Leader question

[fordtruckin]

Relatively new to fly fishing. Do you need to use tippet on the leader for fly fishing? Or can you just use the leader until it gets short and then extend the leader by tying on the tippet? For some odd reason I can't wrap my head around the purpose of tippet when you already have a leader....To me they kind of seem like the same thing, only the leader is noticeably tapered where as the tippet isnt. Why not just buy a new leader when it gets to short?
Thanks a bunch guys and gals!

[Crossfire]

i do not use tippet i use the leader until it is short tipet just has another knot to break you do not need it

[densa44]

Put on a new leader, tippets are from the very old days before tapered leaders.

[smitty9]

Relatively new to fly fishing. Do you need to use tippet on the leader for fly fishing? Or can you just use the leader until it gets short and then extend the leader by tying on the tippet? For some odd reason I can't wrap my head around the purpose of tippet when you already have a leader....To me they kind of seem like the same thing, only the leader is noticeably tapered where as the tippet isnt. Why not just buy a new leader when it gets to short?
Thanks a bunch guys and gals!

Hmmm. Gotta say I disagree with the replies about not needing tippet. Here are the reasons to use tippet:

1) As you stated, the leader keeps getting cut back due to changing flies etc, so you may use tippet to restore the original length of the leader. Typically, but not always, 9 feet. To just use a new leader is unnecessary and expensive, if you are buying knotless tapered leaders. Plus, I can fix my leader faster than fart around with putting a new on one, even having a loop to loop connection.

2) You may be in a clear water situation, low water situation, spooky trout situation, and you may wish to add tippet to your leader thereby increasing the distance between the fly and the thicker part of the leader/fly line.

3) Adding finer tippet may also be appropriate in consideration of the size of fly you are using. Most people I talk to or articles of I have read generally follow the "rule of 3" or the "rule of 4" (depends who you talk to and your own judgment/experience). Divide your fly size by 3 or 4 and you have the ideal sized tippet you can use to "turn over" your fly. Example a size 12 fly would usually be most suitable for a 3x or 4x tippet. When possible, I use the heavier tippet to play the trout a bit faster.

4) Adding tippet correctly will help you overcome drag when presenting a dry fly.

5) Adding tippet also allows you to reach deeper depths when fishing chironomids in lakes. I am talking 15+ feet.

6) Some fellows use the knot tags from adding tippet to have multi-fly rigs.

Anyways, those are just some of the reasons to have tippet handy. Not to mention all the times I snap a fly off in trees, lol!

Oh, and let me say, the double / triple surgeons knot has failed me maybe a handful of times in 20+ years of flyfishing, and usually because I tied the knot poorly or my tippet was "old" (more than a couple of years, or prolonged exposure to UV). So don't be afraid of introducing a knot in your leader. You should not lose fish because of knots themselves; question the manner in which it was tied or the quality of the line!

Just a different perspective.

Smitty

[lippy]

totally agree with smitty9...mostly due to the cost of a leader but his other points are good also. When using choronmid patterns in stillwater I can add any length of tippet material that I need for the depth. I don't use store bought tippet..I use spooled f'carbon or mono as tippet material and tie it onto the leader..sometimes I may tie on 2 or 3 pieces - thick diameter to the leader and graduate down to the fly end. I use back to back clinch knots to tie the tippet pieces on and rarely if ever have lost a fish due to separation at the knots.

[TyreeUM]

Hmmm. Gotta say I disagree with the replies about not needing tippet. Here are the reasons to use tippet:

1) As you stated, the leader keeps getting cut back due to changing flies etc, so you may use tippet to restore the original length of the leader. Typically, but not always, 9 feet. To just use a new leader is unnecessary and expensive, if you are buying knotless tapered leaders. Plus, I can fix my leader faster than fart around with putting a new on one, even having a loop to loop connection.

2) You may be in a clear water situation, low water situation, spooky trout situation, and you may wish to add tippet to your leader thereby increasing the distance between the fly and the thicker part of the leader/fly line.

3) Adding finer tippet may also be appropriate in consideration of the size of fly you are using. Most people I talk to or articles of I have read generally follow the "rule of 3" or the "rule of 4" (depends who you talk to and your own judgment/experience). Divide your fly size by 3 or 4 and you have the ideal sized tippet you can use to "turn over" your fly. Example a size 12 fly would usually be most suitable for a 3x or 4x tippet. When possible, I use the heavier tippet to play the trout a bit faster.

4) Adding tippet correctly will help you overcome drag when presenting a dry fly.

5) Adding tippet also allows you to reach deeper depths when fishing chironomids in lakes. I am talking 15+ feet.

6) Some fellows use the knot tags from adding tippet to have multi-fly rigs.

Anyways, those are just some of the reasons to have tippet handy. Not to mention all the times I snap a fly off in trees, lol!

Oh, and let me say, the double / triple surgeons knot has failed me maybe a handful of times in 20+ years of flyfishing, and usually because I tied the knot poorly or my tippet was "old" (more than a couple of years, or prolonged exposure to UV). So don't be afraid of introducing a knot in your leader. You should not lose fish because of knots themselves; question the manner in which it was tied or the quality of the line!

Just a different perspective.

Smitty

well said...

[Tungsten,]

When i buy leaders i get 1-2X then tie my 3 or 4X tipppet to that.

[Darren N]

I agree with smitty.i probably go through 5 times more tippet in a year than replacing leaders. If knots give you a problem i still add tippet by using the loop to loop method. easy to tie and very strong. Not the "by the book" method but works fine for me. I carry a spool of 3 different sizes of tippet in my vest at all times (including packs of leaders).

[ÜberFly]

I agree with Smitty as well... One thing I will add is in relation to nymphing (and steamer fishing). You can use straight mono as "turn over" isn't as important or a tapered leader (which is what I use for nymphing). I use a 7.5' 2x leader then I tie to a small swivel and then tie tippet then down size both my flies & tippet on a tandem or triple fly rig...

A lot less tangles this way plus you can add additional weight to the swivel if needed.

P

[Kingfisher]

Another two thumbs up for Smitty's reply.

One other reason to use tippet is to add florocarbon line to the end of your leader. Floro is expensive so you can tie on only the last 3 or 4 feet of florocarbon then you won't have to spend the extra on a whole florocarbon leader.

Rob

[Caper28]

If your only using the leader it's going to get thicker as you cut it off. Another use for the tippet is to match the tippet size to the flies your using. It's not going to be any cheaper to not use tippet if you do a fair amount of fishing with the fly. In the long run you'll spend less money with a leader and a few spools of tippet than if you have to replace your leader when it gets cut down too much. Unless you only use a couple flies the whole season.

If you enjoy fly fishing and plan on doing a lot of it, it would also be cheaper in the long run to start making your own leaders, it's simple to do and the leaders can be made to suit your fishing needs. Most standard store bought leaders are made for a 5 or 6wt line.

[jts1]

Well I am an odd duck because I dont even use a leader. I just use the tippet. Never had an issue with no leaders.

[Dust1n]

Well I am an odd duck because I dont even use a leader. I just use the tippet. Never had an issue with no leaders.

i only do that for sylvan lake whites... but when you need distance for casting tippuits wit leaders are a must so you can cast farther

[Photoplex]

Put on a new leader, tippets are from the very old days before tapered leaders.

Errrm, yeah :sHa_sarcasticlol:

[fordtruckin]

well the plan is to get out and do ALOT of fly fishing this summer. I live on one of THE best Trout rivers in Montana so I have no excuses to not go out at least every other day.

[flygirrl]

I too tie my own tippit when my leader gets to short. Never had one break yet. Florocarbon is what I use for tippit.