Tippet length

[Ribbons]

How much line shld you have between the fly you are using and the fly line. (the colored stuff). I don't know all the terms yet so I think that is what it is called.

Do leaders all come in one length? And if not, how do you know what length?

Also, how long of a tippet do you put on? And is the tippet attached to the leader or onto something else on the line?

I am getting totally confused when people talk about having about 5-7 ft of line to the end. Also, how much of your tippet can you use up changing files until you need to add some more?

Thanks,
Wendy

[bbell]

I like to use a 7.5 foot leader on small streams and a nine foot leader on larger streams. I usually tie 2-3 feet of tippet material at the end of the leader This helps you acheive a drag-free presentation with a dry fly more than any thing else. For nymph fishing, additional tippet may not be nneeded...but I'll let a nymph maven answer that....
Email me if you have any specifics...

[The Ole Man]

Ribbons
bbell answered some of it. It can get complicated if you really get into it-such as individual formulas for hand tied leaders and so forth. Here's a stab at the basics: Yes the colored stuff (usually-but some of it is clear these days) is the fly line and attached to that by various methods is a leader. Leaders have tippets. Some leaders are knotless, some types are knotted. The knotless kind starts out as a thick butt section and tapers down to a fine end section. On a knotless leader like this, approximately the last 18 inches is considered the "tippet". The strength of this fine end section defines the breaking strength in pounds. As you use this tippet end section up by tying on flys or cutting out knots, at some point prior to the 18 inch original length, you tie on a new piece of tippet (usually from a spool of tippet material) to replace what has been used up. Knotted leaders are made in accordance with untold numbers of personal formulas involving various pieces of leader material knotted one to another, but the final end piece is called the tippet. It can be replace d by knotting on a new section when required. As to lengths- they run the gamut. Some use 12, 14, even 16 foot leaders if the wariness of the fish requires it. Most leaders run 7 1/2, 9 and 12 feet in catalogs. When small stream fishing, it is common to shorten up ones leader in order to bring the weight of the flyline into play quicker. Which is to say-the water is so skinny that if you used a 9 foot leader, that would be the entire casting length and no flyline would ever leave the guides. When streamer fishing, it is most common to find leaders as short as 4 feet. Then too, you can also get into leaders made from sections of variable stiffness, ones made from materials designed to help them sink, etc. Hope this helps.

[Ribbons]

I have come to one conclusion. The more I learn about fly fishing, the less I realize I know. Wow...never knew so much went into all of this with the leaders and tippets. However, I can see how it wld.

Ok, I know what a dry fly is. What does it mean when people talk about "nymph fishing"? Like you mentioned bbell.

Yes, everything that you all have written helps. It seems to all start getting jumbled up together sometimes and I can't remember what goes with what or how to use this certain item.

I know I will have more questions pertaining to this tomorrow; however, my head is still swimming from 3 hours of trick and treating with the little ones earlier tonight.

Thanks,
Wendy

[BLACK KNIGHT]

Ribbons- nymphing is how you catch the fish the other 90% of the time they're not feeding on the surface! BH Prince, Pheasant tail, Hare's Ear, etc, are all popular around here. It's sub-surface fishing, and getting on the bottom is important. Takes can be subtle, and it's kind of an intuitive thing.
Like betzel said, do a search. There are volumes on it on this board. For a good read, try Joe Humphrey's "Trout Tactics".
As a novice, too, I take the KISS approach. A standard store bought tapered leader, 7-1/2 ft long with about 18"- 24" of tippet material tied on the end (so I don't cut my leader length when changing flies) is all you need to get started.
There is a ton of information out there, but sifting through it all can overwhelm us newbies. I think you can't grasp it all at once- just slowly absorb a little at a time.

[NiteOwl]

Right, right !
At work the other day, I ran into a flyfishing customer..and we started talking about midges and EHC's( elk hair caddis flies) and tippets....and another employee said we sounded like we were speaking a new language !

DOn't worry about getting it all down......just make sure you fish with folks that know a little more than you do, and you'll keep on learing !

So, when we goin?

Owl

[betzel]

for nymphing, do a search...there is a ton of info in the archives.

[Ribbons]

I think that is why I am getting so frustrated and confused. The last two times I have been fishing ( 2 out of 3 ) I was with my hubby who knows nothing about ff. I know maybe 1/4 more than him so he was no help. I wasn't getting the cast down right, cldn't get the line to go how I wanted, cldn't figure out this or that...etc....

I never gave up but it wasn't that much fun either. Don't get me wrong, I loved the fact I was out there just frustrated that I cldn't get anything going and had noone to turn to when I cldn't. I have only been able to go ff 3 times and 2 of those times I was on my own. The first time I had a friend who had been ff for about 20 yrs so it was great.

Anyway, thanks for all your help with this. I will be sure and check out the search. You are right though, it can be so overwhelming that you almost don't know where to start.

I am reading the book "A River Runs Thru It".
I had been wanting to rent the movie but never cld get around to it so I bought the book yesterday. I am only on like page 20 but it is wonderful so far. I look forward to reading it after hearing so many great things about it.

[KB]

Just try to keep it simple. Dont worry about the taper and the length of your leader. A good rule of thumb for a begginer would be to have your leader and tippet equel the length of your rod. Give or take a few. I'm sure some instructors out there would cringe at such a suggestion but at this point, I really dont think it matters.
Focus on casting and on where to drift your fly.
When nymphing, drift your nymph through runs (areas where the flows through deeper crevices on the river bottom. Between large rocks and places like that.) Be sure to adjust you strike indicator so that the amount of leader and tippet is about the same depth of the run. Wait for an un-natural hesitation in you indicator, or it may just dunk under like a bobber, and set the hook. Stand near the runs, holding your rod high, so that the indicator and only a small amount of slack is floating, and follow the indicator through the run with the tip of your rod (thats called "High Sticking"). Get the hang of that, then try casting to the runs and mending your line for a drag free drift later.
That was a little more info thatn you asked for, but i hope it helps.

KB

[captfredfish]

Mark your place in "A River Runs...", put it back on the shelf, and get yourself a copy of "Trout Tactics" by Joe Humphreys or Dave Whitlock's Nymphing book. You can use these as references before each trip to refresh your memory; they have proven invaluable to a short attention spanner like me.

cff