why it’s helpful in fly fishing, and how to select the correct size for your fishing situation. I’ll also describe the terminology of tippet materials and sizing, which can be confusing at first.

Why Use Tippet

You’ve bought a fly rod and reel, wound on the backing, spooled up the appropriate fly line, and attached a tapered leader to the end. Isn’t that enough? Why add yet another step to this already complicated assemblage of gear? Fly anglers use tippet for several reasons.

1. Save Money - Tapered leaders aren’t cheap—about six to 15 dollars, depending on the type. Attaching a length of tippet prolongs the life of your tapered leader. If you don’t use tippet, every time you change flies or break off on a snag you’ll lose some of your tapered leader. That leader will quickly become too short and thick to be useful. For the price of a single tapered leader, you can buy a 30 meter (nearly 100 foot) spool of tippet. A single leader and a few spools of tippet in different sizes will last most fly anglers an entire season.
2. Get Better Drifts (and Catch More Fish) - The biggest factor that determines your success or failure when fly fishing for trout is natural drift. You generally want your flies to drift at the same speed as the current, because that makes them appear most natural. If you tie your flies onto line that is too thick or stiff (like the bigger sections of a tapered leader) they won’t drift naturally: That stiff leader material will impede their movement. A length of light, supple tippet, on the other hand, will allow your flies to drift with minimal interference.
3. Be Nimble - Carrying a few different sizes of tippet allows you to quickly and easily adapt your leader. If you’re fishing in slow, clear water, attach a long (three to four foot) section of very light, delicate tippet (5X or 6X). If you’re fishing a nymph and indicator setup trough a deep hole, add more tippet to your leader so your flies get down to the bottom. If you’re fishing with streamers, shorten your leader and use heavy tippet (0X-2X). A few spools of tippet between 0X and 6X will let you adapt to most fly fishing situations.

Types of Tippet

Tippet comes in two different types: nylon (often called mono) or fluorocarbon (fluoro). Each has benefits and drawbacks. For most fly fishing situations, the diameter of the tippet matters more than the material it’s made from, but you should understand the attributes of each.

• Nylon (aka Monofilament)Tippet - The process of extruding nylon into thin sections of line created recreational fishing as we know it. Before nylon came along, fishing lines were made from braided horsehair, silk, cotton, hemp, or linen. The thin, strong, clear, consistent lengths of line we take for granted today were a revelation when they first hit the market in the 1950s. Monofilament nylon is the most common material for all fishing line, including tippet. Nylon can stretch a great deal without breaking, which can be advantageous to fly anglers, especially when fighting big fish on light line. Nylon also has positive buoyancy (it floats) which some fly anglers prefer when fishing with dry flies. Finally, nylon tippet is generally cheaper than fluorocarbon.

• Fluorocarbon (Fluoro) Tippet -To the naked eye, fluorocarbon tippet looks identical to nylon. It’s a thin, clear, supple line that you buy on a little spool. Instead of nylon, however, it’s made from polyvinylidene fluoride. While the chemistry probably doesn’t matter to you, fluorocarbon tippet does perform somewhat differently from nylon. Fluoro is denser than nylon, which makes it more abrasion resistant, and therefore slightly less likely to break when it rubs against a log, rock, or other obstruction. Added density also gives it negative buoyancy, (it sinks) which can be helpful when you’re fishing subsurface. Finally, the light refractive properties of fluorocarbon are almost identical to those of water, which makes it less visible to fish than nylon. This can be an advantage when fish are highly educated or extremely selective. The primary drawback to fluoro is price; it’s nearly double the cost of nylon.

Choosing the Right Tippet

We’ve explained why you need tippet and what it’s made of, but how do you know which tippet to use? Selecting the right tippet requires that you consider several factors: the type of fish you're targeting, the water conditions, and the type of flies you're using.

1. Tippet Size -Tippet can feel confusing and intimidating at first. Whereas conventional fishing lines are labeled by breaking strength, (10 pound test, 20 pound test, 40 pound test, etc.) tippet sizes are determined by the diameter of the line. Each manufacturer makes their tippet in slightly different ways, so depending on who makes the tippet and what it’s made from, (nylon or fluoro) tippet of identical diameter can have somewhat different breaking strength. In fly fishing, the size (diameter) of the tippet matters more than the breaking strength. Manufacturers use the X system so that you can easily select the correct diameter of tippet for your fishing. This system is a little odd, because the numbers are inversely proportional to the size of the tippet. 0X is the thickest, and as the numbers increase, the size of the tippet gets smaller. 8X is the thinnest commonly available size of tippet, but very few situations call for tippet smaller than 6X. Use the largest tippet you can get away with in any given situation. As the X numbers go down, the tippet gets stronger, but becomes more easily detectable to fish. 0X is extremely strong, but too stiff to get a natural presentation in most fishing situations. 6X is extremely supple but will lead to many lost fish (and flies). They key is finding just the right balance, using the strongest tippet the conditions will allow.
2. Water Clarity and Current Speed -The two primary factors to consider when selecting tippet are water clarity and current speed. If the river is flowing fast and/or the water is slightly murky, use heavier tippet. In clear water with slow current, use a longer section of thinner tippet to fool fish.
3. Size and Type of Flies - How you’re fly fishing also determines what size tippet you should use. Small, delicate flies like mayflies, midges, or caddis in sizes 16-22 generally demand smaller, lighter tippets (5X or 6X) to drift naturally. When using larger dry flies like stoneflies or grasshoppers, you can sometimes get away with a heavier tippet (3X or 4X). When streamer fishing, use heavy tippet (0X, 1X, or 2X).
4. Fish Size -In addition to the type of water you’re fishing and the style of fly fishing you’re doing, you’ll need to match your tippet to the size of the fish you’re targeting. If you’re fishing a lake full of big fish (large trout, bass, carp, pike, etc.) you’ll need to use heavier tippet. If you’re fishing a brook trout creek or panfish pond, you can use lighter tippet.

Tippet Tips

1. Regularly inspect your tippet for any nicks or abrasions by running it through your fingertip and thumb. Even a slight fray can significantly reduce its strength. Replace the tippet if you find any damage.
2. Knots are the weakest point in any fly fishing leader. The strength of your tippet doesn’t matter if your knots fail. Learn proper fly fishing knots [link to knots article] and practice them until they become second nature.
3. Always store your tippet in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight. UV rays degrade tippet (especially nylon) and will weaken the material over time, reducing its effectiveness.

End of the Line

Knowing when and how to use tippet will help you hook and land more fish. Tippet can seem confusing to novice fly anglers, but once you understand the terminology and basic concepts, it’s not that complicated.