# leader tippet weight???



## dsim3240 (Nov 12, 2008)

What weight tippet do you ussually use in the bay for red fish and specs.?
I have been using a 10lb flurocarbon, but I have problems with the knots failing.


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## Animal Chris (May 21, 2004)

I use a 9 - 10 ft section of Mason hard mono. It's stiff enough to turn a large fly and bold enough to handle a good mount of abrasion. Other than that, if I'm using a tapered leader, I'll use an 18"-24" length of 12# floro connected by a double uni knot.


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## Finfisher (Jul 20, 2008)

I am going to go for it this year with the fly. I am using 10# flourocarbon and using a surgens knot for the connection to a tapered leader.
Your thoughts oh great one's.

Reds are my goal

Thanks for any comments

Finfisher


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## dsim3240 (Nov 12, 2008)

10lb is adequate with some limitations. 
Since my first posting a year ago I have found that my problem was with the flourcarbon line. What I found is that if you are going to use 10lb line you need to retie the knot at the fly after EACH fish no matter what the size. When I started doing this, I have not had any problems with knots failing. I also went to a loop knot rather than the clinch knot. I have never had a problem with the surgens/blood knot failing.
What I do is carry an extra leader preriged with a my tippet. That way when my tippet gets too short from retieing I change out the whole leader with loop to loop conections to the fly line. This is much easier than tieing a new tippet on while i am fishing.
If you don't want to retie after each fish I would move up to 20lb tippet. If you use this, then I would definately use the loop knot to get the best action from your fly. Hope this helps and let us know how you do.


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## davidb (May 10, 2006)

I usually use 12lb. and fluorocarbon is not necessary for Redfish. I do like the abrasion resistance and 17lb works well as a bite guard for big trout. Redfish are seldom leader shy but too heavy a leader can ruin the action of the fly. A simple three or four part leader is all I have needed. The newer Fluoro holds knots better. Frogskins, Gamma, Seaguar, or Rio.

For mono I like Mason or Berkly Big Game.

I use Lefty's no slip mono loop with one extra turn like an improved clinch knot. Good advice to check and re-tie after any toothy fish.


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## Boboe (Feb 11, 2009)

I like Rio tapered fluorocarbon leaders. A 0x leader will be 15#, and very very small in diameter. Rio Flouroflex tippet is great. The 0x from a tippet spool will be larger than the 0x tippet on the leader. I couldn't tell you why.

A loop knot to connect your fly will work very well. For tying on new tippet sections, a triple surgeon's knot is quick and 100% strength. Double surgeon's aren't 100%. The triple IS 100% and can be tied in 15 seconds easy.


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