I saw a rough equation on here recently re knowing which size of tippet will best turn over the revelant size of fly.

Hope this makes sense.

Was it divide the fly size by 3 or something like that ?

Can anyone advise?

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Irish by birth, Munster by the grace of God.

This is what I tell my students. Beginners should use the rule of 4 and 24 inches of tippet for stream fishing. Then they should lengthen the tippet to about 3 feet. When they can cast the fly with that length of tippet go to the rule of 3. Start with 3 feet of tippet and go up from there as they get better.

With a size 16 fly, 4 gives 4X and rule of 3 gives 5X. The rule of 4 results in a one X size larger tippet that is easier to cast. As they become better casters, they move to the rule of 3.

Depending on your casting ability use the rule of 4 or rule of 3 respectively.

__________________
Silver Creek- "Discovery consists of seeing what everybody has seen and thinking what nobody has thought"....Szent-Gyorgy

I take it SC that the above rule is for a single dry fly or single upstream unweighted nymph as multiple flies or weighted patterns could be somewhat confusing? Do you change tippet every time you change fly size ? How many spools of material suffice for a day of mixed sport? Regards PJ.

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When you can see without being seen,strike without knowing why,and guess correctly where the best fish lie,they have taught you all they can.
(T.C. KINGSMILL MOORE)

Yes to the first question.

If I change to a larger fly, I will try the same tippet which may or may not be thinner than the rule of 3. If I change to a one size smaller fly, I will try the same tippet but if I do not get a good drift, I will go to a thinner tippet. Having fly fished for over 30 years, I am not a strict rule follower but a result follower.

I carry both regular mono and fluorocarbon. The mono I carry from 1X down to 7X and fluorocarbon in 2X to 6X. For dry fly fishing I will use mono leaders and tippets. For Nymphing, I have hybrid leaders that are mono but have a fluorocarbon tippet section. I swap out leaders rather than modify a dry fly leader for a nymphing leader.

For nymphing I generally use a size larger fluorocarbon tippet than I would for dry flies. The reason is the decreased visibility of sunken fluorocarbon and the abrasion resistance of the thicker material. When I am fishing over very picky fish with dries, I will use fluorocarbon that is treated and sunken with degreaser mud to reduce leader flash and visibility.

__________________
Silver Creek- "Discovery consists of seeing what everybody has seen and thinking what nobody has thought"....Szent-Gyorgy

Here you go mate,
I put this on two years ago...

Tippet thickness for flies
Tippet thickness mm/inches Fly size range
8x .08mm/.003” 20 to 29
7x .10mm/.004” 20 to 28
6x .13mm/.005” 18 to 26
5x .15mm/.006” 14 to 20
4x .18mm/.007” 6 to 14
3x .20mm/.008” 6 to 12
So you can see that you really need to consider what fly size you are using relative to the thickness of your leader tippet in order to turn over flies correctly, a 7x tippet will handle a size 18 fly (or even a size 14) okay. BUT, a size 12 fly on 8X may give you turnover problems. It is a matter of common sense.

__________________
"A traditional wet fly addict"

Uk representative and Instructor for Fly Fishing Masters - www.flyfishingmasters.co.uk

Distributor for Terenzio Silk and Artificial Silk Fly Lines - Pay distributor retail price.

tks lads, especially Phil

__________________
Irish by birth, Munster by the grace of God.

May I ask a small favor? 'Over here' not many refer to the 'x system' even though it printed on the leader spool. Within reason, can you translate the 'x' this and 'x' that to pound test(s)?

Would greatly appreciate. Not that I could see well enough to string on a size 18 fly ..... Even though I'm going to have to try over in Montana.
Fred

__________________
"The problems we face today are there because the people who work for a
living are now outnumbered by those who vote for a living." -- Anonymous

Orvis has an example of that.
Approximate breaking strength in Super Strong nylon (pounds)
Choosing The Right Tippet Size

and a chart for leaders http://www.flyfishusa.com/leaders/x-designation.html

Fred,
I would love to be able to do that but mono breaking strain varies so much by diameter that I have found it almost impossible.
I build my leaders by diameter, hence the reference to thickness. I don't worry too much about breaking strain as I have found that you can land very large fish on thin line given that you whole set up - long rod/rod flex/line stretch/leader stretch - acts like a big spring.
For example, I have had fish up to 7lb on a 8x Varivas tippet which .10mm thick and about 2 lbs breaking strain.
I continue my hunt for a uniform matrix but it is difficult.

__________________
"A traditional wet fly addict"

Uk representative and Instructor for Fly Fishing Masters - www.flyfishingmasters.co.uk

Distributor for Terenzio Silk and Artificial Silk Fly Lines - Pay distributor retail price.

Many thanks for the education; and Oh so true about 'test' from one leader manufacturer to another. "Maxima" is probably the most used here in the PNW and (on average) the 'test' on the spool is probably 50% under rated.
fae

__________________
"The problems we face today are there because the people who work for a
living are now outnumbered by those who vote for a living." -- Anonymous