Does it exist?
I checked Rio, Frog Hair, Orvis, and Varivas and all stop at 7X or .004. I use 8X mono now but at times the curley cues you get from mono can be a pain with very light tippets.
BTW, today the Trico sippers on my home stream refused the usual 7X so 8X can be a necessary evil.
Thanks in advance!
I usually go down to the 7x fluro and it works good. They only thing I don’t like with the fluro and dry flies is the sinking factor. I think it would be light enough for the little stuff.
Seaguar makes 8X flourocarbon:
http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/templ … id=0011245
It’s also readily available outside the US. I’ve ordered tackle from this guy:
deathb4disco:
The Seaguar looks good at 1.9lbs if that’s what it really is. Now I have another excuse to go to Cabela’s.
Thanks!
Climax Fluorocarbon Tippet
30 meter spools Available Sizes
0x 0.011" 12.0 lbs.
1x 0.010" 10.0 lbs.
2x 0.009" 9.0 lbs.
3x 0.008" 7.0 lbs.
4x 0.007" 5.5 lbs.
5x 0.006" 4.5 lbs.
6x 0.005" 3.0 lbs.
7x 0.004" 2.0 lbs.
8x 0.003" 1.3 lbs.
If you can’t find it at your local store, let me know. I’ll see what is available around my area. I know a store that carries most, if not all, Climax items.
I am not trying to be arumentative but rather thought-provoking. I do not understand using 7X tippet much less 8X. There is no way you can land a reasonable fish without severely stressing it on such light tippet. Try using a longer tippet instead of a lighter tippet. If I can’t catch’em on 5X or bigger, I go home…
Bam,
I use 8x by frog hair they sell it at cabelas.
wireguy
P.S. I caught an 8lb 24" stripper the other day on the 8x frog hair. Woo hoo 
stevehaun:
Unfortunately my usual 12-16’ leader with a 24-36" length of 5X just doesn’t cut it in some of the heavily pressured waters I fish. If I followed your 5X rule, I’d have to just about give up trout fishing after March unless I only wanted to fish wet which will never happen ;). Besides, when I’m using 22-28 flies, 5X wouldn’t cut it.
BUT 2lb test 7X tippet is very strong and 8X at close to that is too. I actually had a guy watching me catch a decent sized trout on 7x last week. He comment to me was, “man you really horsed that fish in on that light tippet”.
I think a lot of anglers over-play fish on light tippets because they are scared of the light breaking strength, that’s why I prefer Varivas or Rio Fluoroflex Plus in Fluoro. The stuff is EXTREMELY strong.
Just my point of view.
DianeID:
Thanks for the tip on Climax. I believe I can find it locally. If I can’t I’ll give you a shout. Unfortunately experimenting with fluorocarbon tippet material brands can get EXPENSIVE. I bought and pitched a spool of Umpqa because it failed so many times. A $12.00 trial!
wireguy:
I didn’t know Frog Hair made 8X Fluorocarbon. I thought I searched their site completely, oh well. I guess a run to Hamburg is in order.
Sometimes attaching the fly with a loop knot may get you grabs without downsizing tippet, especially if refusals are due to micro drag.
A few months ago I was fishing a midge hatch with a lot of success while some other anglers were struggling to get grabs and insisted they needed 6x flouro to get bit. I was using 3x mono because I had forgot to pack lighter tippet. Fly was attached with a loop knot. This, of course, is an unusually extreme example, but illustrates the point.
“Unfortunately experimenting with fluorocarbon tippet material brands can get EXPENSIVE.”
There in is the rub…
That’s why a thread like this can be so helpful…
Seems to me Seaguar fluorocarbon tippet has always been rated the best in regard to lb. test to diameter…whether or not that is how it works in “real life” I don’t know.[/quote]
Steve,
I must disagree. I fish the Y pool on the Swift in MA. It is gin clear and a slow moving river. It is heavily fished and the fish there can look at your fly and tell you where it was made and on what day. The 7x or 8x tippet is often necessary to catch fish.
Knowing how to play and land a fish on that kind of tippet is important so as not to overstress a fish.
jed
Jed and others
I agree that in most situations a lighter tippet will increase hook up rates. IMHO, many anglers use a lighter tippet to compensate for poor presentation. If you are eating what you catch, I don’t have a problem with light tippets but if you are releasing I think it is suboptimal. I don’t think there is ANY way to fight a fish on such light tippet and not overstress it, especially in the warmer water of summer. Just my opinion…
I’ve recently switched over to Seaguar Grand Max and couldn’t be happier, seems a significant improvement over the brands I used previously. It’s much limper, stronger, takes and holds a knot and is as thin or thinner than most in the same breaking weight.
One other note of interest, I’ve found that small wind/casting knots can be removed from the Seaguar and the line isn’t damaged like other brands seem to be.
The 5x rule may work where you live, but not out here in the West.
I’ve been into the 8x realm a couple of times, but 6x and 7x are common out here.
This is slightly off topic, but I use 7x P-line Floroclear.
It’s a mix of Copolymer and Flourocarbon.
I believe the diameter is .0052 in.
This stuff is strong, it resists those “curlies” that I used to get so often, and is cheap.
I can get a 300 yard spool of this stuff for around $10 with S&H at [url=http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/templates/links/link.jsp?id=0018808315606a&type=product&cmCat=search&returnPage=search-results1.jsp&QueryText=floroclear&N=4887&Ntk=Products&Ntx=mode+matchall&Nty=1&Ntt=floroclear&noImage=0:d2855]Cabelas[/url:d2855]
Dear Hydlide,
If what you say about the diameter of P-line is correct it’s 5.8X tippet and not 7X, .011 inches minus the diameter of the line equals the “X” factor.
I haven’t used tippet smaller than 6X for over 15 years and I don’t see it hurting my catch rate on small flies any.
Best Wishes,
Avalon
Steve,
I agree that there is an art to bringing in a fish with a fine tippet and one should know their ability in relation to their equipment. It obviously depends on the fish size as well. A 8x nobody would question using with a 6" trout, and nobody would question the foolishness of using it with a 30" salmon…
You do bring up another excellent point, that is stressing fish in warm water. This morning I went to fish one of my favorite trout rivers after being away from it for a month or more. I got there and the water seemed too warm so I took its temp. It was 78 degrees, which is really hot for this time of year. I stopped fishing the currents and fished the eddies going for the LM Bass and Chub that share the stream. It was disappointing, but the right thing to do. Thanks for bringing up that point.
Just noticed you are in Hudson. I have friends there and have fished the St. Croix once or twice. I remember fishing with a bunch of kids on a dock and they were throwing worms under bobbers and catching all kinds of bass. There were a couple of bass boats out there that were coming up with nothing. When they saw the kids, they got as close as they could and started to set up to cast at the dock. After a few gentle (but clear) words from my friend and myself they saw the error in their ways and moved on. I did not want to try and remove a treble hook from some kid.
jed
Hey, Avalon, you learn something new everyday. Thanks for the heads-up. Now I can stop acting like a moron by telling people I have 8x line, when I really don’t. Again, thanks.
Dear Hydlide,
Dude, that’s funny. I don’t know if you are making fun of me or not and I don’t care, it’s still funny. :lol:
Best Wishes,
Avalon
I was serious; I’m not making fun of you at all.
This board rocks.
Hydlide 8)