Tippets

[Benson]

Rookie here trying to figure out what the difference is between a tippet and a leader? I have a leader on my flyrod now and I see that the thickness gradually decreases. Is a tippet the same or is it a solid thickness? I've got a lot to learn in the fundamentals of flyfishing so any advice for a rookie would be well appreciated thanks.

[big musk411]

Tippit is what you tie to the end of you leader. As you change/loose fies you leader will become shorter. You use the tippet to lenghen it. I use a blood knot to connect the two.

Typically you tippet size will be about the same as your leader size. For MN/Wisconsin trout 4-6X should work. I usually use 5X leader. Somedimed downsizing to 6X for picky trout or tiny flies. I will upgrade to 4X if casting big wollybuggers.

Tippet is uniform thickness, not tapered like a leader.

[SteveWilson]

Tippet is just another name for mono fishing line. It comes in various diameters and breaking strengths. It's also available in various amounts of limpness. Before the days of variable thickness single piece extruded leaders, leaders were made by tying together various thicknesses and lengths of tippet. Making your own leaders is still something worth doing in some circumstances. I typically use a 7 1/2' 4x leader and then either add some 4x tippet material (for larger flies and small streamers) or make a longer, finer leader by adding sections of 4x, 5x, 6x, and maybe 7x material. On my 1wt and 3wt rods I've been tying up my own leaders because 1) the butt section on commercial leaders is a bit thick for these smaller lines and 2) I'm looking for shorter (6-8') leaders with fine tippet. So I end up tying my own with smaller and shorter butt sections and then quickly thin down to 5x in the mid section and then work the leader up to 6x,7x, or 8x depending on what I'm going for (i.e. 8x for size 32 tricos). You should pick up a copy of Joe Humphrey's Trout Tactics as leaders are very well discussed.

[DEADhead]

definitely good advice here. The biggest difference between trout tippets and standard mono, is the strength to diameter ratio. Trout tippets are often a smaller diameter of the same weight rating (e.g. 6 pound test) than standard monofilament. There are also Flourocarbon tippets, which are also smaller diamter and stronger, they are less visiible to fish, but often stiffer, less abrasion resistant at times, and more expensive. They all have there place. Flourocarbon lines don't absorb water like mono does, and is more dense than water, so it sinks. It is not reccomended for use when dry fly fishing. I use Florocarbon leaders when nymphying or throwing streamers.

[sowbug1171]

newbie you also need to buy the better barnds of tippet. when you do buy look at the diamiter vs. the # test ussualy 7x will be the smallest you can find that only gives you the diameter which would be 0.04, but the breaking strength could be higher or lower depending on the brand. A nother hint is that the x number and the diameter number will always add up to 11, so 6x tippet would have a diameter of 0.05. and i have found it best to try and use the same brand of tippet as the leader because i have found the difference in stiffness and hardness of the two does not always make for the greatest knot strenght. good luck with your new sport.

[DEADhead]

welcome sowbug. Good advice on the leader/tippet knot issue. I use climax leaders and tippets, so I guess I never noticed the problem. Any my warmwater leaders are usually just a 3-4 foot piece of floro tied direct to the fly (sinking line).

[WxGuy]

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or 8x depending on what I'm going for (i.e. 8x for size 32 tricos).

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Kudos to you, Steve! That's some tiny, tiny fishin'. Is there a 30/30 club?

[Benson]

Wow! I didn't expect this many responses thanks for helping this rookie out. I fully understand now thanks everyone.

[DEADhead]

I have to admit, the one nice thing about warmater fishing is not having to deal with 7x (or 8x for the brave souls out there) tippet. The hardest thing about using 20 or 30 lb floro for a leader is making sure the knot gets tight enough on the fly. I usually use a palomar anyways...

[SteveWilson]

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Kudos to you, Steve! That's some tiny, tiny fishin'. Is there a 30/30 club?

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It's hard to thread 7x tippet through the eye of a size 32 hook which is why I go with 8x. An 8" trout is fun on the end of a 1wt rod and the rod protects that light 8x tippet real well.