Trouble with knots

[captain-ahab]

Last night I put a new leader on my line, it was a 6X flouro and a 7X flouro tippet, the stuff is like hair and no matter what knot I tried to tie it just turned into a big mess when going to tie the tippet to the leader.

I watch the video how-to's and the thing they never show is how different it is when you use real line, they demonstrate with big ropes.

Any secret to tying tiny lines? What is the easiest/strongest for tippet to leader?

Also, an experienced guy up at Cabellas told me he never uses leaders, he just uses different thicknesses of tippet from large to small and basically makes his own. In theory this sounds like it makes sense, but again, I'm daunted by tying all these tiny knots.

[pvansch1]

Many people tie their own leaders in that fashion, hence the knotted leader.
As far as knots, whaterver you are comfortable with, I use a double surgeons for adding tippet. I find it best to try and keep the ends as I pass them trough the loop lying parallen to each other, wet the knot then pull it slowy allowing it to wrap arround itself. Once snug, trim the tag ends.

[captain-ahab]

Many people tie their own leaders in that fashion, hence the knotted leader.
As far as knots, whaterver you are comfortable with, I use a double surgeons for adding tippet. I find it best to try and keep the ends as I pass them trough the loop lying parallen to each other, wet the knot then pull it slowy allowing it to wrap arround itself. Once snug, trim the tag ends.

I've been trying all that, i guess the problem for me is at that size, the tippet and leader end no longer holds any shape at all like aloop and is hard to work with, I'm going to try again later.

[Freeloader]

I use the surgeons knot for the most part and also found that keeping the tippets "parallel" when passing through is very important rather than winding each through individually. More important than that was pulling the knot very taught before clipping the ends (this ensures the tag ends dont slip through when under pressure). As far as ease of tying tippet to tippet the surgeons is an easy knot but not necessarily the most convienient. ive seen many people tie blood nots right off the spool of tippet. this eliminates a lot of tangles. the surgeons not cannot be tied right off the spool which has lead me to start trying to tie the blood knot instead.

[captain-ahab]

Never thought of leaving it on the spool, that seems to make sense, I'm going to give that a shot.

[leadwingcoachman]

One tip I've learned is give the line a chance to unwind a bit before pulling it tight. Just relax your grip a bit and let them hang loose and straighten out.

[grayghost]

I've been using tippet rings by Climax http://www.amazon.com/Climax-Tippet-Rings-Fishing-Leaders/dp/B002GD2XJA
You can get them @ Upcountry. I start with a 5X leader, when my leader gets short I tie on the ring with a double cinch Knot (or your favorite knot), add leader material as needed with the same knot. You can easily change the tippet size and length. I've been using this system all season and it works well for me.

[captain-ahab]

I've been using tippet rings by Climax http://www.amazon.com/Climax-Tippet-Rings-Fishing-Leaders/dp/B002GD2XJA
You can get them @ Upcountry. I start with a 5X leader, when my leader gets short I tie on the ring with a double cinch Knot (or your favorite knot), add leader material as needed with the same knot. You can easily change the tippet size and length. I've been using this system all season and it works well for me.

Stupid question, but doesn't that mess up the whole system of tapering down to a tiny line? i mean lets say you're going from the butt end of the leader to a 7X tippet and in the middle you throw a ring, even if teeny tiny, i would think that would throw a wrench in the system.

[grayghost]

I have not had any problems. It solved the problem you described as well as the occasional knot failure.

[captain-ahab]

I'm going to give it a try then, sounds like a good solution. Thanks!