Fluorocarbon tippet or not?

[gene goss]

Berkley vanish fluorocarbon 110 yards will cost you around $9....i been using this for years and had no problem with it.

[Ralph]

As to the question about knotting flouro to mono, I've found that these knots do not hold. I've heard that the flouro can actually cut through the mono. I now use tippet rings if I'm tying a flouro tippet to a mono leader, so with each line tied to opposite sides of the small ring, my knots hold.

Back to back uni-knots work well when going mono to fluoro. Again, the hardness of the material is defined in the manufacturing process. My guess is that Mason or Maxima would slice right through most fluoro of the same diameter. Never tried it, just a guess.

[Ralph]

Big piles of mono on the river banks and in the rivers are from spin fishermen, not fly fishers.

No argument here. Food for thought: A survey of bird nests in Yellowstone Park showed that over half had monofilament in them. Can't really blame the spin guys for that. When I get snagged on a rock or catch a tree on a backcast, it's nice to know the tippet won't be around for the next 200 years.

[JasonB]

Thanks for the feedback gents. I think overall you've just saved me some money. Well, actually most likely that money will just go somewhere else towards flyfishing (like more flies to donate to the river gods at the bottom of the riffle). As for dumping line in the rivers, I would hope that NONE of us would ever do that. The concern about lack of degradation still seems a legitimate one though; I end up adding some tippet to decorate the river bed almost every time I do any nymphing, not happy about it but it does happen.

Mostly though, it sounds to me that the cost isn't quite justified for what I'm fishing. I do appreciate the feedback though, as I'm learning more and more here. That's what it's all about,
cheers, JB

[bigfly]

I use both flouro, and mono. Each has its optimal use.
Not leaving a lot of tippet in the stream, so not going to agonize about flouro's lifetime.
Bill made a good point about being able to use last years flouro without fear.
So it costs more, but lasts longer. 6 of one, half dozen of the other.
I will ask that everyone picks up any line they find on the water/bank.
A couple of years ago I saw an eagle trying to feed his kids with one foot.
The other was hot/hurting and wrapped in fishing line.
Many birds die this way.
Lets be good stewards out there, while we're having fun..

Jim

[Frank Alessio]

Videofishingknots.com This site shows how to tie knots with materials that are easy to see.
Check out the double uni-knot.....Very usefull.....

[Frank Alessio]

It is easier to find if you google back to back uni knot then select the youtube video...

[Ed Wahl]

I use both flouro, and mono. Each has its optimal use.
Not leaving a lot of tippet in the stream, so not going to agonize about flouro's lifetime.
Frank made a good point about being able to use last years flouro without fear.
So it costs more, but lasts longer. 6 of one, half dozen of the other.
I will ask that everyone picks up any line they find on the water/bank.
A couple of years ago I saw an eagle trying to feed his kids with one foot.
The other was hot/hurting and wrapped in fishing line.
Many birds die this way.
Lets be good stewards out there, while we're having fun..

Jim

Just giving that one a bump Jim, that particular hazard to wildlife just really can't be overstated.
As to the question, I've been using Umpqua tippet since I started fly fishing. No reason from day one to change. No one's ever beat me out because of tippet material. It's always been that they're just better fishermen.(on that day )

Ed

Except for Bill, he is a beter fisherman.

[Terry Imai]

Many years ago when Chris Paisley worked at the shop (one of the best guys Bill ever had) turned me onto FC and I haven't looked back. The number one problem with regular mono is it degrades the moment it leaves the factory and since there is no dating on the spool, you don't know the age of your purchased spool. Many shops often have their displays near windows and additional degradation can occur by being placed in that location. But the biggest reason why I use FC is that currently gas prices are up to $4.00/gallon and it amazes me how people will be “penny wise but pound foolish” on the two most critical parts of their tackle which are hooks and tippets.

The best thing about FC is that it sinks just below the water tension. The next time you're on a very clear piece of water, cast both combination FC tippet and mono of the same diameter out on the water. You will find that the mono will have parts of it stay afloat and their insertion point into the water is similar to a prism beam below. Do you think any fish will come up to your fly with a prism beam showing up a few inches away?? FC doesn't leave a shadow on the bottom while mono will cast a shadow.

Using inferior brands will lose you fish especially when you play a fish with the attitude that you're going to snap your tippet. Since I'm very careful when tying my knots and if I notice some scrapes on my leader/tippet; I take the time to fix because I'm always assuming the next hookup is going to be the biggest fish for that piece of water and I make it a practice that I lean into my fish as hard as my tackle will allow me.

I get really irritated when I'm on a very heavily fished piece of water like the Yuba River and I see someone who doesn't respect the fishery to bring it their catch within a few minutes of hooking it. They're so concerned of breaking the fish off; they will exhaust the fish until it's almost dead. A few times, I told someone I would move to net their fish because the fish were already doing a "death spiral" in the current. Because of their lack of knowledge, they still thought the fish was "fighting" but I still moved in to net their fish. Almost immediately, they wanted a "grin and hold" photo while I was reviving the fish in my rubber net. Unfortunately, the fish "slipped" out of my hand when I tried to pass the fish to them. I really wondered if the fish actually survived even with me trying to revive it. I would hazard a guess that we lose many fish on the Yuba due to people overplaying their fish and a "grin and pose" picture. One Montana guide told me to hold my own breath and take the picture within the time I could hold one breath and put the fish back into the water.

Mono has it place in most fishing conditions but I rather spend a few more dollars on FC to catch educated and spring creek fish and bring them to the net quicker.

[Larry S]

In the late Bill Nash's "Flycasting Systems" manual, he advises against using FC for
certain knots - break strength issues. He also says "don't lubricate FC" using saliva as it contains oil
that will enable slipping. He recommends using water, or a knot lubricant, like KNOT + Formula.
Anyone have experience with this?
Best,
Larry S