Replacing my tippet

[Bamboozle]

I have never seen a tippet dispenser like that. I think if you could get extra spools for it. That would be better. Does the tippet take on curls being stored on small spools?

My homemade tippet dispensers, going back to the first one I made in the 1980's ALL use/used a spool considerably smaller than the size spools tippet comes on today. That being said, unless you have a tippet spool the diameter of a hula hoop, you WILL have line memory of some kind from the spool.

After pulling tippet from one of my dispensers, I tie my my blood knot and cut off the tippet length I want. Then I just pull the ADDED leader material though my fingers to straighten. If it's a heavy warmwater leader, I MAY use a leader straightener.

FWIW - I ALWAYS straighten my leaders when I get set up because you will get memory curls from storing a leader on a reel. It takes a second, it lays out better closest to the length I want and floats better (my preference) if it is perfectly straight.

It takes a second and gives me the added benefit of feeling for nicks, knots or other things that may cause problems later.

As far as extra tippet dispenser spools go, I never needed any.

I just look at the spools in the dispenser at the end of a fishing trip. If they are empty, I'll fill them at home on a drill motor. If they are getting low, I'll put a full spool of the correct size of tippet material in a pocket and the next time out I either use it from the factory spool if I run out or take about 5 minutes or less to refill the tippet dispenser spool by hand streamside.

For me it's all about the convenience of being able to carry six different sizes of tippet material in my homemade dispenser (eight for the Stonfo) in something that takes up about the same amount of space as two or three factory spools. AND, I don't need some bulky, clunky holder for those factory spools.

In regards to the quality of "fishing" line/AKA tippet material. I also fish conventionally and a few years ago I switched from my old standby Berkley fishing lines to premium Japanese fishing lines in mono & fluorocarbon. The difference is like night & day in regards to break strength & diameter consistency and suppleness.

Without getting into a bunch of details & reasons why, all I can tell you is anyone who thinks all tippet materials or fishing lines are the same or close to the same has never tried or used the good stuff...

 

[Bamboozle]

You likely missed or skimmed over a previous post I made. https://www.paflyfish.com/threads/replacing-my-tippet.85486/post-996295 Not that I fault you for that as I do it all the time when reading forum post. But, because I have great difficulty walking I must use a mobility device to move around. Trying to make a "left" with a bunch of brush and the fly rod hangin out a good 4+ feet in front of me is a certain recipe for disaster.
A few years back I purchased these Orvis "dropper rig" setup holders. I use them to (of course) hold the fly's I normally fish with. So, I now also just use them with any existing setup I have. So....I wrap my existing setup using one of these holders.....unsnap the ring from the snap, move to my next location, re-snap the setup back on and I'm fishing. Believe me.....this is much easier FOR ME than any other way or method that I've tried.

Necessity is the mother of invention and when you don't have all the physical abilities you use to have.....you figure out how you can do what it need to get out there....and make it as easy as possible on yourself.

Of course, I only fish small streams that I can access and it's a rare day if I wade into waters that are higher than mid-calf. My vest is a US Coastguard certified life jacket. Why? I usually manage to fall in at least once during an outing. OTOH....it certainly cools me down when that occurs.

Understood now and misunderstood previously... 😉

I don't know if they will work for you, but there are MORE than a few different "line holders" used in Tenkra fishing that may give you another smaller option for storing rigs.

There are also other line management gizmos like line keepers that MAY offer some additional or simpler options.