fluorocarbon tippet materials

[jgrossing]

I have several questions about fluorocarbon tippet materials:

1. Several companies (Orvis, Seguar, Rio) are now selling premium fluorocarbon tippet materials at a price somewhat higher than their original fluoro tippet. What is the difference between the original fluro and the new fluoro? is it worth buying the premium fluoro?

2. Given the high price of fluorocarbon tippet material, I have wondered if one can buy fluorocarbon spinning line in bulk to use as tippet? Does anyone do this? What brands have you used?

3. Because of its higher specific gravity, I have avoided using fluorocarbon when fishing dry flies, fearing that the tippet might drag the dry fly down. Is this misguided?

Thanks

[ducksterman]

Re: #3.....according to John Scott you are...check some of his replies...interesting.

Re: #2 & 1....I know some do but I figure it is an important part of the system so I pay the premium...but than I don't use it up very fast.

[Fly Goddess]

I have several questions about fluorocarbon tippet materials:

1. Several companies (Orvis, Seguar, Rio) are now selling premium fluorocarbon tippet materials at a price somewhat higher than their original fluoro tippet. What is the difference between the original fluro and the new fluoro? is it worth buying the premium fluoro?

2. Given the high price of fluorocarbon tippet material, I have wondered if one can buy fluorocarbon spinning line in bulk to use as tippet? Does anyone do this? What brands have you used?

3. Because of its higher specific gravity, I have avoided using fluorocarbon when fishing dry flies, fearing that the tippet might drag the dry fly down. Is this misguided?

Thanks

First off I will say I ALWAYS fish fluorocarbon. I have several cases where I caught fish when others using mono did not. Maybe a confidence factor, but, it works for me.
I also fish flies down to a #32...and yes with fluoro. The tippet sinks slightly which is what I like. It does NOT pull the tiny micro dry down.

Now, I also guide so tippet is way to costy. I use regular 100% pure Fluorocarbon P-Line. In sizes of 2 lb to 10 lb. But it is bigger diameter pound for pound than tippet, so I will buy 6X in tippet material for the micro flies. All other flies I will use the P-Line and it works just fine.

Vanish is garbage to me, I lost way too many fish this year to that stuff. I could think it a bad batch because fluorocarbon is not suppose to have a shelf life, but htis was 4 lb , then 6 lb, then 8 lb, then 10...they all BROKE and not at the knot. I switched to P-Line and no more lost fish.
Use Seguar occasionally, but, it doesn't seem as strong a P-Line either.

[sagefisher]

I only use fluorocarbon tippet, I stopped using mono several years ago. I prefer to use Rio Fluoroflex Plus tippet
http://www.rioproducts.com/product.php?recKey=58

and I use 0X to 7X. Yes is it expensive but it lasts a long time, after all, it is tippet material, not leader, so I only use 12 to 18 inches at a time and you get 90 feet of it, that is 1,080 inches of tippet.

I take mostly guided trips on the rivers of Washington and mainly Montana. All the guides I fish with use fluorocarbon tippet and most of them use the Rio brand. Dry fly or nymph it doesn't matter. I use fluorocarbon all the time.

Tippet material is very soft for a reason, while lines are a stiffer material. So, I use tippet material and not line material.

As for sinking dry flies, don't worry about it. Heck, if you use mono, once it has been in the water it starts to get dirty and the dirt will sink it as well so use the fluorocarbon. It increases your chances of getting a hit, that is why the guides use it, they want their clients to get as many hits as possible. Makes for happier memories.

Larry ---sagefisher---

[Chicago Flyfisherman]

Always use Fluoro tippet material. I used to use Fluoro leaders and tippet. I stopped that practice and went standard to fluoro. I've not had any problems with this set up. The leaders in Fluoro were just so darn expensive that I just couldn't justify it. I've not noticed any appreciable difference in my fishing success using standard leaders with fluro tippet material.

I've heard the top water vs. nymphing discussion on fluoro. The manager of my local fly shop will not use fluoro for dry fly fishing. I do and have no issues. Does it affect my success rate... maybe, but I do alright. I'm certainly not going to carry around even more tippet than I do now.

I always use fluoro specifically designed for fly fishing. I don't use non fly fishing fluoro spinning line.

Cheers,
Mike.

[Apachetrout]

Hello:
Like others I only use fluoro for tippet. I tie my leaders out of mono and use fluoro tippet and this works great. I mostly fish lakes with subsurface flies and fluoro is the only way to go for midging and fishing leech patterns under a bobber. I always out fish friends who use mono and think is too expensive. I use Rio and Air flo and recently bought some Maxima fluoro and have had good results with it. The Maxima is about $10 a spool. I really like the way fluoro sinks and its small diameter is great for underwater flies. If you have already spent hundreds of dollars for a rod, reel, line, etc. what is another $50 or more for tippet that will give you a greater chance a catching more fish. When fishing is really good I will switch to a mono tippet, to compare it with the fluoro and I will always get more hits and takes with a fluoro tippet.

Lanny

[jgrossing]

Lanny

Thanks for the advice. By the way, I am the proud owner of a rod that you built--a 9 ft 4 wt Z-Axis that I picked up on this Board. It is now my favorite rod. You do good work.

Tom

[Apachetrout]

Tom:
Hello. Did you get that rod from Darrin? Is that the 4 wt. with the white guide wraps and TiCh single foot guides. If so, that rod came out great. Glad you like it the Z Axis are great rods. Happy Thanksgiving.

Lanny

[sagefisher]

Jim,

I am with you on that, those Montana trout can really grow big and fight well. I tend to use more 3X than anything else on Montana rivers, sometimes down to 4X and sometimes up to 2X. If I am nymphing, same weight flourocarbon tippet to the first nymph then I drop one size for the dropper nymph.

On pocket waters in small streams I use 5X and sometimes 6X, but then I am going for smaller trout.

Larry ---sagefisher---

[Silver Creek]

I use mono unless I am nymphing or I am fishing to very spooky trout. The reason is that if I break off mono, it will disintegrate over the years due to UV and weathering. Fluoro does not and will be around for literally hundreds of years. Plus mono is much cheaper.

Fluoro is an advantage when fishing to spooky fish with dries. A floating mono tippet has a different index of refraction than the water. It also depresses the meniscus slightly. This cause specular reflection and refraction. These bright spots can be seen as the fish look up at the floating mono and they can also be seen on the bottom of the stream in slow moving waters. With sunken fluoro tippet this does not occur.