Eric, In regards to your question on light tippet vs. heavier tippet and strike ratio, it all depends. There. How is that for a vague answer, lol.
If the trout are very selective or you are fishing multiple seam currents, the light tippets are required. The lighter the tippet, the more natural the drift. The heavier the tippet the quicker drag develops. I have found over the years that sometimes I think that my fly is drifting naturally when in fact there is a subtle amount of drag. Once I go to a lighter tippet, the drag goes away and the action heats up. If you are fishing nymphs you can go with a much heavier tippet. Again, you need to keep in mind that the heavier the tippet the more resistence it causes and the slower the fly will sink. As far as a fish seeing a leader, you can probably get away with just about anything lighter then of 3X or 2X unless you are fishing crystal clear, slow moving waters. Having said all that, I find myself rarely going smaller then 5X when I fish for trout. Even at Rocky Ford I do just fine with my 5X while others swear by 7X. The best thing I can recommend is to make the investment into several sizes of tippet and try fishing familiar water with 4x-7x. Your presentation, line mending skills and ability to find the fish in the water will determine a lot of your success. You will see what you can and can't do with each tippet size and also get an idea of what fish will take. In a message dated 10/26/01 9:34:21 PM, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: << I could use some advice. Is it wise to use light line to entice more takes, or something heavier? Is it worth the extra miles to travel further towards the canyon from Seattle? I always wade. Was there ever an October Caddis hatch this fall? Do the hatches occur along the river at about the same time? Should I be fishing nymphs instead of small caddis, bwo, etc? Are attractor patterns or streamers in order when no rises are seen? Thanks for any advice. Eric >>
