Frog's Hair Tippet?

[jjthom2]

Maybe you should try catching bigger fish?

 

Thanks for the advice. I'll definitely check out those 2 knots.

 

I hit up the Red Deer again last night with a friend of mine. The fish weren't rising like the were the other night and the water was at least 2 feet higher than several days ago. However, I did manage to land both fish that I tagged in the 18-20 inch range. I had bought new Rio mono tippet in 1X, 3X and 5X after my last misfortune and was hoping it would do the trick so that I wouldn't have to fork over the $ for frog's hair.

 

I was using 5X and was able to still put lots of pressure on the fish and landed them both quite quickly. I was using improved clinch and felt very confident in the line. I'm hoping this is a good sign of things to come.

 

Cheers.

Was that you I spoke to on my way back to the truck? I use Rio tippet material as well - works great as long as it isn't too old.

 

Jeff

 

[Bigtoad]

Was that you I spoke to on my way back to the truck? I use Rio tippet material as well - works great as long as it isn't too old.

 

Jeff

 

Yeah, me and another guy. The fishing didn't pick up much after you left. They were sporadically rising to some minuscule mayflies just above where you were and I managed to pull one out from there at dark. Both of us forgot the headlamps so we didn't stay too long after things got dark.

 

Nice to meet a member up here.

 

Cheers,

Todd

[Gil]

I was having difficulty with RIO on light tipet in the summer. Switched to Umqua and am happy so far. I 'm not using fluro as often these days too expensive and too heavy for dry.....

[sstoyberg]

Thats hilarious... I know exactly who you ran into on the Red Deer and told you to use Frogs Hair (he also sells Frog Hair).... I like it but it is expensive. I like Rio just as well. Those are Big Browns!

Seriously I have straightened hooks more then once. What ever knot you tie or line you use 8lbs of brown trout on a dry fly can give you trouble!

[Bigtoad]

Thats hilarious... I know exactly who you ran into on the Red Deer and told you to use Frogs Hair (he also sells Frog Hair).... I like it but it is expensive. I like Rio just as well. Those are Big Browns!

Seriously I have straightened hooks more then once. What ever knot you tie or line you use 8lbs of brown trout on a dry fly can give you trouble!

 

That's a sweet brown! It didn't happen to have an elk hair caddis in it's mouth did it? I'm not sure if 5X of any kind could handle some of the browns on the RD but I'd at least like a fighting chance. The stuff I was using didn't give me that. It broke before there was even a fight to have.

 

And yes, I'm sure you do know who I was talking with about Frog's Hair.

 

I used the Rio this weekend at Beaver Lake and it held up really well. I was using 5X and we were hunting them in the weeds with boatmen. We had quite a few that were blowing through the weeds like crazy and jumping, etc, and the light tippet never broke once. Biggest was a 19" that tried to wrap itself around everything and the tippet held up. I think I'll be sticking with the Rio. I'm sure it will degenerate over time but for $5 you can't go wrong.

[hydropsyche]

When you test the knot, are you just pulling or snapping it. I just pull, never snap. Snapping it, with the shock force created, could be weakening it? If I pull, and it holds, I don't need to test it any further.

 

I, too, use the improved clinch (5 turns) and I can't remember the last time I busted off on a fish.

 

I take that back. The 40lb King I accidentally hooked into last week forced me to have to put the brakes on.

[Bigtoad]

When you test the knot, are you just pulling or snapping it. I just pull, never snap. Snapping it, with the shock force created, could be weakening it? If I pull, and it holds, I don't need to test it any further.

 

I, too, use the improved clinch (5 turns) and I can't remember the last time I busted off on a fish.

 

I take that back. The 40lb King I accidentally hooked into last week forced me to have to put the brakes on.

 

I'm just pulling when I test the knot, not snapping. I bought a new spool of 5X S.A. tippet back in the summer and when I went to use it, I just had to put a little bit of pressure on it and it snapped. It was garbage. It might have just been the spool but I'm not buying that crap again. I tested the Rio in the store before I bought it and it would probably make me bleed before it breaks when you just pull it tight.

 

I've still busted off a fish with the 5x Rio but it was when I got over zealous on a big rainbow gobbling a backsmimmer on the surface. I just couldn't help but set when it smashed my hook and I snapped it. I relaxed and didn't break off another so far.

 

Cheers.

[snuffy]

Regular mono is very sensitive to UV, which probably isn't a big issue, and to temperature extremes, which is - leaving your vest in the car on a sunny day will ruin your tippet in no time. But then I've had it go funny on me for no apparent reason, even when I've been taking rather extreme precautions. You must check before you head out!

 

Flourocarbon is more robust and therefore less chancy. So if you're constantly having your tippet go off, it might be cheaper in the long run to go that route despite the up front cost.

[Bigtoad]

Regular mono is very sensitive to UV, which probably isn't a big issue, and to temperature extremes, which is - leaving your vest in the car on a sunny day will ruin your tippet in no time. But then I've had it go funny on me for no apparent reason, even when I've been taking rather extreme precautions. You must check before you head out!

 

Flourocarbon is more robust and therefore less chancy. So if you're constantly having your tippet go off, it might be cheaper in the long run to go that route despite the up front cost.

 

Something to definitely think about, for sure. I'm wondering if I didn't get some bug spray on some of my tippet or something? I was out on the RD one night that when the Muskol was dry (23% deet) the skeeters were back on me and I would have to reapply. I have all of my tippet on the outside of my vest for easy use and I can't help but think I must have gotten some spray on it and that can't be good for it. Must be great for my skin too!

 

The Rio stuff I have now has that fancy-dansy-rubber-ring-dispenser-thingy on it that I think might help to stop UV and bug spray from deteriorating the line so quickly. We'll see... might still have to bite the bullet and go flouro.