Put a ring on it
Ever heard of a “tippet ring”? Me either, until recently…. Now I don’t know how I lived with out them! Check out the video below to get an idea of what you can do with these little gems:
I loaded up all my leaders with tippet rings, in the appropriate places, to facilitate the addition of a few feet of fluoro or mono line of lighter # test that can be changed out frequently without needing to be replaced all the time. Big $$ and time saver! Also, since I have a tackle box full of various spools of line for spin fishing, I don’t have to buy expensive leaders when I can easily make my own ( and lots of them!). I have also discovered that these rings can be useful on drop-shot rigs, “D” rigs and for use with split rings to avoid line chaffing from direct contact.
The set up: Since most of the time fish are feeding below the water surface, I use a mini swivel at the top of my leader (prevents twisting, wind knots, aids sinking the fly, etc.) and a tippet ring (2mm) at the bottom where I will connect the tippet material. These rings are so small that they will not affect the float of dry fly set-ups, yet are very strong. Recently I put a tippet ring on the 6 in. piece of 20# Amnesia mono, tied on my fly line instead of a loop on the end of the line. Added a 6 ft. piece of 10# mono with a tippet ring on the end of that and a 2.5 ft. piece of 6# mono to the fly. So far, so good! It turns over nicely and costs about 95% less than my other leaders. I recommend using the “Double Davy Knot” when attaching line to these rings as the knot has near 100% line strength and has a very small footprint.
There are some things to consider when buying tippet rings: Not all tippet rings are created equal. Some are “punched” rings that will have rough edges that might cut your line. Round rings are smooth and the way to go. If you’re worried about “spooky” fish, look for a non-shiny ring that is stealthier. Next is size. A 2.5mm or 2mm diameter are perfect for most situations (unless you are fishing for Tuna or Whales, then you may want to go bigger). If you do decide to give them a try, I think you’ll be very pleased. ** The BEST Tippet Rings we have found (The Ones We Use) Can be found on eBay Here **
Now Go get your Fish On!