RE: Leader, tippet preference, blah blah

[Jim Speaker]

I fish for trout on both lakes and streams.   I use, exclusively, a 7 1/2' 3x Umpqua tapered leader.  I then tie on varying lengths of 3x, 4x, 5x and sometimes even 6x Rio FlouroFlex Plus tippet (I think I experienced the bad batch early on... I got rid of it and it's all better now).   3x = streamers 4x = nymphing 5x = standard dry fly fishing 6x = delicate dry fly fishing (tricos/tiny midges/spring creek conditions)   -tight lines- Jim Speaker -----Original Message----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]]On Behalf Of Richard Embry Sent: Wednesday, December 18, 2002 12:22 PM To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: Leader, tippet preference, blah blah I've listened to many knowledgable anglers expound on the various merits of tapered leaders, and I've heard just as many extol the virtues of hand-built or knotted leaders.  I'd be interested to see what preference there is in this group.   Also,  there are so many different brands of tippet available, what is your favorite brand and model, and why?  For example, for my dry fly fishing, I very much like Rio Powerflex tippet.  It is not a stiff or a limp, but something in between, and I've had good luck being able to straighten the coils out of it.  Also, it seems to have one of the high breakage strengths relative to diameter when compared to the other mono tippet options.   I recall reading an article several years ago about the different tippets; their knot strength, tensile strength, "true" diameters, resistance to abrasion/knicks, etc.  I recall the author commenting that many anglers, particularly those fishing for anadramous species, like Maxima because of its resistance to abrasion and toughness.  He pooh-poohed that perspective, and his test seemed to bear that out.  Notice I said "seemed"; I swear Maxima (say, ultragreen) is much more tough than most other lines of an equivalent line weight, and that is not based on a lab test, but on river and use tests.  Anway, other perspectives?   And, finally, what about mono vs. fluorocarbon?  How do y'all feel about fluorocarbon?  I know a couple of guys who LOVE that Rio Fluorflex Plus, but another guy who absolutely hates it with a passion (I think he had a bad batch; broke off a lot of fish with it, and didn't have the same scope of problem with other brand material of the same diameter).   Now, back to work . . .   Richard