tippet spool holder

[ryguyfi]

I got one of those tippet spool holders to clip onto my vest a little while ago and I've given up on it. It just becomes a tangled mess and I've wasted a ton of tippet. Any tips on how to keep the tippet from unspooling? Some spools have the band on them and some do not. Should I just buy tippet with the bands?

 

[gochs]

Perhaps just buy one spool of your most commonly used tippets 4x-6x then take the elastic band off of those. Then put them on the spools you have on your holder now. Then you can use whatever tippet you want! Rio's only $3-$4 per spool, and it's good stuff.

 

[gfen]

I just re-use the bands on new spools.

 

[buffalo7]

You can also buy "Tippet Spool Retainers" They come in two sizes, 2-2 1/2" and 3-4" dia. spools. They have an opening that the end of your tippet sticks out of so you can unwind it without takeing the band off. they are $4.99 per 4 from Cabela's.

 

[RowJimmy]

Just bit the tippet in your vest. I had one of those tippet thingers as well they suck

 

[gfen]

I had a vest and it sucked.

Less is more.

 

[ryguyfi]

I carry my entire arsenal when I fish, so needed to take something out of my vest and hang it on the outside so I can put more in it lol. I actually wanted it so I can toss it on my lanyard when I want to downsize for a small stream. First time I used it was at the JAM and lost about 20 feet of tippet between a few spools.

 

[RowJimmy]

Ive tried all the gimmick fanny packs and chest things but I always go back to the vest

 

[RLeep2]

I had a chest pack and it sucked a lot more than a vest, for me any way.

I've never had one of those willy-gizmos you hang tippet spools on. Never wanted one. I fish with a Cabela's Three Forks vest and it has two small pockets on either side of the bottom larger pockets.
I put one spool each of 3X thru 6X in each of these pockets and I've never lost a spool of tippet out of the pockets this way. Then I keep an extra spool of 5X and 6X (what I use most out here, if i were back in PA, it would be 4X and 5X) elsewhere in the vest just for belt and suspenders reasons.

I do lose quite a few of the elastic retaining bands off the tippet spools though. Good riddance for the most part. I've never like them and think the guy who invented the system probably had a glue habit. I think the best way is the old slot in the spool system that the Orvis SS used to have.

Here's what I use to replace the bands when necessary, although I don't often find it necessary. My spools pretty much stay spooled. If anything, I have more trouble finding the tag on lighter material than i do with unspooling. Anyhow, I'm up to my ears (no pun intended) in these little orange adhesive pulls tabs that are on the back of zinc air hearing aid batteries. Supposedly, the battery isn't activated until you remove the tab. I dunno if that's true, but they make darn fine tippet retainers when pasted to the back edge of the spool with the tag underneath them.

http://www.energizer.com/SiteCollectionImages/products/hearing_aid/faqs/color_codes_and_sizes_chart.jpg

Make friends with somebody who used size 675 batteries in their aids. These are the biggest and best pull tabs.

 

[RLeep2]

This stuff (in nylon), BTW, is the best new tippet product I've seen since Nylorfi (rrt will get a kick out of that..)

http://www.trouthunt.com/estore/details/23983/0/2944

 

[tocar]

Ryan,
Here's something to try. Look for elastic hair ties on the cheap (dollar stores, MegaMart, etc) that are slightly smaller than the spool diameter. Slip a few onto the spool, running the tippet tag between them. Some spools need three or more to create enough tension to keep from unrolling the tippet. Just make sure you buy the "ouchless" style as they don't have the metal connector. Know someone with a pony tail? Chances are they have some some lying around for you to try ;-)

peace-tony c.

 

[phillyfly]

When the tippet is about half gone and the band is too large the tippet tends to come out easily and gets real messy. An easy fix that a friend showed me is to remove the band and tie an overhand knot (think thats the right knot) so that it fits tighter and then just re-thread the tippet through the hole. Make sure it only has a small tag end though or it wont fit back on the spool. I like the elastic band idea as well.

 

[ryguyfi]

Thanks for the ideas guys. I unfortunately know exactly what you're talking about Tony. BTW, do you know anyone who has a pony tail that might be able to score me a few holders???lol

Well I'm hopefully headed out sometime in the next week to try out a new bass lake. I may try to pack light and see if I can get one of these ideas to work for me.

 

[brianb]

To go with Tony's suggestion the metal ring works as a great tippet spool holder

http://i.walmartimages.com/i/p/00/04/14/57/43/0004145743629_500X500.jpg

 

[BrookieBuster101]

Psh, just buy (steal from wife/ gf) a few of those hair band things. Im sure that would work fine and be cheaper. Then when your taking line from the spool just be conscious of how much excess you leave hanging off.


Edit: TL;DR.....

 

[ryguyfi]

Well I hit that bass pond I was gonna try out. Didn't bother with the tippet holder, just stuffed everything in my cargo pockets. No room to cast, but busted some brush and landed about 6 and my bro-in-law landed about the same. Hooked and lost a BIG LM because I couldn't get it over a big stump. Also caught about an 8-9" perch and a bluegill. Screw the tippet holder, I need a 'yak!

 

[jdaddy]

RLeep2 wrote:
I had a chest pack and it sucked a lot more than a vest, for me any way.

Agreed. My big thing is crap hanging off the back of my neck. Tried various fancy vests, packs, etc. Just don't like them. When I have to use one I use a Simms waterproof waist pack. Otherwise I stuff crap in the flip out pocket of Simms waders. Line does occasionally get messed up in the flip out thing but oh well. The pocket also has two areas for a spool or two each of tippet. I have thought about threading the tippet through the mesh and dispensing that way. Maybe I will do that one day.