On the Relative Strength of Knotless Tapered Leaders and of Tippets

[jgrossing]

Until recently I assumed that a 5x leader and a 5x tippet from the same manufacturer had the same breaking strength, but this is apparently not the case. For example, The Orvis Mirage Fluorocarbon 5x tippet material has a claimed breaking strength of 5 pounds, while the Mirage Fluorocarbon knotless tapered leader has a claimed breaking strength of 3.2 pounds. (These numbers are taken from the packages.) Similarly, the claimed breaking strength of Orvis Nylon Super Strong tippet is 4.75 pounds, while the breaking strength of the 5x Nylon Super Strong knotless tapered leader is 3.2 pounds.

I contacted Orvis to confirm that these differences are real, and to find out why they occur. I was told that the differences were real and were caused by the extrusion process for making the leader. Somehow this manufacturing process causes the leader to be weaker than the corresponding tippet.

I have noted the same differences for other tippet/leader manufacturers (e.g., Seaguar), as well, so I think this is a difference that occurs for all manufacturers. I have not, however, looked carefully at the claimed breaking strengths for most of the other manufacturers.

The differences in breaking strength are surprisingly large. Taking as an example the Mirage 5x described above, the breaking strength of the leader is 36% lower than the tippet. This implies to me that a knotted leader is a stonger leader than a knotless leader of the same diameter, even allowing for the fact that the knots also cause a reduction in the stated breaking strength of about 15%.

In discussing this with the managers of a couple Orvis stores, they were unaware of this phenomenon, so I presume that most of us fishermen are also unaware of it. Based on this information, I don't think that I will be buying knotless tapered leaders anymore. Rather, I will be building my own leaders by knotting together tippet sections on a furled leader butt.

[Steve Molcsan]

Interesting

[chewydog]

This implies to me that a knotted leader is a stonger leader than a knotless leader of the same diameter, even allowing for the fact that the knots also cause a reduction in the stated breaking strength of about 15%.

Only if every knot you tie in a leader is perfect and up to maximum strength.

[Jack Hise]

Tippet is also made with an extruder but would be a continuous run of several thousand feet which would make it easier to maintain control. Extruding a tapered Leader would require some sort of on/off, slow/fast process or adjustable die. I'm guessing that "Head Pressure" would vary and thus a loss of material integrity (Strength).
I would also think that in a "Production Run" of Tapered Leaders many would be much stronger but they are all rated based on the weakest.

[Jack Hise]

Also a good case for Furled Leaders!

[Uncle Jesse]

Extruding a tapered Leader would require some sort of on/off, slow/fast process or adjustable die.

I inspected factories for over 18 years, the closest thing I saw to manufacturing a tapered leader was producing tapered golf club shaft, which was done by stretch individual pieces of steel tubing. I would not be surprised to discover tapered leaders are produced in a similar manner, by placing monofilament of the desired composition in a jig over graduated head and a constant stretching pressure. I may be completely off, but if I had to produce some tapered knotless leaders, that is where I would start.

[Kaboom1]

Extruding a tapered Leader would require some sort of on/off, slow/fast process or adjustable die.
I would also think that in a "Production Run" of Tapered Leaders many would be much stronger but they are all rated based on the weakest.

You can read all about it here...

http://www.google.com/patents/US4155973

Brad

[sagefisher]

For trout fishing, I only use knotless tapered leaders and I have had no problems with them. For years I have been using Rio leaders, with good success, but recently I have also started using Frog Hair leaders and I must say, I am very impressed with them. I once tried making my own knotted leaders but I was very unhappy with the amount of water disturbance from all the knots and with the amount of crud the knots picked up from the water, so I went back to knotless tapered leaders.

I tend to use one 'X' heavier than what most people would use on any given water so I can gat the fish in and released quicker.

Larry ---sagefisher---

[Silver Creek]

Until recently I assumed that a 5x leader and a 5x tippet from the same manufacturer had the same breaking strength, but this is apparently not the case. For example, The Orvis Mirage Fluorocarbon 5x tippet material has a claimed breaking strength of 5 pounds, while the Mirage Fluorocarbon knotless tapered leader has a claimed breaking strength of 3.2 pounds. (These numbers are taken from the packages.) Similarly, the claimed breaking strength of Orvis Nylon Super Strong tippet is 4.75 pounds, while the breaking strength of the 5x Nylon Super Strong knotless tapered leader is 3.2 pounds.

Thanks for the post. It seems this varies between manufacturers and materials.

True for Rio Fluoroflex










Not true for Rio Powerflex

[Buddy Sanders]

I get that the breaking strengths are different. But does it really matter? It's not like it's required, or even desirable, to use a leader that 'matches' the 'X' size of the tippet.

Why do you have to use a leader that's the same 'X' size as the tippet you want to use? Actually, why would you even WANT to?

You can always just, for example, buy a 3X leader, put 5X tippet on it, and have the benefits of the knotless tapered leader with no loss of strength. I've always done it that way, as I've always wanted my tippet be the 'weak link'.

Just decide what tippet size you want, but a leader that tests ABOVE that, and you're done.

It's time for the outdated 'X' system to go away. It really has no true meaning anymore. We can all understand diameters in either inches or millimeters, and breaking strength in pounds or kilograms. This doesn't have to be so hard.

Buddy