what tippet do you use in the park

[afoshie]

A previous post has me curios to everyones answer on this. So the question. What size tippet do you normally use during average water conditions in the park for normal fishing. My definition of average would be a dry dropper rig, a double nymph rig, or a rig with a single fly.

[Jim Casada]

Afoshie--I voted 5X but did so with considerable uncertainty. There are so many imponderables, even in average water conditions, that just casting a vote bothered me a bit. Examples of things which might cause a change would include water clarity, the individual stream involved (for example, Bradley Fork is clearer than Deep Creek, at least to my eyes, when settled conditions are in play), what time of day I am fishing (I tend to use one test stronger at dawn and dusk because I think I can get by with it and also because I'm more likely to hook a tippet-breaking brown in low light conditions), and where I am in the Park (fish seem to me less tippet-shy in remote areas which get ittle pressure). There are other factors, but that's some examples of why I have considerable uncertainty.
Jim Casada
www.jimcasadaoutdoors.com

[ahighlan]

Most commonly 5x, but it depends on size of the fly, water clarity, flow(fast and choppy vs. slow and smooth), etc.

I rarely go outside the range of 4x to 6x in the park, streamers aside.

[flyman]

I think sometimes I see too much attention being paid strickly to tippet size. There is a correlation between tippet size and fly size that I use to help determine what size tippet I am going to use. A large wind resistant size 6 hopper pattern calls for a different tippet than a sparsely tied size 20 BWO. Too fine a tippet will make turning over a large wind resistant fly with a dropper difficult. Conversely a tippet that is too heavy will appear thick and unnatural on a small fly. I do use 4 and 5X most of the time in the park, but it's because it falls within the range of the size flies I am fishing. I will often use material as heavy 2X and as light as 6X. You can not simply just tie one size material on for a tippet every time you fish under every condition, there is no one size fits all. There is some leeway, but try to keep in mind the correlation between tippet and fly size.

http://www.orvis.com/intro.aspx?subject=2202&csc=true

[knucklehead]

I try to use the strongest tippet i can get away with. in the last 2 weeks i've been using 3x almost exclusively with flies in size range of 14 to 6; and catching fish. i even used 4x up just below alum cave trail and had a glorious day with a 14 para adams. also, the larger tippet has saved my flies numerous times. i vaguely recall field and stream having an article about tippet diameter. i'm still not convinced using 6x tippet in the park is worth it, unless your fly is too small for anything bigger. it seems to me that when line in 3-8 pound test range is of such minute diameter to begin with, why not use the strongest? can fish, in the park, really tell the difference between 3 and 8 pound line? I'm convinced they can't. i have very few years experience fishing the park but so far still believe struggling over tippet size is a waste of time. as for spooking fish, i have yet to see any fish dash off while i'm using the 3 or 4x. i'm not the best at spotting fish and maybe i'm just not seeing them.
I've scared more fish in the last month by wading than anything else.
perhaps times exist when superfine tippet is required in the park. i just have yet to encounter such moments. until proven otherwise, i'm sticking with the 3 and 4x.

[Jim Casada]

Flyman--Those are some excellent thoughts. The link between tippet size, fly size, and line performance in casting is often overlooked. If you've got a big-winged pattern, such as a Royal Wulff with bushy wings, it can turn tiny tippet into an angler's equivalent of a spinning top.
Jim Casada
www.jimcasadaoutdoors.com

[MBB]

I use 5X most of the time in usual fishing conditions. In high water or when fishing streamers or larger flys, I will often go to 4X or 3X. I don't think I have ever used 6X or 7X in the Park.

[alexys01]

Originally Posted by flyman

I think sometimes I see too much attention being paid strickly to tippet size. There is a correlation between tippet size and fly size that I use to help determine what size tippet I am going to use. A large wind resistant size 6 hopper pattern calls for a different tippet than a sparsely tied size 20 BWO. Too fine a tippet will make turning over a large wind resistant fly with a dropper difficult. Conversely a tippet that is too heavy will appear thick and unnatural on a small fly. I do use 4 and 5X most of the time in the park, but it's because it falls within the range of the size flies I am fishing. I will often use material as heavy 2X and as light as 6X. You can not simply just tie one size material on for a tippet every time you fish under every condition, there is no one size fits all. There is some leeway, but try to keep in mind the correlation between tippet and fly size.

http://www.orvis.com/intro.aspx?subject=2202&csc=true

Flyman- I couldn't have said it better myself.

[jeffnles1]

I voted 5X but mainly for reasons as flyman stated. Most of the flies I use in the park lend themselves well to 5X - 6X tippet. (size 12 to 16 and an occassional 18. )

When tossing bas bugs in the lakes, I'll go as low as 0X but usually stay in the 1-2X range.
For bluegill and crappie flies, I typically use 4X and sometimes 5X)

I let the fly being used be the first influence then the type of water (clear, murky, fast, still, lots of snags, few snags, etc.). The last influence is frequently what I have in my pocket from the last time I went out fishing. (getting old and the resulting memory issues stinks. Hiking half a mile up a trail only to realize all I have with me is 4X and the rest of it is buried somewhere in the junk pile that is the trunk of my car).

If I were limited to only 2 for trout, I think it would be 5X and 6X
If I were limited to only 2 for warmwater fishing, I believe I'd go 2X and 4X

Jeff

[flyred06]

I use 7x tippet and have great success with it. I might occasionally go to 5x but my most success is 7x.