All anglers must make decisions about tippet every day. What size and strength? What type of tippet? And how long should the tippet section be? Because, what might seem like a small decision, can have a big impact on the presentation of the fly, leading to failure or success . . .

Continue reading PODCAST: Talking About Tippet — Size, Strength, Length and Rigging — S7, Ep7 at Troutbitten.

Seaguar Invizx has become my go to fluorocarbon tippet material, and some of my Troutbitten friends do the same. It's thin, strong and flexible with excellent handling and flex. Invizx is as good as some fly shop brands and better than many others. And because the type of tippet we use is not what catches trout, I don’t overspend on tippet . . .

Continue reading Fly Shop Fluorocarbon too expensive? Try InvizX at Troutbitten.

The trouble with cheaper lines is threefold. Their breaking strength is inferior to the fly shop brands, they’re usually a bit stiffer, and the manufactured diameters only go down to about 4X -- usually.

Then a couple of years ago I bought Seaguar Finesse. It was hard to track down when it first came out, because here was a line sold in smaller quantities, with a higher than expected price tag (for the gear guys). But to fly anglers, the 150 yard spool for about $20 was a steal. Easy decision. I bought it immediately, based on Seaguar’s own description and the specs.

Since then, Seaguar Finesse has become my go to fluoro tippet material from 2X to 5X, and a few of my Troutbitten friends do the same. It’s thinner, but stronger per diameter, and is indeed more flexible as described. (It has some finesse.) It’s as almost as good as some fly shop brands and better than many others. And because the type of tippet we use is not what catches trout, I don’t overspend on tippet . . .

Continue reading Fly Shop Fluorocarbon too expensive? Try Some Finesse at Troutbitten.

I’ve had old timers tell me that leader and tippet technology is the biggest advancement in fly fishing over the last half-century. Within my own twenty-five years of fly fishing, I’ve seen fly shop wall space grow to include tippet spools of nylon and fluorocarbon in all X sizes (sometimes in half sizes too), with most manufacturers offering multiple options for stiffness and breaking strength in each diameter.

It’s all gotten a little complicated, I suppose, and my friends at TCO tell me that fielding confused questions about tippet is a daily chore. So let’s answer three important questions about tippet. What type? (Nylon vs Fluorocarbon.) What size? (How thick of a diameter is best?) And how long should your tippet section be?

Note: this article is not intended to be a comprehensive write-up for all things tippet. Google search will supply you with that. Instead, I’ll give you a real world, stream-level account of what works for me and the Troutbitten guys.

Continue reading Let’s talk about tippet — Three questions about the end of the line in a fly fishing rig at Troutbitten.

Big trout after dark are never predictable. And they give you everything they have — right now. So your tippet better be strong.

Continue reading Night Fishing for Trout — You’re gonna need a bigger rope at Troutbitten.

Multi-fly rigs allow for more chances to screw things up, and that’s undeniable. In an early article, I brushed off the tangles problem like it’s not a big deal. With experience (and some resignation to the inevitable errors), it really isn't a big deal. Here are some ideas to keep the tandem rig tangles to an acceptable minimum.

Keep in mind, that I've grown into these strategies. I’ve done a lot of fiddling and wiggling with rats’ nests out there. And remember, the thing they don’t tell you about trial and error is how much the errors suck the life out of your will to keep trying . . .

Continue reading Fly Fishing Strategies: Tangle-Free Tandem Rigs at Troutbitten.

“Those tiny rings change everything,” said my father. He stood in the water beside me, looking curiously through his glasses at my little metal circles. “Sure do.” I replied, and I neatly swapped out a double nymph rig for a two streamer rig in about a minute. Dad whistled with approval and chuckled. An hour […]

Continue reading Fifty Fly Fishing Tips: #14 — Tippet Rings — Thank you, tiny circles at Troutbitten.

I’ve had old timers tell me that leader and tippet technology is the biggest advancement in fly fishing over the last half-century. Within my own twenty-five years of fly fishing, I’ve seen fly shop wall space grow to include tippet spools of nylon and fluorocarbon in all X sizes (sometimes in half sizes too), with most manufacturers offering multiple options for stiffness and breaking strength in each diameter.

It’s all gotten a little complicated, I suppose, and my friends at TCO tell me that fielding confused questions about tippet is a daily chore. So let’s answer three important questions about tippet. What type? (Nylon vs Fluorocarbon.) What size? (How thick of a diameter is best?) And how long should your tippet section be?

Note: this article is not intended to be a comprehensive write-up for all things tippet. Google search will supply you with that. Instead, I’ll give you a real world, stream-level account of what works for me and the Troutbitten guys.

Continue reading Let’s talk about tippet — Three questions about the end of the line in a fly fishing rig at Troutbitten.