Is it possible to tie 6X Flouro tippet to a size 8 wooly bugger (just being lazy)?

[PaScoGi]

Say I am nymphing with a size 22 perdigon, and am using 6x flouro tippet, but then I come upon a stretch where I want to quick tie on a size 8 wooly bugger, is there a way to do this? Would a good trilene knot hold it?

Basically, I want to quick snip off my size 22 perdigon, temporarily place it in my working box (because I am not done with it for the day), then quick tie on a size 8 wooly bugger without having to totally re-rig and size up my whole rig to 3X for the wooly bugger.

I want to be able to switch back and forth in situations where small flies are working all day but want to periodically throw on a big streamer just to have some fun while still being lazy.

I know, I know, I should take the whole 6x off and re-rig for each fly, I know thats what the pros do. But are there any lazy nymphers like me who want to switch back and forth between tiny flies and big flies just for fun?

Thanks for any help!

 

[troutbert]

When fishing streamers, I recommend not going lighter than 3x.

When trout hit a streamer, they will often break 4x tippet. But very rarely break 3x tippet.

You can make tippet adjustments easier by tying a tippet ring at the end of a base leader that is tapered to 2x. Then build your tippet section with spools of 3x, 4x, 5x.

 

[hooker-of-men]

I have done it out of laziness. Strikes break off the 6x pretty much every time.

I'm sure you could get away with it on a brookie stream or such, though I'm not sure why you need 6x in that situation in the first place.

An extra spool or 2 reels is the (annoying) answer.

 

[hooker-of-men]

Oh, the other option is nymph upstream and then fish streamers downstream back to the car!

 

[PennKev]

Knots strength can be poor when tying fine tippet onto heavy wire hooks. The knots just don't seat well and tend to slip out. Particularly clinch knots.

I like using a no-slip loop knot since it tightens against itself and the disparity between tippet diameter and hook wire diameter is a non-factor. But I also seldom use finer than 2x when fishing streamers. If fact, I never use finer than 2x any more.

As for actually fishing a streamer on 6x, it's a great way to lose a lot of streamers. Your laziness should be cured after you lose a bunch of flies for no good reason. Or after you lose one or two really good fish.

 

[ryansheehan]

Say I am nymphing with a size 22 perdigon, and am using 6x flouro tippet, but then I come upon a stretch where I want to quick tie on a size 8 wooly bugger, is there a way to do this? Would a good trilene knot hold it?

Basically, I want to quick snip off my size 22 perdigon, temporarily place it in my working box (because I am not done with it for the day), then quick tie on a size 8 wooly bugger without having to totally re-rig and size up my whole rig to 3X for the wooly bugger.

I want to be able to switch back and forth in situations where small flies are working all day but want to periodically throw on a big streamer just to have some fun while still being lazy.

I know, I know, I should take the whole 6x off and re-rig for each fly, I know thats what the pros do. But are there any lazy nymphers like me who want to switch back and forth between tiny flies and big flies just for fun?

Thanks for any help!

Tough if you're stripping or swinging the streamer, no problem if you're dead drifting. I use a trilene knot most of the time.

 

[McSneek]

Possible? Yes
Practical? No

 

[Swattie87]

FWIW, the sets of conditions where nymphing with really small (size 22) nymphs and fishing big streamers are effective are very, very different and don’t often overlap.

Nymphing with ultra small nymphs usually means low, clear water, often combined with heavily pressured fish. My experience is streamers rarely work in this scenario, so why bother? Conversely, in the types of conditions where streamers work well…higher, off color water, nymphs also usually work well, but there’s no need to use a size 22 nymph in those conditions. Size 12 type stuff works just fine and is far easier to fish and fish on heavier tippet.

So, in short, I’ve never really found myself in the scenario where I’m chopping off an ultra small nymph on 6x to throw on a really big streamer. It’s kinda one or the other that will work for the day. But, if I did, yeah, I’d retie some heavier tippet on to attach the streamer. 2x-3x is usually about right.

In high off color water I’ll often attach my top nymph with 3x, then 4x to a bottom nymph. If I find a spot I want to fish a streamer in, I just chop off the whole rig, and leave it rigged on my drying patch. Tie the streamer onto the 3x, chop it off when done, then attach the top nymph back to the 3x, with the dropper still tied on.

 

[jifigz]

The Trilene knot is one of my favorites that carry over from my old baitcasting/bassin' days. I will be the voice of opposition, fishing a size 8 woolly bugger (a pretty small and basic streamer) on 6x Fluro is fine. The trilene knot should also suffice just fine. I will disagree with swattie and say that crossover days where a small streamer like that and nymphing will both work are far more common than not. Just do it. Experiment. That is what life is all about. Find if you like your results.

I would certainly do this and not have any concerns. The biggest downside to the tippet size is getting good casts with the larger bugger. As long as you know what you're doing and you're a strong caster, it will all be fine.

 

[pcray1231]

The point about leaving the tippet attached to the nymph for the switch out is good.

Have leader go from 4x-->6x

Fish nymph on 6x. When you wanna switch, snip back to 4x, tie on bugger. Leave 6x tippet on nymph in box. When you wanna switch back, blood knot 6x (with nymph still attached) to 4x.

I don't typically use size 22 nymphs or 6x tippet. But the bugger/dry or bugger nymph combo is common with me, and it'll be in the 3x-5x range. I do this all the time. You can find several smaller flies with tippet attached in my box.

 

[redietz]

I like using a no-slip loop knot since it tightens against itself and the disparity between tippet diameter and hook wire diameter is a non-factor.

I find it is a factor, although the knot itself holds. The friction of the hook eye rubbing again the end of the loop means a lot more breakoffs than a knot that holds tight. I won't use a no-slip knot in any tippet finer than 4x.

 

[Nymph-wristed]

Tippet rings and a "rig keeper" is another suggestion, especially if you are not using a tapered leader you can just cut back (like if you are nymphing with a flat piece of 6X, for example). Just clip off the 6X at the ring, wrap the nymphing rig around the keeper, tie on some 3X and a bugger. Better yet, have a bugger rigged up on the rig keeper already. I can retie quickly and do, so I just make quick changes all day, but I know some guys who used this approach to switch back and forth. Orvis has them, Smith Creek.

Oh, and you can go the Devin Olsen twins route and carry 4 rods, too

 

[poopdeck]

What’s the hurry? If I’m switching from a small nymph to a weighted streamer I’m just Gonna swap out my leader. That’s just a matter of disconnecting and connecting a loop to loop knot and tying on a streamer. You can leave the small nymph tied on the other leader as it should easily pass through a loop. I’m totally guessing that’s just a few minutes at most if I were to be in a real big hurry. Is the little bit of added time over the time it takes to jerry rig something really worth saving?

 

[PaScoGi]

Thanks all good points appreciate it

 

[salmo]

Last week I lost a very nice fish on the Tully using 6X tippet on a nymph. 5X might have made the difference. BTW make sure that your tippet is fresh. Throw the old stuff away.

 

[JeffK]

I commonly switch from 22 midges to streamers on Lehigh Valley limestoners. Midges are the bread and butter offering, but some days a streamer will change your luck. My approach is to use a tippet ring at the 4X and change the tippet out. Clinch knot to ring easier than blood knot, especially with cold hands in winter.

I don't like going to 6x since any nick in the tippet will cause a lost fish or fly. I don't go to fluoro tippets much, but do for sub-surface with 6X since the added abrasion resistance really helps IMHO.

 

[Marc Fryt]

I run into this situation as well (using 6x with a size 8 streamer). There are times when I am euro nymphing and come across a single spot that just screams to have a streamer tossed into it and I don't want to have to re-rig just for that one shot and then have to re-re-rig to get back to nymphing. Or when I hook into a small trout and much larger trout comes out and takes a swipe at the fish I am bringing in (I want to tie a streamer on and get it quickly out there to try and catch that larger trout).

Here are some tips:

• Use a longer/lighter rod (like a 10.5 3wt), these rod tips protect the tippet better by absorbing the shock of when a fish is hooked or bolts.
• Use a 16/20 knot. I like the trilene knot (and use it when I am tying tippet to a tippet ring or swivel), but I think the 16/20 knot is stronger (though, I have nothing but empirical evidence on that).
• Use stronger fluorocarbon tippet. For example, Scientific Angler's Absolute Fluorocarbon Trout Supreme 6x has 3.7lb break strength while Rio's Fluoroflex Freshwater Tippet has 3lb break strength.
• Carry a hook hone and sharpen that streamer hook (it should be tacky sharp). This helps to minimize break-offs when the fish strikes and you are trying to set the hook.

 

[HopBack]

I don’t ever use anything smaller than 5x when fishing nymphs. I certainly don’t go less than size 18 for nymphs. Even if I fish a midge it’s a size 18.

My most common setup is a size 12 stonefly and size 14 to 16 caddis as the dropper. 4x catches plenty of fish. You can also tie on a wooly bugger on 4x and dead drift effectively.


I agree with others they 5 and 6x will break on a strip set on the smallest of trout.

 

[6xAdams(Jones)]

I don't know how this would affect the action of ether the nymph or streamer - since I go for years without using either one - but you can try this experiment:
When you build your wet fly leader, leave a substantial tag end on the 3x or 4x material (tag length would be part of the experiment). It may not look, cast, or play nice, but it shouldn't snag on anything when you use a nymph on the 6x. When you see an opportunity for a streamer, clip off the nymph and let the tippet drag in the water along with the streamer. It might not work the way you want it to, but you've only lost a couple bugs and some leader material if it doesn't. I've seen blood knot tags used for attaching split shot, but never tried it.

 

[tomgamber]

its one way to get really good at the vice, tying buggers.