knotted leader/tippet help

notbob wrote:
On 2008-04-15, rw wrote:


I think you're obsessing about this. :-)


Oh, I'm sorry. I thought that's what flyfishing (is it one or two?) is all
about.

That's your stereotype of flyfishing.

It can be a very easy-going pastime at its best.

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

On 2008-04-16, rw wrote:

That's your stereotype of flyfishing.

No, that's my joke about the stereotype of flyfishing.

nb

On Tue, 15 Apr 2008 18:48:43 -0700, rw
wrote:

notbob wrote:
On 2008-04-15, rw wrote:


I think you're obsessing about this. :-)


Oh, I'm sorry. I thought that's what flyfishing (is it one or two?) is all
about.

That's your stereotype of flyfishing.

It can be a very easy-going pastime at its best.

Well, until some wiseacre disputes your regurgitation of what the
Forestry Service website says...then, oh, boy, it's praise the Lord and
pass the ammunit...oh, wait, no, wrong thread...it's a dick-slamming
contest in which one of the contestants is using a sock...again...

HTH,
R

"notbob" wrote in message
...
On 2008-04-15, notbob wrote:

Q. Is it practical to drop a couple mils at a time on an all-knot
leaders
or should it always be 1 mil at a time?

I just ran across a possible answer to this question. To quote:

"The general rule of thumb is that you can safely skip a single "X" size
when joining monofilament sizes greater than or equal to 4X. When joining
sizes smaller than 4X, you should not skip any sizes. In other words, 4X
would be tied to 5X which would be tied to 6X and so on (assuming, of
course, you want a 6X tippet). Going directly from 4X to 6X is asking for
trouble!"

http://www.flyfishingjacksonhole.com...blood_knot.htm

Although this page IS about blood knots, He doesn't clarify as to whether
this is a good rule of thumb for leader/tippets in general or only in
reference to using blood knots. Comments?

Forget you ever heard of blood knots.

Wolfgang

On Apr 16, 7:09 am, "Wolfgang" wrote:
"notbob" wrote in message

...



On 2008-04-15, notbob wrote:

Q. Is it practical to drop a couple mils at a time on an all-knot
leaders
or should it always be 1 mil at a time?

I just ran across a possible answer to this question. To quote:

"The general rule of thumb is that you can safely skip a single "X" size
when joining monofilament sizes greater than or equal to 4X. When joining
sizes smaller than 4X, you should not skip any sizes. In other words, 4X
would be tied to 5X which would be tied to 6X and so on (assuming, of
course, you want a 6X tippet). Going directly from 4X to 6X is asking for
trouble!"

http://www.flyfishingjacksonhole.com...blood_knot.htm

Although this page IS about blood knots, He doesn't clarify as to whether
this is a good rule of thumb for leader/tippets in general or only in
reference to using blood knots. Comments?

Forget you ever heard of blood knots.

Wolfgang

I respectfully disagree and consider the blood knot as one of the
[only] 4 you need for a clean rig.

Line - needle knot - flourescent butt section - blood knot -
tapered leader - surgeons knot - tippet- choice (clinch) - fly

We tend to think of casting as the primary skill we need as flyfishers
but, really, being able to tie knots quickly and without fuss is what
really puts fish in the bag. As they say, you can't catch fish with
your flies in the air.

Your pal,

TBone

"Halfordian Golfer" wrote in message
...
On Apr 16, 7:09 am, "Wolfgang" wrote:


Forget you ever heard of blood knots.

Wolfgang

I respectfully disagree and consider the blood knot as one of the
[only] 4 you need for a clean rig.

Line - needle knot - flourescent butt section - blood knot -
tapered leader - surgeons knot - tippet- choice (clinch) - fly

Within certain broad limits, the knots one chooses and uses are pretty much
irrelevant. Personal choices among the few suitable for any particular use
are determined by factors other than which is "best" because in most
instances there is no clear best. The blood knot, while it can be tied
quickly and easily after a great deal of practice, is inherently more
difficult than the surgeon's. At the same time, it is not inherently
superior in any regard. If you prefer it, fine, go ahead and use it. But
neither the blood knot nor any other is a must use.

We tend to think of casting as the primary skill we need as flyfishers
but, really, being able to tie knots quickly and without fuss is what
really puts fish in the bag.

No. What puts "fish in the bag" is the result of a complex set of
circumstances and skills. Tying appropriate knots correctly is merely one
of those skills. It need not be done "quickly and without fuss."

As they say, you can't catch fish with
your flies in the air.

Non sequitur. A fly in the air has nothing to do with an inability to tie
knots quickly and without fuss.

Wolfgang

On Apr 18, 8:45 am, "Wolfgang" wrote:

Non sequitur. A fly in the air has nothing to do with an inability to tie
knots quickly and without fuss.

If it takes you 20 minutes to tie on a new nymph rig that's 50 drifts
you didn't have. I swear you'd argue a wet dream.

Your pal,

TBone

Halfordian Golfer wrote:
On Apr 16, 7:09 am, "Wolfgang" wrote:

Forget you ever heard of blood knots.

Wolfgang


I respectfully disagree and consider the blood knot as one of the
[only] 4 you need for a clean rig.

Line - needle knot - flourescent butt section - blood knot -
tapered leader - surgeons knot - tippet- choice (clinch) - fly

I too like the blood knot for the butt/leader connection because they're
smoother and go through the guides better. Strength isn't an issue and
they're easy to tie in heavy mono.

For the leader/tippet connection strength and ease and speed of tying is
important, so I prefer the surgeon's for that connection.

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

notbob wrote:
I thought I'd interject a little fly fishing topic.

Bastid!

After turning my nice new tapered leader into a much shorter version
due to wind knots, I've learned how to tie the brutal blood knot,
which I suspect was named after legions of anglers who blew the
corresponding vessel while trying to tie the damn thing.

Rather than address the actual questions (which, BTW, is a true roffian
tradition), I'd offer a few things that have probably already been suggested
somewhere in the wicked long thread.
1) Download LeaderCalc (
http://www.flyfisherman.com/skills/b...alc/index.html ) and use some of
the basic suggestions.
2) Use a good leader material, like Maxima.
3) After tying many of these, discovering that they work very well (except
when fishing waters with a lot of vegetation), expounding on their
superiority, go back to tapered leaders because you're a lazy bastid. Worked
for me. ;-)
--
TL,
Tim
-------------------------
http://css.sbcma.com/timj

"Tim J." wrote

3) After tying many of these, discovering that they work very well (except
when fishing waters with a lot of vegetation), expounding on their
superiority, go back to tapered leaders because you're a lazy bastid.
Worked for me. ;-)
--


good plan