I bet the answer is obvious to this but I'll ask anyway as it was driving me nuts today.

Was on the dry fly with a 9' floating leader with a 3' 5lb fluorocarbon tippet. The lake was still and flat.

Trouble was the 3' fluorocarbon tippet would not sink. The whole leader fluttered down and just sat there on the water. Even a gentle pull would not sink the tippet. I know I didn't get any floatant on the fluro.

The only thing I can think of is that due to the heat (was up to 28 degree's by lunch) there was a thick surface film buildup and it was not able to break through that.

I thought fluoro would sink through it which is the whole point of using it as a tippet?

Steve (OT)

If the barometric pressure was rising, it may have had a play into why it wouldn't sink.

I have this difficulty too - using 5x grand max fluro as the tippet (think that's about 6lb bs). I take it you were degreasing with fuller's earth or similar? The tippet can still get oils on it from your skin and general handling. Funnily enough, last time I was out I used a 5 foot tippet of copolymer in 4x diameter, about 6lb bs, and it wasn't so much of a problem. Still not perfect but better.

I'd like to hear the scientific explanation on that one.

rick

---------- Post added at 05:57 PM ---------- Previous post was at 05:54 PM ----------


Steve,

Probably a combination of grease from your hands plus scum on the surface that it couldn't break through.

Are you fishing pure fluorocarbon or fluoro coated over mono? Pure fluoro has a higher density (~1.7 or so) and sinks better. Fluoro coated mono is much closer to mono and is harder to sink.

Thanks
Rick

Lower diameter flourocarbons can struggle to break the surface tension if the water is flat calm

all the best Nick

I tried Grand Max and Orvis Mirage and both refused to go under - even with a soft pull.

I Xinked the tippet and even tried Orvis Mud which kind of takes the shine off as well which probably defeated the invisibility of flurocarbon but it still wouldn't sink.

Became annoying as using a fluoro tippet to hide the last 3 feet was the whole point of using flouro in the first place.

Steve.

You probably know this already, but the fallback position is to tie a small nymph or buzzer on a dropper to help take the leader under the surface. And if fish are high in the water, they might take the nymph too.

Neil