Lake Fly Fishing Equipment Essentials    

Copyright © 2010 Michael Gorman       Reproduction of the text or photos are allowed only by the expressed permission of the author.

I remember clipping a thought-provoking photo from the sports section of my local newspaper some years ago.  At the finish line of a major horse race were two horses with the nose of the winner merely a couple of inches ahead of the beaten horse.  Literally, a photo finish.  The winner --- the one who got all the horse racing glory, and most of the money, that day --- had a slight edge, all that was needed to win.  The story in this photograph has many applicable metaphors, but, of course, I am going to apply it to fishing lakes.  The most successful stillwater angler is one who develops all the “edges” he can.  An edge over the weather, over the conditions,  over other anglers, and over the fish.  Good and appropriate fishing gear can provide a significant edge for a lake fisherman, because of the unique “musts” for meeting the challenges of the lake angling environment, compared to stream and river fishing.

Thoughts on Fly Rods for Lakes

Rod selection starts when you think about what you need to accomplish when casting to quality lake fish.  I have used the term quality to distinguish these from naïve hatchery trout which often take little skill, strategy, and good equipment to catch.  I am addressing fishing for bigger, “educated” fish that are wary and easily alarmed, like those conditioned by heavy fishing pressure on public lakes.   An essential ingredient in the mix is the ability to make long, smooth casts when dictated by the circumstances.

Additionally, thought must be given to the challenges and obstacles to making reasonably long --- 50’ to 70’ --- casts.  For instance, the fact that a caster sitting low in the water in a float tube must be conscious of slapping the water behind him with the fly line on a backcast pleads the case for a longer rod.  More length, let’s say 9 ½’ or 10’, elevates the line slightly, decreasing the chance that an adequate caster will kill the cast as the line touches the water to his rear.

Dealing with the wind is another consideration in rod and line weight selection.  A fast-action rod that throws a tight line loop may be the best choice when casting into a stiff breeze.  However, a fast-action rod can break a light leader when the hook set is too powerful.  So, a compromise rod action may actually be a better choice.  One more reason to think things through before you buy.

When looking for the right lake fly rod for you, the number of choices may seem overwhelming.   Be patient.  Search and cast before you buy.

Fly rods come in a variety of lengths and “line weight” designations.  Let’s consider each with our end goal to find the ideal lake rod for you.

Six to 16 feet is a range of rod lengths that you may encounter in a well-stocked fly shop.  For lake fishermen, the most popular lengths are 9’ – 10’.  This range provides the typical lake fly angler --- man or woman --- the optimum combination of casting ease, casting distance, comfort/minimum fatigue, and line control. 

It is the suggested fly line “weight” inscribed on the fly rod blank that indicates the appropriate quarry for a particular rod.  When the rod is matched with its recommended fly line, the rod’s performance can be maximized, and the fly most easily presented to a fish at a reasonable distance.

Fly line “weights” range from 0-weight through 14-weight.  These whole numbers correspond to an actual physical weight of the tapered portion of a fly line, the first 30 to 40 feet.  The unit of weight measure is a grain.  1 ounce = about 454 grains.

Following is a general summary of line weights / fly rods matched to the typical target species:

0 – 3-weight fly lines/fly rods: panfish and small to average trout.

4 – 6-weight: typical trout rods

7 – 9-weight: typical steelhead, salmon, bass, and light saltwater.

10 – 14 -weight: big species saltwater or mountain rescue

Now, let me remind you that the above classifications are accepted generalizations.  I have landed 7-pound rainbows on a 3-weight fly rod, and I have captured 6” saltwater snappers on a 10-weight.  However, it is usually best to select the appropriate rod for the particular species sought.  There is no such thing as a “one-size-fits-all” fly rod.  Let me demonstrate with a couple of sporting analogies.

I usually golf once a year with my nephews as part of our annual 4^th of July party weekend.  I forgo the game the rest of the year because there is too little reward and too much frustration.  However, the equipment used in the game serves as an excellent analogy for fly rod selection. 

As most people know, a variety of clubs is used to play a round of golf.  A golf bag might have 10 different clubs to select from in a given situation.  A good golfer will not use the same club to hit from the tee, lift a shot out of the woods, escape from a sand trap, and putt on the green.

Similarly, a hunter would not use the same gun to hunt for doves or pheasants, as she would for deer and elk, or as she would to dispatch a rogue rhino charging the school children on the playground in an East African country.

Yes, I could hit off the tee with my putter.  Yes, I could draw down on a quail with a rhino rifle.  Yes, I could catch a 6” trout with a flagpole.  Get the appropriate tool for the job. 

The typical lake fly rod casts a 4-, 5-, or 6-weight fly line for pursuing trout and smaller warm water gamefish such as crappie and bluegill.  For all-round general use, consider a 6-weight for longer casts and dealing with the wind.  While a 6-weight can beat a ten-pound lake trout, you can still feel and enjoy the scrappy fight of an 8” fish. 

As for largemouth bass, a 7- or 8-weight rod may be a better choice.  This has little to do with the size of the bass; it has to do with casting large, heavy, or air resistant flies, and being able to extract a fish that has burrowed into the underwater vegetation.  Many bass anglers will immediately apply tremendous fighting pressure on a hooked bass to prevent it from entangling itself in the cover-rich environment quality bass prefer.  A heavier rod is required to do this successfully.

I own many rods, including lightweight models I dedicate to lake fishing that cast a 2- through 6-weight fly line.  I have the luxury of matching a specific rod to a specific situation.  If the wind is down, short casts will suffice, and the fish are not bigger than pan size, a two-or 3-weight is a lot of fun.  My 3-weight gets a lot of use when I am trolling flies for BIG fish on a light leader.  The soft, light tip of the rod bends like a rubber band when a hard strike comes, a strike that would normally snap my spider web line on a 5- or 6-weight rod.  Additionally, when a strong, fast fish sprints away from me at high speed, my light rod tips absorb the sudden shock, keeping my light leader intact.

A Big Fish Story

          I was fishing with my friend Matt on a warm June day at Crane Prairie Reservoir in Central Oregon’s Cascade Mountains.   In this man-made lake it is possible to find rainbows (Cranebows) is a common colloquialism) that will easily exceed ten pounds.  That blue-sky afternoon the rainbows preferred a trolled damselfly nymph on transparent slow sinking line.  We patrolled a particular stretch of water not too far from Osprey Point.  The strikes were hard, sometimes vicious.  If there was a heavy-handed response on the hook set, it was time to tie on a fresh fly.  Because I was fishing a lightweight leader, I used my 3-weight rod with a soft tip to protect the line from a break off.  When the hard strike came, the tip absorbed the impact.  Though we never landed a ten-pound trout, we brought to hand an abundance of fish in the four to six pound range.

            How hard were the strikes?  For whatever reason, I momentarily lost my focus as I looked other fishing activity on the lake.  When a tremendous pull on my line came, my rod was pulled from my hand and started to “swim” away from me.  Simultaneously, it began to sink slowly.  Instinctively, I pivoted my float tube 180 degrees with a few quick kicks of my fins, and went in desperate pursuit.  In a couple more kicks, I was near the sinking rod.  I thrust my left arm straight down as far as I could reach.  With any less effort, my fingertips would not have reached the descending rod.  In retrospect, I was fortunate not to have capsized my tube with such a forceful lean.

            As I gathered my prodigal rod and my wits, I soon realized the culprit trout was still attached.  Holding my rod securely (!), I eventually landed another spectacular Cranebow.

Bend with No Fear

I am often asked if a light rod is at risk of being broken by a big fish.  Maybe, but participating as a guide or angler in the capture of hundreds of large and extra large lake fish, I have never witnessed the breaking of a rod while fighting these fish.  Modern graphite rods can easily withstand tremendous bend.  But, if you perceive jeopardy when a strong fish puts a dangerous bend in your rod, merely drop the rod tip to a lower position toward the fish.  You can minimize the bend to any degree you want, even to the extent where you position the rod horizontally, pointing it directly at the bruiser.  However, with no shock-absorbing bend in the rod, there is an excellent chance you will break off a worthy fish.

Rod Action Choices

Rod action --- the extent to which a rod bends over its entire length with a big fish on the line --- is usually chosen to suit the angler’s casting comfort.  A fast-action fly rod is one where, generally, the upper quarter to one third of it readily bends.   A medium action rod bends to its midpoint, while a slow, or full-flex, rod bends all the way to the grip.  Each has its pros and cons.  Each has its advocates and detractors.  Most inexperienced fly fishers think that a fast-action fly rod is the best choice. I am sure they think of such a tool as a high-speed sports car.  Because the rod tip is powerful and recovers quickly to its unbent “resting” position quickly, the fast action rod is capable of propelling a fly line at higher velocities, resulting in greater casting distance.  However, just like driving a sports car at high speeds through the curves, timing and control can become overwhelming issues.  Some casters can master the timing stroke and cast a long beautiful line.  Others bully or mis-time the casting stroke rhythm of a fast rod, losing the distance potential.  The fast rod will seem unmanageable and unpleasant.

There are occasions --- low, clear water, for instance --- where a light tippet is required to fool large lake fish.  With a fast-action rod there can be a high impact force imparted to the leader that can easily break off the fly.  There may be too little ”give” in the rod tip if the hook set is too forceful, little, if any, shock absorption.  An overly powerful response to a big strike will part the leader.  An escaped fish with a fly still in its jaws may jump, responding to the sting still in its mouth.  That way, at least, you may see the fish you might have landed.

In contrast to the tip-action rod, there is the slow or full-flex action.  The bending and recovery of the tip takes longer than the other actions, and the casting stroke is much slower.  An impatient caster may move the rod back and forth too quickly, not allowing the bending rod to reach the natural terminus of its flex in either direction.  Calmed relaxation is a good mental posture with this action type.  This is not the rod action for the hyperactive.

The longer, extended flextime of the slow action rod allows a focused caster to better feel the bend of the rod. Also, the slow action accentuates the feel of the unfurling fly line, as it straightens out on the back cast.  This signals just the right moment to move the rod tip in the opposite direction in the cast.  An attentive angler has time to process and prepare for the next stroke to begin.  This, I call a “forgiving” action.  The slower flex allows better for imperfect timing --- within reasonable limits --- of the casting stroke.  And, for those who may have fished quality bamboo or fiberglass fly rods in their careers, the slow action feels quite normal.

The possibility of breaking off a fish on the strike is reduced with a full-flex rod.  Acting like a springy shock absorber, the impact of a solid hook set against resistance is cushioned.  While fighting a big fish, a heavy-handed angler who tries to turn a stubborn fish will have a lesser chance of a break off than an angler performing the same maneuver with a stiff, fast-action stick.  It is the same effect as playing a good trout on a lighter, more limber 3- or 4-weight fly rod.

The majority of fly rods will fall into the broad medium-action category, flexing most commonly down to its mid section.  Take a fast-action and a slow-action model, and then split the difference.  It is here that most fly anglers will settle with their choice when it comes to selecting a fly rod. 

I highly recommend that you cast any rod you consider buying.  Even an expensive rod can feel “clunky”, or heavy, or uncomfortable, or too heavy in the tip.  The grip might look pretty on the display, but be too big or too small for your hand.  Even if your casting skill is minimal, cast before you buy.  You would not, I think, buy a mail-order bride without a photo, nor buy a car sight unseen.  Always take a rod for a test drive in the alley or on the lawn before plunking down your cash.  Its appearance on the rack may have little bearing on the rod’s feel and performance.

Instruction for Inspection Perfection

Examine the components on the rod: the cork grip, reel seat, the guides, the thread wraps on the guides, and the epoxy or urethane finish work on the wraps.  The majority of the guides --- usually twisted ‘s’  snake guides --- need to be made of chrome-plated stainless steel or some Space Age alloy.  Do not settle for mere stainless steel guides.  They will wear with time, and more easily corroded if ever used in saltwater.  They may have to be replaced in a few years.  Not an inexpensive proposition.  If you do not know their composition, ask the guy or gal behind the counter.  Read the manufacturer’s literature.  Also, count the number of guides tied on the rod, not including the tiptop.  On a quality fly rod there should be at least one more guide than the whole number of feet in the fly rod’s length.  Example: a 9’ or 9 ½’ rod should have at least 10 guides.  As the rod is flexed forward and backward during a normal cast, the line in the guides should mirror the flex.  If the guides are too far apart because the manufacturer or rod builder cut corners on work time and materials to save money, the line will slap the rod blank during the cast, creating friction that slows the line as it slides through the rod guides.  Casting distance is decreased.  Additionally, when the rod you hold horizontal on the forward stroke as the cast is completed, the line sags between consecutive guides, again causing distance-killing friction.

More guides than I have recommended are not necessarily better.  One rod manufacturer attaches two more guides than the whole number of feet in the rod length.  No problem, but any more are certainly not needed, and will only add excess weight and stiffness to the rod.

Just like an inexperienced driver can get a feel for the vehicle that suits him and his budget, an inexperienced fly caster will feel an affinity for a rod that appeals. It will seem comfortable and pleasant to cast, even though the casting stroke is far from perfection.  So to make a wise choice, put your pride aside and do some comparison casting.  You will not know what suits you unless you compare.  No matter your experience level, do this.  It may preclude you saving a few bucks by buying that “deal” on the internet or in the bargain bin, but look long term.  The right rod may be fished for a lifetime. If you amortize a few extra dollars over a lifetime, it can mean only a few pennies a year.  How much money did you waste on that pair of shoes that never fit right, or that CD you listened to once in six years?  Compare, and don’t skimp on the cost.  That way you will only have to buy right rod once.

Fly Lines --- Endless Possibilities

Here are some of the possible choices/variables you will deal with from when selecting the fly line, or lines, for your lake fishing needs: taper, color, length, full floating,  full sinking, floating/sinking combination, length of sinking portion, sink rate, quality level / price, and manufacturer.  Combining all these variables will present the angler with more than 200 choices.  Yikes!  Unless you have a good reason backed by personal knowledgeable or experienced advice, I am suggesting that you consider using the lines I personally have found useful and effective. 

For most lake anglers getting started, I recommend two fly lines: the first is a high quality, high-visibility, weight-forward tapered, floating fly line.  A high quality line lasts longer, casts better, floats higher and longer than a cheap fly line.  As for a hi-vis color, you want to be able to see --- approximately --- where your fly is drifting as you fish it.  I’m ahead of you here.  Yes, fish can see color.  However, it is not the fly line color that startles a fish, but the shadow and splash as the line lands. 

The second must-have fly line for stillwaters is a clear or “camo” slow sinking (intermediate or Type I) model.  Sink rates are usually designated with a Roman numeral from I to VI, Type I or “intermediate density” being the slowest, sinking at a rate of between ¾” to 1 ½” per second, and Type VI the fastest, dropping at 8’ – 10” per second.  If you add a third line to your arsenal, make it a Type III density-compensated one, in a dark color.

To cast effortlessly, and have the fly line and leader fully extend on the cast, a fly line must have a standard fly line must be tapered.   In my opinion, a double taper fly line --- which most beginners have heard of --- is a specialty fly line with a couple of serious limitations for the majority of average  fly rodders, including casting long distances and overcoming the wind.  A weight forward taper when properly cast --- maximizes distance, performs better than a double taper in the wind, and does a better job of presenting heavy and air-resistant large flies at distance.

Use a floating fly line to present dry flies, shallow-running wet flies, and nymphs in shallow water.   The floating line is also used when suspending nymphs and midge larvae and pupae in water of any depth.  The floater is also the easiest line to cast, mend, visually track, and pick off the water to re-cast. 

When circumstances require a sinking fly line, I most often use my clear (“transparent”) slow-sinking line in shallow water, usually not more than 10’ deep.  I use this line in shallow water where I might normally prefer my floating line, but because the wind is blowing my slow sinking, clear line descends below the surface currents.  When the wind blows a big curve into my floating line, I miss or may not even detect subtle strikes; I do not have a straight-line contact with my fly.  Because the clear intermediate line sinks below the surface, I have the straight-line contact I need.  If the water where the fish are cruising and feeding is shallow, it is the slow sinking line that keeps my flies from dropping immediately to the bottom where they would, then, be caught in the vegetation or pick up debris on the hook point.  The Type III full sinking line is most useful for me where the water exceeds ten feet.

Your Insurance Policy --- Fly Line Backing 

Peeling all the fly line from your reel during a panicked run is not a difficult task for a huge lake fish.  As insurance, have 50 yards of braided Dacron backing knotted to the rear of the fly line.  This material --- I use and recommend 20-pound breaking strength in most situations --- has virtually no stretch, is very strong for its diameter, and does not deteriorate significantly over time, as monofilament will.  Do not even consider using monofilament.  Exposure to sunlight over a couple of fishing seasons will greatly weaken it.  Then you set yourself up to get a “two for one”: If a big lake fish pulls out your entire fly line during an epic fight, and then your mono backing breaks, you not only lost your fish, you lost your expensive fly line, too!

Smooth under Pressure: The Fly Reel

Once a nasty, strong trout or bass is on the end of the line, the final scene in the drama --- capture or escapement --- is largely determined by your fly reel.  The rod presents the fly to the fish, but the reel resists and tires it.  A reel that does not release line very smoothly at high speed is worthless to me.  I guess if consistently hooked fifty huge fish in a day, the disappointment of lost fish due to reel malfunction would not be as intense.   However, a biffed chance by most of us mere mortals who feel lucky to hook one or two monsters in a fishing day is serious heartache.  I would rather use a mediocre fly rod and an excellent fly reel than vice versa.  Like I tell my students, “Put a star by this statement: Get a GOOD fly reel!”  Even if you are a natural-born skimper, do not frugal-ize on this piece of fly fishing gear.  I guarantee you will be sorry.

The drag mechanism in a fly reel adjusts the amount of resistance against the force of a steelhead pulling line off the reel.  This pulling force varies throughout the battle in duration and intensity.  The drag must smoothly and instantly adjust to these changes.

Examples of common drag designs include spring & pawl, caliper, and disc types.  Disc drags are the most widely used in quality steelhead fly reels.  Simplistically put, a smooth, flat surface on or geared to the spinning/turning spool of the reel works against a stationary flat, smooth surface on the inside of the reel frame.  Drag (resistance against the pull of the fish) is increased or decreased as angler tightens or lightens the drag by means of a lever or knob on the reel.   Too little drag and the fish feels no tiring resistance.  Too much drag will cause the leader to break when the fish pulls hard or suddenly against the resistance.  Experience gained through a little trial and error will enable the angler to discover what is too little and what is too much.

Frankly, I do not like spring and pawl reels for fishing, though I know some very good fly fishers who love them and would use no other.  They love to palm the spinning spool, and cherish the whirring scream of the instrument when a fish peels line from it.  In the first case, I can precisely set my disc drag exactly where I want it to take the guesswork out of palming the drag, not risking a miscalculation resulting in too much tension on the spool rim, breaking the tippet.  Secondly, it is rare that I want to draw attention to the fact that my clients or I have a fish on the end of the line.  Click and pawl reels loudly proclaim, “Look at me!  I got one!  Come over here, and bring your friends.”  I have disengaged the clicking pawl in all of my disc drag reels, converting them to silent running.

Get Real When Choosing a Reel

I am beating a dead camel, but if there is one comment about fly reels I hear above all others from would-be and beginner fly fishermen, it is this, paraphrasing: “I have heard that the reel is merely a device for holding the fly line, and it is not really necessary to buy a really good one.  It is smarter to put the saved money into buying a better fly rod.”  And, I will agree with them . . . if the biggest fish they ever hook does not exceed ten inches.

Once I hook an exceptional fish, my success in playing and landing it relies heavily on the performance of my reel.  The reel must release line smoothly at high speed.  If the spinning reel spool catches momentarily or binds up, the game is over; the fish has won.  Smooth performance under high-speed stress is the ultimate test for a good fly reel, especially when its internal workings get wet from a dunking or fishing in the rain.

If water penetrates the minute space between the two drag surfaces in a disc drag reel, “hydroplaning” may result.  Just as steering and braking control in a car may be lost as it travels through standing water at high speed, wet drag surfaces in a faulty reel will lose the friction necessary to retain the necessary resistance battling a steelhead.  The reel spool will spin madly as drag is lost, creating a hideous backlash tangle of line which will guarantee a break-off of the fish.  Before you shell out $100 - $300 dollars for a fly reel, extract a guarantee from the seller that the reel's drag will perform when wet.

Some drags are lousy when put to the test by a big fish even when they are dry and properly lubricated, if lubrication is required.  Immediately return the reel to the seller of the reel.  As best you can, resist being cajoled into sending it back to the reel manufacturer yourself.  Let the seller of the item be responsible for packaging, handling and delivery charges if the item must go back to the manufacturer for repairs or replacement.  Ooops!  Bought it through the mail or on the internet?  Can you spell “time” and “hassle”?  Consider dealing face-to-face with a local merchant.  The service provided by a local fly fishing, specialty retailer is a good investment.  You might also receive some quality fishing advice as part of the deal.

To insure continued good performance, get a lube kit for your fly reel.  Just as your car must be maintained occasionally, so must your fly reel.  Pop off the spool now and then to clean the inner workings with a soft cloth.  Then, lube the spindle.  If it has a cork drag, apply a light coating of needsfoot oil.  Now, listen to your reel purrrrrr . . .

Size matters.  Virtually all modern fly reel models come in a variety of sizes.  For instance, the Acme Wizbang series has four different sizes to best accommodate a broad spectrum of fly line size (line weight) and desired amount of backing.  Your clue to the reel size appropriate for your particular fly line is the stated “reel capacity” in the owner’s manual.  If you have a WF-6-F fly line and want to back it on the reel spool with about 100 yards of 20-pound braided Dacron, select the Wizbang model that has the closest approximation to the capacity you need.  It is rare that any given reel will have exactly the stated capacity you desire.  Since most manufacturers tend to overstate the amount of backing that can actually be held on the spool, I suggest you choose a reel that’ stated capacity is slightly too big, over a reel whose capacity is slightly too small.  Think in terms of buying shoes.  With no size fitting perfectly, are you going to buy slightly larger, or slightly too small?  If you have ever worn shoes that were too small, you will relate.

Take Me to Your Leaders and Tippets

            Veteran anglers, please bear with me.  There is a chance you may glean a tidbit of insight about these essentials.  If it adds a trophy memory fish or two to this year’s catch, you may find it’s worth it.  Since you have a very tenuous physical connection between you and a BIG lake fish, the leader can make or break (good pun) the outcome.

            Starting with the obvious, the leader is the transparent segment of total fly line “system”.  To its end is tied the fly.  Lengths range from three feet to sixteen feet or more.  Typically, I start with a 9’ tapered leader, often lengthening it by adding tippet material.  Final length may be 10’ – 15’.  I tend to use the longer length when fishing chironomid pupae under an indicator in deep water; the standard 9’ for wet flies and dry flies, though I may resort to ten to fifteen-foot leaders when then there is no breeze on the water to riffle the surface.

            The profile of the typical out-of-package 9’ tapered leader:  0.024” – 0.0.21” at its heavy butt section, narrowing to 0.004” – 0.011” over the next 7’.  The final two to three feet of the leader, where the fly is tied on its end, has a uniform diameter.  This taperless portion of the leader is the tippet.

            A tapered leader’s length is naturally reduced by changing flies or breaking the leader on a lost fish or casting into trees.  To replenish the length, pull tippet from a spare spool purchased at your favorite sporting shop, and tie it to the shortened leader with a Double Surgeon’s knot.

            Leaders and tippets are available in an assortment of line technology chemistries: monofilament, copolymer, first generation fluorocarbon, and second-generation fluorocarbon.  Without getting too technical, know that monofilament leaders and tippets are cheapest and have the lowest breaking strength for their diameter; copolymer types are more expensive but up to 50% stronger; second generation fluorocarbon lines are as strong as the copolymer varieties, have significant “invisibility”, and are three to four times as expensive as the copolymer.

            Distributors and wholesalers of leaders and tippet materials can choose from a list of variables to create unique leaders and tippets.  Besides the general chemistry of the line, these variables include color, taper design (leaders), suppleness/stiffness, knotting strength, and abrasion resistance. 

My Personal Choices, Leaders & Tippets

            For fishing trout and smaller warmwater gamefish in lakes, I gravitate toward supple, soft leaders for minimal influence on the natural action of the fly on or in the water.  Even with a soft butt section, my casts lay out generally straight at all distances, even in a significant breeze.  Even when I am skating a dry fly on a tight line across the surface, I like the subtle bobbing and weaving of the fly allowed by a soft tippet.

              Because fluorocarbon tends to be stiffer, I prefer a copolymer leader.  I cutoff the tippet portion of the leader and replace it with fluorocarbon tippet.  In the tippet, I am sacrificing a little suppleness for invisibility.  Kind of like sacrificing my queen to win the chess match.  I always prefer a second-generation fluorocarbon tippet, no matter the leader.  Second generation is stronger than first generation tippet for the same money.  Seems like a no-brainer. 

Losing a worthy fish to an unexplainable break off is disheartening.  When you witness these too often with a particular tippet brand name, it leaves a lingering bad impression.  Not all second-generation tippet materials are the same quality.   For knot strength and minimal mysterious breaks in the middle of a fish fight, I prefer one brand name above all others . . . so far.  Readers are invited to contact me personally through one of my websites to discover my choice.  Because new and better items come to market all the time, I may discover something even more to my liking in the future.

I admit to being addicted to fluorocarbon.  It is the “invisibility’ factor.  This, I think, is imperative in clear water where wary fish are on high alert.  Plenty of Stillwater fish succumbed to my flies before the advent of fluorocarbon tippets and leaders.  However, at the end of a lean or --- yikes! --- a fishless day, I do not want to wonder if a willing biter would have struck a hook if only I had used fluorocarbon.  To remove this doubt is important.  The type of tippet under my control, a variable in the fishing success equation I do not want to reflect on.  There are too many other factors I cannot control.  Even though fluorocarbon is expensive, it is a small cost in comparison to the much larger costs of my other equipment including, rods, reels, waders, boat, and travel.  I might use $2 - $3 of tippet in a day.  Keep perspective.

Tippets come in a variety of diameters, and should be matched to the size of the fly you use, balancing both the natural “swimability” of the fly and a diameter adequate to fully extend the leader and fly on a good cast.  The following table shows the diameters of commonly used tippet sizes, measured in terms of “X” number commonly found labeled on leader and tippet packaging, and an equivalent diameter measured in inches.  Note that when the “X” number and whole number in the inches measurement are added, the sum is 11. 

Example: 3X = 0.008”     3 + 8 = 11

Tippet Diameter         “X” number    diameter in inches

                                                0X                   0.011”

                                                1X                   0.010”

                                                2X                   0.009”

                                                3X                   0.008”

                                                4X                   0.007”

                                                5X                   0.006”

                                                6X                   0.005”

                                                7X                   0.004”

                                                8X                   0.003”

            Note that there is an “inverse relationship”.  The larger the “X” number, the smaller the diameter.  The smaller the “X” number, the larger the diameter.   The diameter of a 6X tippet is smaller than the diameter of a 1X tippet.

As I just stated, the key to getting the right combination of line extension during the cast coupled with an effective drift of the fly once it hits the water lies in the diameter of the tippet.  For generally matching the tippet diameter to the fly size, use the following equation:

  Fly (hook) size

______________    =   appropriate “X” number 

                        3

The “X” number found on a tippet spool and leader packaging is a reference to diameter.  If you look closer at the labeling, you will usually discover the translation into inches.  Example: 2X = 0.009”.  Using the equation above for common stillwater flies, you will probably find 3X, 4X, 5X, and 6X tippets to be the most useful diameters. 

            In case you are new to this information, know that there is an inverse relationship between the hook size number and the actual physical size of the hook.  That is, the larger the hook number the smaller the hook’s measurable size, specifically the measurement between the main body of the hook (the shank) and the point of the hook.  This is a measurement of the hook’s gap or gape.  Example: a #6 hook is larger than a #12 hook.

In tough clear water conditions, I will often give up castability for a better drift and tippet invisibility.  Instead of using a 2X tippet suggested by my mathematical formula for a #6 fly, I may, instead, use a smaller 3X or 4X diameter so there’s a diminished chance that an eagle-eye steelhead won’t be able to detect a line attached to my hook.

Tying It All Together --- Knots

            I rely on 3 knots to assemble or repair my line-leader-tippet-hook connections 99% of the time.  If you prefer alternative knots, use ‘em.  For the specific mechanics of tying each, I recommend a book of knots or a quick internet search.  Below is a schematic overview, not tying instructions.

Any time backing or leader is tied to the fly line, the Tube/Nail Knot is my choice.  A tool or a small-diameter, rigid tube is a necessity. 

For joining leader and tippet material together in order to replace or extend the tippet, the Double Surgeon Knot is simple, fast, and strong. 

Though there are many choices for tying a fly to the leader, I can quickly tie a Clinch Knot with frozen fingers in dim light.

Finally . . .

In addition to knowing how to assemble and effectively use it, having good equipment will translate into better fishing success.  Good tools are a pleasure to use, will endure heavy use, and land more fish than cheap goods posing as fly fishing equipment. My recommendation, get the best gear you can reasonable afford.  You are worth it, aren’t you?

Copyright © 2010 Michael Gorman       Reproduction of the text or photos are allowed only by the expressed permission of the author.

Contact Information

Telephone
541.207.4000

Postal address
Michael Gorman
330 NW Autumn Place, Corvallis OR 97330
Mckenzie River fishing guides & Rogue River fishing guides specialists

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To contact me please cut and paste the following email address to help prevent spam emails,
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Copyright © 2003 Scarlet Ibis Fly Fishing Tours Inc

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