+ Reply to Thread
Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast
Results 1 to 10 of 18

Thread: Pulling strength of trout

Hybrid View

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Aug 2006
    Location
    Hafnarfjordur, Iceland
    Posts
    247

    Default Pulling strength of trout

    Hi group.

    I saw the television show Myth Busters the other day.
    They were measuring the burst strength of a shark and the average pulling strength.

    Their conclusion was that the burst pulling strength was the same as their weight and the average pulling strength was 30% of their weight.
    If we could make the same assumption for trout, we could say that a 10 pound trout would be able to pull with a 10 pound strenth for a short while and the average strength of 3 pounds.

    I have often wondered about which pound strength to choose for my leader, for some reason or other I would choose 10 pound leader if I thought it would be possible to get a 10 pound fish.
    At the same time I have wondered if that was right...
    And at the same time I have to say that catching too big fish for my leader has not been a big problem

    Do you think we can use the same assumption for trout and shark?
    How do you choose leader strengt?

    Thorarinn

  2. #2

    Default

    I doubt sharks & trout have the same burst strength. There are many fish out there that make trout seem like pikers when it comes to fighting ability & overall strength.

    That being said I base my leader or line choice on several things but the size fish I anticipate is seldom the biggest factor since the reel drag or lack thereof and the rod can soften surges that far exceed the pound test rating of the line. When fishing for trout I let the fly size determine my tippet size.

  3. #3
    Jim Slattery Guest

    Default

    I think a factor you might consider while making leader choice is water current pressure. A fish broadside in the river current that does a head snap and makes a run can exert a lot of instant line torque. SNAP!

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Jun 2006
    Location
    NE Gwinnett Co., GA
    Posts
    5,933

    Default

    Sorry I miss that episode, I would have like to have seen their methodology. The efficiency of the swimming motion is not the high in the world of propulsion mainly because it occurs in a liquids as opposed to walking which occurs on a solid and result in a higher efficiency of work done. I know I can pull about 250 lbs. (me on my floattube) on a calm pool of water with a 4 lb. line, the dynamic coefficient of friction is very low less than 0.016. The federal govt. requires a 0.5 coefficient for walking surfaces. All of which really means nothing to most of us.

    I would think the highest stress a fish can put on a line is at the end of a jump when even if there is no slack there is a bow in the line that suddenly become taut. Then the fish has hit you with its full weight, dropped at a speed generated from the effects of gravity and the high of the jump. I don't remember many physic formulas and am not inclined to go digging for them at the moment.
    Want to hear God laugh? Tell him Your plans!!!

  5. #5

    Default

    First of all. I don't choose a leader tippet by strength, but rather by diameter. The diameter would be selected by a few factors, first being the size of the fly, second, the clarity of the water, and third, the wariness of the fish. Size of the fish would be a minor consideration in fresh water.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Dec 2006
    Location
    West Tennessee
    Posts
    2,251

    Default

    Smallmouth bass and blue gill are the kings IMHO.

    I doubt you could land a 4lb blue gill(if it existed). I've caught some ~2lb blue gill I swore were 5lb largemouth bass.
    Good fishing technique trumps all.....wish I had it.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Nov 2004
    Location
    Tennessee
    Posts
    3,545

    Default

    "I have often wondered about which pound strength to choose for my leader, for some reason or other I would choose 10 pound leader if I thought it would be possible to get a 10 pound fish."


    Since most of the fly fishers I know attach a tippet to their leader, is the question on what pound strength should your leader be or what pound strength your tippet should be?

    I'm confused !!
    Warren
    Fly fishing and fly tying are two things that I do, and when I am doing them, they are the only 2 things I think about. They clear my mind.

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Aug 2006
    Location
    Hafnarfjordur, Iceland
    Posts
    247

    Default

    Hmm.
    Both, most of the time I put the same strenght of tippet material as my leader is.
    But I'm thinking of the weakest point, so we could say the tippet strength (I could use weaker tippet than leader).

    Thorarinn.

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Nov 2004
    Location
    Tennessee
    Posts
    3,545

    Default

    thorarinna,

    You have a good question that makes one think, but, I cannot offer any answer because I am assuming you are referring to a tapered mono leader and I do not use them. I make and use a Furled leader out of Berkley Vanish Transition fluorocarbon. To it I attach my tippet and my tippet could be anywhere from 4 pound test tippet to 8 pound test tippet depending on what fish species I am fishing for or what fly I am using. On my Furled leaders, the weakest point would be the tippet end loop and I have tested it and it broke at 12 pound test. With that thought in mind, I use the same Furled leader make-up on my 3wt, 4wt, 5wt and 6 wt. So, my weakest point in my set-up would be the tippet and not the leader.

    Sorry I could not be of more help.....
    Last edited by WarrenP; 12-02-2010 at 11:27 PM.
    Warren
    Fly fishing and fly tying are two things that I do, and when I am doing them, they are the only 2 things I think about. They clear my mind.

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Dec 2003
    Location
    Shallotte, NC - USA
    Posts
    778

    Default

    Once upon a time I caught a brown in the White River, below the dam in the proximate location of the state park (Arkansas), that measured 26" - not that big of a trout for those waters - and did not weigh same. In the same waters and on the same outing I also caught a 19" and a 20" and I was surprised that these two smaller trout gave a bigger fight. Some things in the fishing department are hard to figure.

+ Reply to Thread

Similar Threads

  1. Hook strength vs penetrating ability
    By pillcaster in forum Fly Tying
    Replies: 2
    Last Post: 11-06-2013, 05:26 PM
  2. How to test knot strength?
    By John_N in forum Fly Anglers Online
    Replies: 21
    Last Post: 11-01-2011, 02:28 AM
  3. tippet and break strength
    By Clay in forum Fly Anglers Online
    Replies: 10
    Last Post: 07-29-2008, 02:16 PM
  4. Knot strength
    By Clay in forum Fly Anglers Online
    Replies: 6
    Last Post: 05-21-2008, 05:59 PM
  5. backing strength
    By Ole in forum Fly Anglers Online
    Replies: 7
    Last Post: 01-16-2006, 11:21 PM

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts