The Northern California Fly Fishing Board

I thought I’d revisit a subject I brought up way back when I was a newbie in 2002. It really helped me and if there are other contributors to this thread it might help out some others, newbies and experienced fly guys.

Okay, so I have 2 tips.

The first is Tippet Rings. Steve at Dragonfly Sporting Goods in Weaverville turned me on to these. They are seamless, 3mm nickel rings that you tie onto the end of a leader. You then tie the tippet onto the ring.

The rings are so small and light that they can be used with dries; they lay on the surface film, not sinking. I mostly use them subsurface when I’m steelheading. So far, they’ve held under the stress of fish up to 13 pounds.

I’ve read but have not tested that tying flouro onto mono isn’t a good idea, as it’s possible that the fluorocarbon tippet will cut through the monofilament. My buddies haven’t experienced this but then, it probably requires a lot of pressure, like you’d get from the fish of a lifetime. I can also use tippets with diameters that are much thinner than that of my leader.

Anyhow, I buy tapered mono leaders, tie on a tippet ring, and then tie a flouro tippet onto the ring. My leaders last a lot longer as I merely clip off the tippet when it gets short from changing flies and tie on a new length.

Climax rings are the most expensive, at about $.70 each, but they come on a wire ring with the ends folded back and hooked together, kind of like the Greek letter Omega. Tippet rings are so small that it’s MUCH easier to tie your first knot on the ring while it’s still on the wire. Then remove the ring from the wire and tie in the tippet.

A less expensive way is to purchase the Mini Tippet Rings by Niche Products. They can be purchased for $.35 each, but don’t come with a wire. You’ll have to find some to string them onto as these rings are REALLY small. I purchase mine from J. Stockard Fly Fishing at www.jsflyfishing.com and string them onto the wire I originally bought with my Climax rings.

My second tip is known by most fly fishers. When using a dropper tied onto my point fly I have little patience for untying mini-birdsnests. I usually just clip off the dropper at the hook eye and I easily (kind of) untie the knot. It takes about 30 seconds to re-tie my dropper.