Level lines, furled, and heavy flies

Tenkara
21

I’m a LL guy (level line) and you get to use what ever line you want without critique from me.

I do use tippet rings on all my lines. It serves two reasons well. It keeps my line at a consistent length across all my rods.

Consistency.

I use a clinch knot on the same premium tippet. Not an improved clinch knot, a simple clinch knot. Pulling the knot tight generates friction so I wet the knot with my tongue before snugging it down. If I snug it down before I wet it, the knot, where it is twisted becomes hot and it greatly weakens.

It is a step that must not be skipped.

I don’t read much about people wetting their knots before setting. It’s not a myth, it is real and I surmise that this omitted step is reason for a lot of lost fish, that and poor choice of tippet brand and it’s old or has not been stored properly.

I use 5,6 and 7x. All on tippet rings. Same brand, same knot, same wet before cinching down, no problems. Same methodical approach at the kebari. I use silk bead cord, same brand, size etc.

My knots break when I expect them to. Occasionally the tippet will break in between the knots, most of the time which is rare and expected, it breaks at the fly where I want.

That’s whatI want.

Where it breaks, it is consistent, and the tippet gets inspected and I nip a quarter inch off the distal tip and re-tie my fly on.

Tippet rings give me consistency at little or no compromise.

I don’t like them because they are an extra step in line making but worth it. My lines last longer, stay the same length and the weak point in my system is at the fly, where I want it.

That being said, it’s the consistency and repetition that allow me to cast flys larger than normal, although that is something I rarely do.

Buy what you want, use what you want. Choose to follow advice from who you want. It’s up to you to make your own choices.

Have fun and take care.

1 Like
22

Hmmm. Yes… i understand the concept of doing my own thimg. I doubt there is anyone in the tenkara community that could influence or shame me into doing something their way. Its not to say i am not open to new things to try.

It is a peeve of mine to have peeps peddle their way as the way to do things or the best way. It is both short sighted and immature.

I too use tippet rings on my level lines. I like it.
There may have even been a thread i started here on the subject. Seems like most people dont use rings. I even have a loop of dacron for a girth hitch attachment. For me its easier.

I think most peeps wet their knots. I would consider it 101.

I am curious on how these topics factor into this thread.

23

Nooooooo

I think your honesty and way of thinking is very wonderful

I am impressed about your quest heart

I am reading threads happily, thank you.

Level lines, furled, and heavy flies・・・
My casting a circle at the tip of the rod（回し振り）

According to the location

Roll cast or side casting
・・・In my case

24

Yes @Gressak , you did start a thread on Tippet rings, though I appreciate how it fits into this thread as well.

I go back and forth, sometimes using them and sometimes not using them. As of recent, I have not been using them. I feel when I use #2 and #2.5 fluorocarbon that it adds weight and causes more drape in the line. I find it particularly noticeable when casting across stream. On the other hand, they are wicked convenient and agree with whomever said it above; they do enable my level line to last longer. I see them as another tool and use them when I feel it works best, but that’s just me. I think people should fish in a way that’s fun for them, no need for you to do it my way.

@Gressak I completely agree with you, wetting your knots is part of fishing 101, one of the first things you learn. Granted I don’t fish with very many other people, but everyone I do fish with, does that.

25

Maybe that?

No?

I’m pretty sure I can pick some threads out about knots and not one mention of whetting before setting.

Common sense, not so common.

I’ve also found through experience, which I can write without hesitation, I oftern learn more from thread drifts that I do from original posting.

I’m all about experience but not too smug to admit being human.

blah blah bla

26

Adam your earlier post on the thread seemed more on topic…but i am still trying to understand how consistency is related to heaver flies.

Independant of the type of line i am using…I have to modify my casting stroke for the fly i am delivering…heavy or really light fly. That in itself is breaking any consistency. Once i modify for that fly i do build a new rythm.

I could see if one were to take a true one fly approach…then…consistency may have a larger role.

I see casting as a skill of adapting…which actually includes alot of variation. Even with one fly…there are factors like wind and creative castng restrictons that break rythm and require the angler to excersise a new one.

27

I always wet my tippet before knotting, except when I don’t… And when I don’t, that’s where it fails. 100% of the time, all of the time. haha

I am super lazy with knots, I use davy for almost everything… A davy at the end of my LL (not tied onto anything, just the line itself) just happens to be a figure-8 stopper knot.
A davy tied above that w/ tippet, then pulled down against stopper is how I connect tippet to LL.
Davy from tippet to fly. So long as I wet the knots and don’t apply too much pressure, I know I can count on the line to do its part. It is incredibly easy, incredibly fast to tie, and very repeatable.

I would like to give tippet rings another try though, it makes a cleaner connection from LL to tippet I think.

1 Like
28

Check the rigging and repair kit on TF. There I show the things I’ve learned about making them easy to attach. They aren’t easy, pain to set up but that’s where it stops and the attributes begin.

29

On tippet attachment methods: Although I am using different knots to accomplish the same thing, I like the Oni-Long-Loop attachment method because the long loop creates a Transition Doubled Tippet Section of line that gives better accuracy and less hinging of the smaller diameter tippet material to the much larger Line diameter of the T-lines, whether they are Level or Tapered lines. And who among us can compete with Oni’s casting accuracy? Here is a Video showing the knots that Oni Uses: http://www.oni-tenkara.com/english/tool/linemusubikata.html

To keep a constant and consistent line length, I tie Perfection Loops at both ends of the line length I want, using a Girth-Hitch Loop to connect to the lilian on the rod end, and a Loop-To-Loop knot to connect the Tippet to the Line on the fly end. When you need to replace the tippet, you just cut one leg of the tippet loop next to the loop-to-loop knot and pull the old tippet away. The weight and resistance of the double loop and the Loop-to-Loop Knot setup provides a Sea Anchor in the water, the resistance of which helps you to hold more line up and off of the water in your presentations. Give it a try and see what you think.

30

I want no sea anchor between me and my fly.

Stiff hackle for that.

31

A tippet ring is more of a sea anchor than a loop-to-loop connection is.

32

It may very well be.

I would call it that but I definitely understand what you are saying.