Should I invest in tippet rings?

[wildtrout2]

One thing some guys do that messes them up is to remove the tippet ring from the snap swivel before tying the end of your leader to it. It is virtually impossible to try and manipulate a tippet ring in your fingers once it is removed from the snap swivel.

Some really good advice right here.

 

[Steeltrap]

I started using them about 8 years ago and have never gone back to blood knot or surgeon knots to add tippet. I don't believe I have ever used the 1 mm. Only the 1.5 mm and 2.0 mm. I use the 1.5 mm with dry flies all season long and have never experienced any issues. Some of my dry fly elitist friends say they hinge the cast and the tippet does not land the same. I say poppycock and I do not believe they would be able to tell the difference if they were blindfolded. Others say it sinks the fly. That is total BS because they are so light that they don't even break the surface tension of the water.

I always immediately cut the welded loop on any new fly line and tie a 5 turn nail knot to which I add a dab of UV and zap it with the line. This provides a very smooth transition from the fly line to the butt of the leader. If you hook a big fish and have a leader longer than your rod the loop or nail knot can get stuck in the tip top resulting in either a lost fish or a broken tip. For my dry fly rods I buy a 9' 4X Rio leader to which I tie a 1.5 mm tippet ring. Then I add either a piece of 5X or 6X four feet long. As long as I don't have a catastrophic wind knot in the leader it will last me the life of the fly line. About two years. I just add a new tippet every day.

One thing some guys do that messes them up is to remove the tippet ring from the snap swivel before tying the end of your leader to it. It is virtually impossible to try and manipulate a tippet ring in your fingers once it is removed from the snap swivel.

100% agree that you have to tie on the tippet ring BEFORE you take it off the snap ring. I lost an entire batch of tippet rings trying to take it off first!!

Your fly line\leader transition is interesting. But....do you tie the nail knot using the fly line....or the leader? I can only think you do the nail knot using the leader?

 

[wbranch]

100% agree that you have to tie on the tippet ring BEFORE you take it off the snap ring. I lost an entire batch of tippet rings trying to take it off first!!

Your fly line\leader transition is interesting. But....do you tie the nail knot using the fly line....or the leader? I can only think you do the nail knot using the leader?

After snipping off the welded loop I use the "Tie Fast" tool to make the nail knot. I snip off the Perfection loop on the n ew leader. I use about 6" of the butt to tie the nail knot. You make 5 turns of the butt over the channel of theTie Fast tool. Then slide the end of the fly line into the front of the channel on the tool. It takes some practice to be able to swiftly hold on to both the tag end and other end of the leader and pull it off the tool so the knot is encircling the the fly line. Then I work with the un-tightened knot until the five loops are resting tightly against each other. Snip off the remaining tag end and the end of the flyline (it should be no longer than 1/2") Add a little Loon UV sparingly all around the knot and a little on to the butt and fly line so the knot is nicely tapered into both the line and butt. Hit it with a UV light for about 15
seconds.

tie fast nail knot - Google Search

 

[PennKev]

After snipping off the welded loop I use the "Tie Fast" tool to make the nail knot.

These tools are brutal.

I've found the best nail knot "tool" to be a large carpet needle. You can wrap the mono tightly around the needle and pull the tag through easily with the eye. Much easier and less fidgety that the purpose made nail knot tool and the it is much easier to seat the wraps neatly using the needle.

 

[Frederick V. C.]

I tie tippet rings on my sighters for nymphing but for years I have just been using a small loop usually 4-6 ft from the fly line connection. As long as I take my time and tie my tippet knot carefully I have no issues. When break off occurs it is usually pilot error.

 

[wbranch]

These tools are brutal.

I've found the best nail knot "tool" to be a large carpet needle. You can wrap the mono tightly around the needle and pull the tag through easily with the eye. Much easier and less fidgety that the purpose made nail knot tool and the it is much easier to seat the wraps neatly using the needle.

Each to his own technique. I've tried all sorts of nail knot tools and for my limited dexterity the Tie Fast tool is my best option to create a nice nail knot.

 

[FiveWeight]

What are the pros and cons of using tippet rings?

Not eve sure what they are. Never used one that I know of. Been fly'n since 1975. I guess if it makes life easier for you have at it. I've gotten by this long with out knowing about them. It is get'n tougher to tie knots some days though. Eh, maybe some day I'll see what they are all about.

 

[wbranch]

Not eve sure what they are. Never used one that I know of. Been fly'n since 1975. I guess if it makes life easier for you have at it. I've gotten by this long with out knowing about them. It is get'n tougher to tie knots some days though. Eh, maybe some day I'll see what they are all about.

What Is a Fly-Fishing Tippet Ring and How to Set Them Up? - Guide Recommended

Using Tippet Rings has saved me so much money and hassle that when I was recently asked “What is a Tippet Ring?” I was genuinely surprised my friend did not

guiderecommended.com

Read this and you will know everything you need to understand and use tippet rings.

 

[tomgamber]

Those instructions are encouraging. I saw it as going something like this...open package, make several attempts to grab just one of these tiny things with my big fat fingers, Drop into grass, tie surgeon's knot.

 

[FiveWeight]

What Is a Fly-Fishing Tippet Ring and How to Set Them Up? - Guide Recommended

Using Tippet Rings has saved me so much money and hassle that when I was recently asked “What is a Tippet Ring?” I was genuinely surprised my friend did not

guiderecommended.com

Read this and you will know everything you need to understand and use tippet rings.

Hmmm, With as small as they are I can see the usefulness. I think I'll keep on tying my double surgen knot or if the fingers are in a good mood the old blood knot Thanks for the info. I may look into them.

 

[jifigz]

Tippet rings are the cat's meow. You'll figure out how you like to use them. Not everyone uses them in the same exact way. I, for one, will not tie two separate tags off of one ring for double nymph rigs.

I can also fish fine without rings, just tie more knots. But yeah, I like to have them. Plus, I will reuse them and rarely loose them, so a pack of tippet rings will last me a LONG TIME.

 

[jifigz]

Those instructions are encouraging. I saw it as going something like this...open package, make several attempts to grab just one of these tiny things with my big fat fingers, Drop into grass, tie surgeon's knot.

You slide your tippet in and tie the knot while the ring is still on the little snap.........if you take the ring off of the little snap before you attach tippet, I wish you the best of luck.

 

[tomgamber]

You slide your tippet in and tie the knot while the ring is still on the little snap.........if you take the ring off of the little snap before you attach tippet, I wish you the best of luck.

yes, that was the instructions i was referring to . and to be clear I like the idea. I used to use a braided leader that had a loop on the end and I just tied tippet to that loop. and I liked those but I haven't seen them in a long time.

 

[wildtrout2]

If left on the snap swivel while tying your knot, it's a simple procedure.

 

[dudemanspecial]

I always immediately cut the welded loop on any new fly line and tie a 5 turn nail knot to which I add a dab of UV and zap it with the line. This provides a very smooth transition from the fly line to the butt of the leader. If you hook a big fish and have a leader longer than your rod the loop or nail knot can get stuck in the tip top resulting in either a lost fish or a broken tip. For my dry fly rods I buy a 9' 4X Rio leader to which I tie a 1.5 mm tippet ring. Then I add either a piece of 5X or 6X four feet long. As long as I don't have a catastrophic wind knot in the leader it will last me the life of the fly line. About two years. I just add a new tippet every day.

This is almost exactly how I do it, with the exception that, because I enjoy overcomplicating things, I tie my own leader tapers. But works great. For a long time I put a ring about 6" off my nail knot so I could swap out entire leaders, but have somehow convinced myself that I only really need one leader style. When I tight line nymph I just cut the tippet off the ring and add 6-10 feet of 4x.