Leader/Tippet Troubles

[PATroutMan]

I have have started to get the hang of nymphing but constantly have issues with keep my leaders and tippet straight. It always seems like the leader and tippet "curls" and twists which is really irritating and does not seem to drift true. Most of the time I am using an indicator, but I notice this especially nymphing without an indicator. Anyone have this issue or could give some tips?

 

[sgrim]

Couple questions and thoughts...
What size, length, brand of tippet do you typically use?
Do you habitually hang the nymph at the end of the drift?
I have occasionally experienced that when I fish a larger nymph or wet on light tippet in swift water.
I suspect the fly is spinning at the end of a drift to create the line twist.

 

[PennKev]

sgrim wrote:

Do you habitually hang the nymph at the end of the drift?....

.....I suspect the fly is spinning at the end of a drift to create the line twist.

Close. I think it's probably the indicator that is doing most of the twisting. This also happens if you have a casting style that drags the indicator across the water when trying to pick up for a new cast. Certain indicator styles are more prone to twisting than others. Indicators that don't have the leader passing through their center will be most problematic. Thingamabobbers, for example, can twist up a leader pretty good. (That said TB's are still probably the best and most versatile indicator IMO)

 

[pete41]

In the old days[last century] we ran the leader through a piece of rubber tubing -problem solved

 

[PennKev]

pete41 wrote:
In the old days[last century] we ran the leader through a piece of rubber tubing -problem solved

I never had good luck with this. It seems to be really hard on leaders. It gets them straight for sure, but damages the leader IMO. I've had good results just firmly stretching new leaders and tippet a couple feet at a time. Stretch and hold for a few seconds and then let up. Coils are gone.

 

[PATroutMan]

sgrim wrote:
Couple questions and thoughts...
What size, length, brand of tippet do you typically use?
Do you habitually hang the nymph at the end of the drift?
I have occasionally experienced that when I fish a larger nymph or wet on light tippet in swift water.
I suspect the fly is spinning at the end of a drift to create the line twist.

I use RIO 9ft 4x leader and scientific angler 5-6x tippet size dependant on water. And yes I hang the nymph at the end of the drift.

I actually notice the spinning you talked about when dry fly fishing even. I can hold the tippet in front of my with the fly hanging and it will spin for like 30 seconds and the tippet is basically ruined.

 

[afishinado]

PATroutMan wrote:

sgrim wrote:
Couple questions and thoughts...
What size, length, brand of tippet do you typically use?
Do you habitually hang the nymph at the end of the drift?
I have occasionally experienced that when I fish a larger nymph or wet on light tippet in swift water.
I suspect the fly is spinning at the end of a drift to create the line twist.

I use RIO 9ft 4x leader and scientific angler 5-6x tippet size dependant on water. And yes I hang the nymph at the end of the drift.

I actually notice the spinning you talked about when dry fly fishing even. I can hold the tippet in front of my with the fly hanging and it will spin for like 30 seconds and the tippet is basically ruined.

Two different issues discussed above.

Stretching the leader and tippet to remove coils from being wound around the spool of your reel is one issue > yes to PK's solution > stretching a section and holding for a few seconds will straighten out the leader and tippet from memory coils (sorry Pete, put away your rubber ).

The second issue described by the OP above is line twist. This often occurs when too light of a tippet is used on a larger fly, unbalanced fly or wind resistant fly.

I see this often happen to FFers using say 5x or 6x on bigger nymphs, dries or streamers. There is a belief that a 1000th of an inch or two less diameter tippet will catch more fish > not true for the most part. Try choosing a heavier tippet when flies begin to twist up while fishing. The problem should be solved. Plus you will have less break-offs on snags and will land more fish.

The formula of fly size / 4 +1 is a good one to use as a guide:

Size 12 fly / 4 = 3 + 1 = 4x tippet
Size 16 fly / 4 = 4 + 1 = 5x tippet
Size 20 fly / 4 = 5 + 1 = 6x tippet

If the fly is unbalanced and/or wind resistant and spins, then choose a heavier tippet to prevent it from happening.

 

[ryansheehan]

A couple of thoughts, first if you use 6x with say a size 14 elk hair caddis you are going to spin real bad The first thing I would do is use a heavier tippet. There are plenty of charts available online that can give you the desired tippet size based on based on your fly. Second, when you're nymphing don't false cast. At the end of the drift let the line straighten below you and cast directly upstream.

 

[ryansheehan]

Afish beat me to the punch....as usual.

 

[PATroutMan]

afishinado wrote:

PATroutMan wrote:

sgrim wrote:
Couple questions and thoughts...
What size, length, brand of tippet do you typically use?
Do you habitually hang the nymph at the end of the drift?
I have occasionally experienced that when I fish a larger nymph or wet on light tippet in swift water.
I suspect the fly is spinning at the end of a drift to create the line twist.

I use RIO 9ft 4x leader and scientific angler 5-6x tippet size dependant on water. And yes I hang the nymph at the end of the drift.

I actually notice the spinning you talked about when dry fly fishing even. I can hold the tippet in front of my with the fly hanging and it will spin for like 30 seconds and the tippet is basically ruined.

Two different issues discussed above.

Stretching the leader and tippet to remove coils from being wound around the spool of your reel is one issue > yes to PK's solution > stretching a section and holding for a few seconds will straighten out the leader and tippet from memory coils (sorry Pete, put away your rubber ).

The second issue described by the OP above is line twist. This often occurs when too light of a tippet is used on a larger fly, unbalanced fly or wind resistant fly.

I see this often happen to FFers using say 5x or 6x on bigger nymphs, dries or streamers. There is a belief that a 1000th of an inch or two less diameter tippet will catch more fish > not true for the most part. Try choosing a heavier tippet when flies begin to twist up while fishing. The problem should be solved. Plus you will have less break-offs on snags and will land more fish.

The formula of fly size / 4 +1 is a good one to use as a guide:

Size 12 fly / 4 = 3 + 1 = 4x tippet
Size 16 fly / 4 = 4 + 1 = 5x tippet
Size 20 fly / 4 = 5 + 1 = 6x tippet

If the fly is unbalanced and/or wind resistant and spins, then choose a heavier tippet to prevent it from happening.

Would you say the quality of the tippet also has anything to do with this?

 

[afishinado]

PATroutMan wrote:

afishinado wrote:

PATroutMan wrote:

sgrim wrote:
Couple questions and thoughts...
What size, length, brand of tippet do you typically use?
Do you habitually hang the nymph at the end of the drift?
I have occasionally experienced that when I fish a larger nymph or wet on light tippet in swift water.
I suspect the fly is spinning at the end of a drift to create the line twist.

I use RIO 9ft 4x leader and scientific angler 5-6x tippet size dependant on water. And yes I hang the nymph at the end of the drift.

I actually notice the spinning you talked about when dry fly fishing even. I can hold the tippet in front of my with the fly hanging and it will spin for like 30 seconds and the tippet is basically ruined.

Two different issues discussed above.

Stretching the leader and tippet to remove coils from being wound around the spool of your reel is one issue > yes to PK's solution > stretching a section and holding for a few seconds will straighten out the leader and tippet from memory coils (sorry Pete, put away your rubber ).

The second issue described by the OP above is line twist. This often occurs when too light of a tippet is used on a larger fly, unbalanced fly or wind resistant fly.

I see this often happen to FFers using say 5x or 6x on bigger nymphs, dries or streamers. There is a belief that a 1000th of an inch or two less diameter tippet will catch more fish > not true for the most part. Try choosing a heavier tippet when flies begin to twist up while fishing. The problem should be solved. Plus you will have less break-offs on snags and will land more fish.

The formula of fly size / 4 +1 is a good one to use as a guide:

Size 12 fly / 4 = 3 + 1 = 4x tippet
Size 16 fly / 4 = 4 + 1 = 5x tippet
Size 20 fly / 4 = 5 + 1 = 6x tippet

If the fly is unbalanced and/or wind resistant and spins, then choose a heavier tippet to prevent it from happening.

Would you say the quality of the tippet also has anything to do with this?

Both Rio and Scientific Anglers are good brand names. If they are old spools that could be a problem, but I doubt it. Just tie on a little heavier tippet and you should be fine. If you still have twisting issues, then buy fresh tippet spools. Good luck.

 

[pete41]

gee wilkers guys-you mean the trick didn't work on the 7x & 8x tippets I used at the paradise-wish you had told me-lol-trick was easy did it-worked fine on the material available back in the 60 s.