Question About Tippet

On 14 Jun 2005 08:47:15 -0700, "Wayne Knight"
wrote:

If you look back at past threads there is one on small tippets, people
fly fishing 20+ years can't agree on it.


In my short time here, I haven't found much that anyone agrees on!

7x tippet is fine and very easy to bust off. Without seeing you break
it, how *hard* are you setting the hook? Are you tugging to set it or
are you just kind of raising the rod and tightening the line? Tugging
too hard, especially with a fast action rod and a reel with the drag
set too tight is a prescription for popping the tippet.


Slight tug - less than the BassMaster "jerk 'em into the boat"
approach, but more than just raising the rod. I should try to be less
excitable...

What position are you placing the rod when trying to play the fish?
Overhead in the traditional "Orvis" pose or otherwise straight up tends
to put more pressure then playing the rod off to the side.


Not straight up, maybe about 15 degrees off either direction. Again,
I'm only experiencing this when setting.

How is the drag on your reel set? If there is a lot of start up inertia
when the line gets pulled off there may be too much pressure there.


The drag seems okay (again, only in reference to playing the fish) but
if this continues I'll play with that, too.

And Lastly, what kind of rod are you using when fishing this tippet?

A 5wt Orvis Trident TLS, mid-flex.

My thoughts, others will disagree.

Thanks for the advice.

In article ,
says...
On 14 Jun 2005 08:47:15 -0700, "Wayne Knight"
wrote:

7x tippet is fine and very easy to bust off. Without seeing you break
it, how *hard* are you setting the hook?

Slight tug - less than the BassMaster "jerk 'em into the boat"
approach, but more than just raising the rod. I should try to be less
excitable...


You can also use a "slip strike," where you set the hook normally, but
you hold the line loosely in your line hand so that the line slips
through your fingers. This is useful in any situation where the size
of the fish is large relative to the breaking strength of your tippet;
say, if you are setting the hook on a 10 pound pike with 10 pound
tippet.

Kevin



--
reply to: kevin dot vang at minotstateu dot edu

Charles Crolley wrote:

The drag seems okay (again, only in reference to playing the fish) but
if this continues I'll play with that, too.

If you're using really light tippet, set the drag to the lightest
setting that will prevent overspooling when you strip line. Play the
fish by palming the spool. (I usually do this anyway with trout, even
with heavy tippet. I can always tighten the drag after the hookup if I
want.)

On the hookset the drag shouldn't even come into play, as you mention.
However, the line is held in your left (noncasting) hand. That acts as a
"drag." Hold the line gently between your thumb and index finger. The
shock of the hookset in what's breaking your tippet. Maybe you're
gripping the line too firmly.

Another problem could be the way you're tying your knots. Tightening a
knot too quickly heats and weakens the tippet above the knot, and this
is especially true for light tippets and clinch knots (not so much with
surgeon's knots). If there is any curling of the tippet that means it's
weak and you should retie.

--
Cut "to the chase" for my email address.

Charles Crolley wrote:

Slight tug - less than the BassMaster "jerk 'em into the boat"
approach, but more than just raising the rod. I should try to be less
excitable...


Kevin and Steve gave good advice on setting the hook, you have to take
it easy.

There was a tippet available a few years ago, I think it was Varias
Superstong. You might want to do a web search and see if it is still
available and buy some of the smaller diameter stuff. If I recall
correctly their 7x had the breaking point of most other makers 5X. It
was good stuff but I've not seen it lately or I would load up on it.


The drag seems okay (again, only in reference to playing the fish) but
if this continues I'll play with that, too.

As Steve said, keep it as light as it will go. There are lots of good
reels out there which will cover 95% of one's trout fishing needs for
under a $100 up to $600+. In that 5% range are those situations where
startup inertia will help increase the strain on small tippets

A 5wt Orvis Trident TLS, mid-flex.

I've not played with a mid-flex Trident in some time but i remember
them vaguely as being a little stiffer than other mid flex rods. If you
still continue to have break offs after you lessen the power on your
hook set, I would reconsider using 7X with this rod. If you like Orvis
rods, want to keep using 7x AND want an excuse to buy another rod, look
at their Superfine series of rods.