I know we've debated fluorocarbon vs. mono ad nauseum, but have we talked about why to buy tippet at $22 a spool when the SA tippet is $5? Why is one fluorocarbon better than another?
Fluorocarbon tippet
I know we've debated fluorocarbon vs. mono ad nauseum, but have we talked about why to buy tippet at $22 a spool when the SA tippet is $5? Why is one fluorocarbon better than another?
Where can you buy a fluorocarbon tippet material for $5?
Regards,
Silver
"Discovery consists of seeing what everybody has seen and thinking what nobody has thought"..........Szent-Gyorgy
OK, I'll share my secret again. I buy 100 meter spools from the UK. Airflo Sightfree G3.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Airflo-Sight...item4d060bfa46
The man who coined the phrase "Money can't buy happiness", never bought himself a good fly rod!
Just got an e-mail from Scientific Angler. New spool design, 4.99 a spool.
My bad, looked at the e-mail again, and they just showed the picture of the fluoro. I was going to really stock up.
Last edited by herefishy; 10-29-2012 at 03:52 PM.
Ray, is 4 lb equiv to 5x?
If you keep an eye open you can find really good (e.g., Umpqua Superfluoro or Seaguar Grand Max FX) fluorocarbon tippet on eBay or at Sierra Trading Post for $5-6 per spool. When they are this cheap, I stock up. I just bought 9 spools of Umpqua Superfluoro from Sierra at $5.25 per spool with all of their discounts.Originally Posted by Silver Creek
The problem with many of the cheaper fluorocarbons (e.g., Umpqua Deceiver or RIO Fluoroflex) is that their breaking strength is inferior. The tippet mentioned above (Airflow Sightfree G3) has a breaking strength of 8 lb for 2x, while the better fluorocarbons have a breaking strength of 12 or 12.5 pounds for 2x. Similarly, the breaking strength of the better 5x tippet is is 5 lb, while for the cheaper fluorocarbons is 4 lb or less.
Last edited by jgrossing; 10-30-2012 at 10:58 AM.
200 yard spools of fluorocarbon fishing line serve just fine.
According to SA's web site, the monofilament is $5/spool, fluorocarbon $18/spool.
All of the tippets are pretty much the same to me (i.e. too expensive). Most choose based on shop recommendation or anecdotal experience (e.g. "a fish broke off brand X on me, I don't like it"). If you really want to have fun, take a micrometer and check the diameter/strength ratio of each brand. I understand there'll be some interesting variance between brands, and what it says on the label (grin). Rio, Airflo, and Frog Hair are the most popular around here, for what it is worth.
Last edited by whatfly; 10-29-2012 at 01:09 PM.
For warm water there is little use for tippet below 4# and usually not below 6#.
In these sizes, it only makes sense to buy Vanish fluorcarbon in 250yd spools for $13.
I'm not satisfied with the durability of the 2# test, and I think that must have been the general opinion because it is hardly available now.
"So many people are out there doing things they call environmentalism, but only because it's politically correct or has a lot of cache."
Yes herefishy, 4lb=5X
The man who coined the phrase "Money can't buy happiness", never bought himself a good fly rod!
Do you find the tippet to be prone to break more easily as it gets older. Orvis dates theirs. One reason I don't buy larger spools in concern for "aging" tippet breaking off.
"You must not be too greedy in catching your said game (fish), as in taking too much at one time...That could easily be the occasion of destroying your own sport and other men's also." Juliana Berners (1450)
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