The Essential Fly

Leaders Tippet You Over The Edge?

22 February 2022  |  Sarah

Tippet Material Top Tips
 
Nylon
Co-Polymer
Fluorocarbon
 
 
Tippet Material
With the advancement in leader/tippet material, it can be extremely confusing these days deciding what is best for your preferred style of fishing. 

Before discussing the merits of various materials it’s as well to put to bed the term “monofilament” as many anglers wrongly believe this refers only to nylon.  “Monofilament” is actually a generic term meaning ‘single strand’ and it applies to all tippet material, regardless of their make.
TOP TIPS
 
Nylon
Good all fashioned nylon was the forerunner to copolymer and fluorocarbon.  Granted, it might be thicker in diameter than copolymer and fluorocarbon, but it’s an extremely robust material. 
What’s more, kinks are easily removed after any tangles that occur. With a degree of stiffness, it’s ideal for dropper legs and when your wielding large, ungainly flies as this prevents the tippet from twisting during casting.

It is however prone to deterioration over time and with exposure to UV.  With that, it’s best to replace all your spools of nylon before the start of a new season.   

Best Uses:


Wet fly fishing (dropper legs)
Lure/streamer fishing
Large flies

Wychwood Connect Series Ghost Mode are very high quality nylon tapered leaders which come in popular lengths and breaking strains, to suit all fishing situations a clear and good choice no matter where you fish.

  • Low refractive index
  • Superb linear strength
  • High abrasion resistance
  • Extremely supple
  • Colour Clear
 
Co-Polymer
As the name states, Co-Polymer is a blend, or mix of polymer types materials. The prime advantage is it’s reduced diameter for a given breaking strain, which makes it popular with those using dry flies. Another feature is Co-Polymer is extremely limp, so it conforms with surface currents, which is vital when small dry flies are the order of the day. 

Co-Polymer is also stretchy which guards against breakages when fish are held on a short line. For this reason, Co-Polymer is a favourite for river anglers, who fish at close quarters, like euro-nymphing for example. As it floats more readily than nylon and fluorocarbon, it’s important to degrease Co-Polymer thoroughly when using nymphs or spiders/wetflies. Co-Polymer has a long shelve life too as it less prone to deterioration.

Best Uses:

Small flies
Dry fly fishing
River fishing
Fishing at close quarters

We have or own range of specially designed Co-Polymer tapered leaders with a long and heavy butt for turnover power and a supple front taper for delicate presentation.

The Essential Fly Co-Polymer Tapered Leader range are an excellent choice for fishing with small and mid-sized flies on spooky fish and ideal for even underhand casting.

At 12 feet long you can use the leader at full length or cut down to your ideal length making it versatile for all fishing conditions.
 
Fluorocarbon
Like Co-Polymer, Fluorocarbon is low in diameter for its stated breaking strain, which makes it perfect when fishing smaller flies.  According to the Fluorocarbon refractive index, it is rendered invisible underwater.  In many respects this is academic as we must remember a large piece of iron (the hook bend) is hanging out of the backside of our imitations.

Perhaps more importantly is the specific gravity (density) of Fluorocarbon which is more than water, Nylon and Co-Polymer.  This means it sinks quite readily, making perfect when deep nymphing, fishing lure/streamers and for wet fly situations.  For a given diameter, it is also a little stiffer than Co-Polymer, making the perfect material for wetfly/spider fishing where droppers are necessary, especially on rivers. 

Fluorocarbon is also extremely impact resistant, which is why those bouncing heavy bugs along the streambed reach for this material. 

Fluorocarbon does not rot & whilst it has a long shelf live, like all monofilaments,
we need to dispose it carefully

Best Uses:
 

Small flies
Nymphs
Lure fishing
Wetfly Fishing
The Wychwood Lure Mode Fluorocarbon tippet material is robust, just what you need when you are pulling large flies, trying to provoke an aggressive take.

The Essential Fly Fluorocarbon Tippet is made from a specially designed Fluorocarbon which offers exceptional knot and linier strength, along with very little refractive index as such the clarity means it is very difficult to see when submerged.

The high tensile strength will suit most fishing applications in both fresh and saltwater. Just what one needs when you are trying to provoke an aggressive take.
Each spool of tippet can interlock with the other breaking strains making it easy to carry or find at the bottom of your tackle bag. What's more is that each breaking strain has a unique colour band so that you know which one you are getting without having to un-connect them.
We designed our Fluorocarbon tippet to have a high knot strength and elasticity.
With elasticity of 19-29%, unlike others, these will stretch and not snap immediately. 
It is the combination of stretch and elasticity that will make a difference in your fluorocarbon and you successfully catching a good fish!
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