# Tippet for reds and specks



## MrFish

What test is everyone using for them? I'm gonna break out the fly rods and use them more this year.


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## sling2ling

I use 15lb flouro for inshore, 30 for bull reds and bonita, and slice some 17ib 7strand on when going after toothy critters like Spanish or blues


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## 60hertz

On my 8wt I use about 4-5' of 60# fluorocarbon followed by 4-6' of 15 - 20# fluorocarbon for the leader.


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## FreeDiver

Tapered tippet 20-15, 12lb flouro for leader. I like it light weight for those specks. And I can use the same leader for pomps! 

Bulls 30lb mono to a 20-15lb flouro leader.


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## MrFish

Thanks for the info guys! Gonna go swing some flies Thursday, if the weather is nice.


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## wtbfishin

I'm usually fishing a 10'-12' leader when using a floating line, some say that length is not needed, but I'm on the fence about that. Sink lines I think shorter leaders are fine, I'm also convinced that tapered is much better at turning over the fly than just a section of straight mono or fluro. I tie up a leader using blood knots in 2' section starting w/50 or 40 using 4 sections dropping down say 40>30>20>15 may add lighter tippet to this if they seem spooky or a bite guard tippet of 30lb fluro which does ok w/ Spanish and Blues unless the school tries to rip it out of the hooked fishes mouth, that's when I get cut off :thumbdown: It only takes a few minutes to make one once U get proficient w/your knots. I like to have something in there less than my backing to protect from losing everything on the reel when some insane Jack shows up :001_huh:. Water looks sweet down there today, I need to go for a walk see ya!:whistling:


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## FreeDiver

Yeah I'm all for a tapered leader. It rolls out smooth. But if I do tie on a large piece of mono or flouro for a leader, it's around 5-6ft then a 5-6 tippet. 

Buying bulk seagar flouro is cheaper than buy a bunch of tapered line. 


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## MrFish

I just tied on 5' of 40# flouro with 5' of 15# flouro attached via blood knot. First time trying a nail less nail knot. Seems strong enough.


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## wtbfishin

MrFish said:


> I just tied on 5' of 40# flouro with 5' of 15# flouro attached via blood knot. First time trying a nail less nail knot. Seems strong enough.


 5 turn blood knot is very strong and keeps everything lined up right on top of ea. other. If you have a big difference in line size to be connected to ea other do 7 turns on the sm. line 5 w/the larger of the 2 this should make a strong B-knot as well for bigger changes in dia.

FD I'm not sure I follow your set up, I have fly line > leader > tippet, tippet in this case is just the last piece in the leader set up, the piece sometimes thin enough to help trick the fish as well as the sacrificial piece to help save on leaders when replacing flies, or a heavy piece (shock tippet) to help w/toothy critters. It's usually short maybe 2', in most cases a long thin tippet is going to give U trouble laying out a cast w/bushy or weighted flies. Long tippet works good nymphing for cold water trout though 5' or so. A double or a triple surgeon is a great knot for a quick tie up of leader > tippet out on or in the water.


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## wtbfishin

Also Mr Fish if you're turning that leader over 40>15 more power to U, that would give me a fit I would think my fly would land somewhere around the end of my fly line (except inside of 50'), not 10' out from it. 

Since you're using a B-Knot anyway tie one up in 2' sections w/a stiff butt dropping 10lbs a section and limber fluro tippet I think U will see an improvement especially long cast 70' plus. I like stiff section all the way to the tippet.

I'm done.


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## tat

I gotta say "maybe" to all those tapered leaders. Best fly FISHERMAN & one of the best casters I know swears by a single piece of 20# fluoro for most saltwater purposes. His logic is that the knots in a tapered leader alert fish. He'll out fish & cast anybody I know. 

I've learned to power thru the single strand leader - not really that hard. Just a thought.


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## FreeDiver

I'm no professional, but anybody can cast yard and have a single piece of leader, or two pieces of leader or no leader, the fly line does the work.... Casting yard isn't gonna put a fish on your hook. Placement is key, as for the knot you say can alert the fish, that's when placement comes in. Wether fly or spinning I've used a uni to uni for years And have never had a problem catching sought after fish. If you use a long enough tippet and put a good shot on a fish, the fish should never see that knot to begin with. I don't think I cast 5ft past a fish, if I do I work the fly to his face. Or pick up and re drop. That's just my two cents. With that being said I will use regular flouro, uni to uni is a good not as well. Tapering down from the fly line helps control the loop the fly and when it comes time to flop on over... Not saying it's not possible with a single piece of 20, but more finesse. 


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## wtbfishin

It's no trouble to cast a short straight piece of leader say 5' and a lot of guys think that is all they need when fishing the salt, and I'll go that route when fishing fast sink lines. I like a long leader when I'm throwing a floating line, I believe that floating line spooks some fish especially in clear water so I go to a longer leader 10'>12' and I know in this case a taper leader improves the cast over straight mono or fluro. Just sticks to what works for U :yes:. Like I'm going to do until I hear a good idea. I cast just fine and can usually put it very close to where I intend, but like most not always. 

Fly fish guys need to post some fish, I for one have not caught shit of late. What ever happened to Capt Harry now he could put up a FF report :yes:??


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## a

*k...not*

I like a 7' tapered leader, with a loop knot looped most often to 2-3 foot of 8lb floro. I can quickly change out pre made tippets. (12lb albrited to 18lb sevenstrand) The problem with knotted leaders is not the knot itself, but the blade of grass it catches at just the wrong moment, or the slime that seems to be attracted to them.....ive seen the knots leave several wakes in calm conditions.


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## wtbfishin

I guess I put up w/the knots because of the cost of a good tapered salt water leaders $$$$, I like your idea of the loop to tippet though, I don't have much weed issues where I fish but they (knots) can get U into a tangle at times, knot wakes now that getting real sensitive hadn't noticed those I'll look for them but my eyes are crap. I buy tapered leader for fresh water trout sometimes attaching tippet w/tippet rings instead of knots.

FreeDiver yep the fly line does the casting and most FLs are tapered all of mine are, only makes sense to finish that taper all the way to the end of the leader to me.


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## tmber8

For the guys using fluro, do you change to mono with tossing a popper or gurgler? I normally change to a mono tippet because it floats better compared to fluro, but I left the leader all fluro. This conversation has me thinking about changing to a all mono setup except for the tippet so I can switch from topwater to subsurface by only changing the tippet.

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## FreeDiver

The loop to loop is what I've been using recently, robin suggested it and it works great. Easy to swap out flies and tippets. I was just worried about the flight but it doesn't effect it much from what I can tell. 

It makes sense, be cause like stated about those tapered leaders have a proud price on them.... 


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## SmallTime

Hey guess what, you don't have to use taper, but keep paying big bucks for tapered leader. MrFish, just go with 50# fluorocarbon, that will land anything!


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## FreeDiver

And when it spools you on 30lb backing, you'll shit bricks having to re spool your reel. 


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## ditz

exactly....and I would never use anything over 20# as a tippet and 15# is much safer. I am not into losing $100 fly lines.


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## wtbfishin

ditz said:


> exactly....and I would never use anything over 20# as a tippet and 15# is much safer. I am not into losing $100 fly lines.


^^^^ Smalltime likes being silly :yes:.


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## FreeDiver

I can see that! Lol I'll be home in four days! Can you say POMPANO! 


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## wtbfishin

I wish I could (say Pompano) we'll need pictures :yes:. 

I think we may of had 1 pro comment on leaders in this group, for those of U interested in how another (renown pro) builds his leaders for bone fishing check out the vid, this is the leader I use, if it'll work on Bones it should be good for anything around here right?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pc5TBHE7Q94


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## a

FreeDiver said:


> And when it spools you on 30lb backing, you'll shit bricks having to re spool your reel.
> 
> regardless of backing, its a lighter TIPPET, that will save your flyline:whistling:
> 
> Flyline to (tapered)leader to tippet to fly. Tippet is where the line class is determined, and is usually the weakest link.


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## wtbfishin

a said:


> FreeDiver said:
> 
> 
> 
> And when it spools you on 30lb backing, you'll shit bricks having to re spool your reel.
> 
> regardless of backing, its a lighter TIPPET, that will save your flyline:whistling:
> 
> Flyline to (tapered)leader to tippet to fly. Tippet is where the line class is determined, and is usually the weakest link.
> 
> 
> 
> yep that's why silly SmallTime is getting spooled w/his 50lb leader > tippet combo set up :001_huh:
Click to expand...


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## FreeDiver

I read just as a straight piece of 50# all the way through.... He didn't say anything about a tippet... So yeah I'd say if your usin. A straight piece of 50, you'll loose your gear..... Clarify and I won't leave a smart ass comment. 

I use different types of set up to find what I like and so far a loop to loop from 20lb flouro to 12lb works fine for me. I used to use a uni to uni knot but go sick of cutting down my leader. 
I have a few tapered leaders I like using as well. 
I'll watch the video you posted here in a minute, might have something new to try once more. It makes it that much more exciting. 


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## wtbfishin

U can be a SA if you like, to me what ties to the fly is the tippet. U are right he actually has no tippet in his 50lb leader rig, I was trying to make your post clearer to a. :001_huh:


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## SmallTime

8 lb Seaguar


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## MrFish

So far, so good. Didn't see anything the other day down Ft. Morgan, but casted nicely with the way 60hertz suggested. Today, I took my fly rod, but had fun casting a bobber into the surf with my daughter. No chance of me being spooled.


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## sling2ling

that escalated quickly for something so simple..


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## wtbfishin

well U can lead a horse to water but U can't make him drink :no:


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## ditz

geeeesh.....I would suggest that a 20# tippet is very strong......As a show of strength I would ask any doubters to tie about 15' of 20# line to their line and thread your 9' rod up as normal and then tie a 20# dumbbell on the end of the line and then try to lift the dumbbell off of the floor. :notworthy: I would not use your good rod to do this exercise unless you would like to have 15 piece rod. Not many 9wts will handle it. Some of the heavy rods will though. Even a 5# dumbbell takes a lot of pressure to lift off the floor. .....Getting to know your tackle is important.....


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## hookman

Here is some info. I have found helpful with this. Fly line core strength- 6/7wt=25lbs. 8/9wt=30lbs. 10/12wt=35-40lbs. Use up to 20lb tippet for 10/12 wt lines and 12-17lb tippet for 6-9 wt line. Lefty’s Simple 50% Leader
50% butt section, usually 40# test (Berkley Big Game Mono)
1⁄2 that length in 30# (Berkley Big Game Mono.)
1⁄2 that length in 20# (Berkley Big Game Mono.)
18-24 inches of Floro. tippet (usually 12 or 17pound for 6-9wt fly line and 15-20 for 10-12 wt fly line). 
For a 9 foot leader this would translate into finished leader of 54 inches of 40# knotted to 27 inches of 30 lb, knotted
to 14 inches of 20 lb, looped to 18 inches of 12/16 #. For 6-7 wt fly line use 30# butt section to 20# to 15# to Floro. Another example:- Here's my forumula for my 8wt. leaders:
Perfection loop - 48" 40lb mono - bloodnot
36" 30lb mono -bloodknot
18" 20lb mono - bloodknot
18" 15lb (12lb for lighter fish) mono - double uni knot
10" floro shock tippet (this is for fish like snook and tarpon, etc with REALLY abrasive mouths, they would rub instantly through light mono. I use floro bc it's much clearer when using heavier lines. for redfish I'll use 20lb-25lb floro depending on how spooky they are, snook can range 25lb-40lb floro, and tarpon I will almost always use 40lb or larger for shock.


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## wtbfishin

thanks for another ray of light hookman .


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## sling2ling

hookman said:


> Here is some info. I have found helpful with this. Fly line core strength- 6/7wt=25lbs. 8/9wt=30lbs. 10/12wt=35-40lbs. Use up to 20lb tippet for 10/12 wt lines and 12-17lb tippet for 6-9 wt line. Lefty’s Simple 50% Leader
> 50% butt section, usually 40# test (Berkley Big Game Mono)
> 1⁄2 that length in 30# (Berkley Big Game Mono.)
> 1⁄2 that length in 20# (Berkley Big Game Mono.)
> 18-24 inches of Floro. tippet (usually 12 or 17pound for 6-9wt fly line and 15-20 for 10-12 wt fly line).
> For a 9 foot leader this would translate into finished leader of 54 inches of 40# knotted to 27 inches of 30 lb, knotted
> to 14 inches of 20 lb, looped to 18 inches of 12/16 #. For 6-7 wt fly line use 30# butt section to 20# to 15# to Floro. Another example:- Here's my forumula for my 8wt. leaders:
> Perfection loop - 48" 40lb mono - bloodnot
> 36" 30lb mono -bloodknot
> 18" 20lb mono - bloodknot
> 18" 15lb (12lb for lighter fish) mono - double uni knot
> 10" floro shock tippet (this is for fish like snook and tarpon, etc with REALLY abrasive mouths, they would rub instantly through light mono. I use floro bc it's much clearer when using heavier lines. for redfish I'll use 20lb-25lb floro depending on how spooky they are, snook can range 25lb-40lb floro, and tarpon I will almost always use 40lb or larger for shock.



made his first post a damn good one


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