards of 30#dacron, but I could probably get close to 200 yards if I drop down to 20. I used 30# because the "experts" said to use a backing that was at least as strong as the heaviest tippets you will use.

[dudley]

I have 20# backing on my 9wt lines, 30# on my 10wts

When you have a heavy (thick) line out, being pulled around every which way, plus a lot of backing too, there's a lot of drag on the line.
The drag on that line, plus the pull of the rod adds up to more than you might think
That stress is on the backing, not the leader.
Granted,you don't go that far into your backing everyday, but we're talking a fish that you probably don't want to loose.

[salmonguy]

Hi,

Just wondering what you are fishing for with 14 Lb tippet.
I fish for salmon alot of the time and I have never fished a tippet above 10 Lb and most of the time I fish 8 Lb. My backing is always 20 Lb. The biggest salmon to date is a 30 lb salmon on 8 Lb test. This fish took 35 minutes to land and I never saw my fly line for the first 25 minutes. I just couldn't amagine using a 14 Lb tippet. The fly wouldn't have to much movement.

My 2 cents worth,
Alan (salmonguy)