Big Fish Nymphing [Poll] Mono vs. Fluoro

[Divad]

I’m on 3 lost steelhead in a row and I’m starting to question the meaning to life. But really, time for an optimization overhaul. Should I merge over to big game nymphing with monofilament instead?

The nymphs I use are all 2-4 grams so I don’t think the mono will effect it much. Been using 1x fluoro.



The big one on the bottom broke off at fly, another one spit it and another break. I cried a little that day.

 

[Jake Watrous]

Why 1x for steelhead? Seems light

 

[Divad]

Why 1x for steelhead? Seems light

It’s 12lb 1x to be fair, but mainly cause it’s clear water. I’ve never used the Rio stuff until this year, also this years fish are larger.

Those are 10lb fish with a couple 12s and 14s.

 

[Chucker]

It’s probably not the line, it’s the knots. I have used rio fluorocarbon in the past, and it has worked fine, but getting all of the potential strength out of it needed some messing about with and practicing knots. Pitzen knot works for me for tying on flies, and generally doesn’t break before something else gives.

 

[clarkman]

fluoro. 12lb. 10lb minimum (15lb if swinging). I've never had an issue with break-offs or knots. Seaguar is the best in the biz....imo.

 

[Creatch’r]

Flouro. It’s the knots my friend. Or it’s shitty line. One or the other. I like 10# seaguar at minimum for steelhead or salmon but prefer 12# or 15# if I can get away with it.

 

[Tom Butler]

I'll be the odd duck, I have nothing but trouble with flouro. Plain old SA tippet or ultragreen for me.

 

[skyrise]

seaguar for me also. But do check your line after purchase and occasionally at home and definitely at stream side. I run the line through my hand checking for any defects. Your forgiveness is higher I’d say with ultra green than it is with fluorocarbon. Check your knots after tying them if they look wimpy re-tie ‘em. In the old days we would use 8lb maxima for summer. You get more bites but also loose more fish that’s just the game. Also you can use heavier leader in the faster riffle water than the pools. Just my useless 2 cents.

 

[Salmo_g]

Only 3 in a row? And that has you questioning the meaning of life? Wait 'til you lose 11 in a row. It happens.

If you're breaking them off and not just having them come unhooked, it's most likely the knots. Just for reference, in 50 years of steelhead fishing, I've never broken off a steelhead in WA on 8 # Maxima. These are summer and winter steelhead from 4 pounds to 26 pounds. Maxima is seriously good leader material, but even it is not immune to crummy knots, although I landed two steelhead with a wind knot in my 8# Maxima tippet. I did try flouro and broke off a good sized steelhead once on 17# RIO flouro, after which I threw that leader material into the trash.

 

[Long_Rod_Silvers]

 

[Divad]

Only 3 in a row? And that has you questioning the meaning of life? Wait 'til you lose 11 in a row. It happens.

If you're breaking them off and not just having them come unhooked, it's most likely the knots. Just for reference, in 50 years of steelhead fishing, I've never broken off a steelhead in WA on 8 # Maxima. These are summer and winter steelhead from 4 pounds to 26 pounds. Maxima is seriously good leader material, but even it is not immune to crummy knots, although I landed two steelhead with a wind knot in my 8# Maxima tippet. I did try flouro and broke off a good sized steelhead once on 17# RIO flouro, after which I threw that leader material into the trash.

I’m at 4 in a row now, it’s the knot at the fly every failure. I think I could of gotten bad line changed knots now to 3 types and all fail.

With Clarkman, Creatchr and Skyrise all on Seagur I’m going to grab some on the way home.

 

[Salmo_g]

I’m at 4 in a row now, it’s the knot at the fly every failure. I think I could of gotten bad line changed knots now to 3 types and all fail.

With Clarkman, Creatchr and Skyrise all on Seagur I’m going to grab some on the way home.

Ever heard of or tried Maxima? People who use Maxima seldom report break offs. Unless they tried 8# on the Thompson, where 18# steelhead back up 20 or 30 feet to get a running start at your swinging fly and smash it! That has been known to cause break offs on the strike, but upping my tippet to 10# Maxima cured that.

 

[Divad]

Ever heard of or tried Maxima? People who use Maxima seldom report break offs. Unless they tried 8# on the Thompson, where 18# steelhead back up 20 or 30 feet to get a running start at your swinging fly and smash it! That has been known to cause break offs on the strike, but upping my tippet to 10# Maxima cured that.

I have LOTS of Maxima, use it for swing and conventional. I’ve always been a proponent of fluoro when nymphing, when I was guiding for trout it was the go-to for such situations.

These fish will move out of the way of a leader though so I try to go stealthy.

My takeaway, try a different Fluoro and maybe think about mono more when not trying to get so deep.

 

[JACKspASS]

Like Salmo, I grew up steelheading with MaxUG leader and have not veered much from that

 

[Divad]

Switched to a spool of 0x SA Fluoro and no break, 11.5lb fish, curse broken. That spool of Rio 1x is trash.

 

[Tom Butler]

I think most every fish I took between '75 and 1990 was on 8# Maxima, some 10#. Most all on S rivers north of seattle. Here is a heavy sz 8 nymph on 8#.

 

[clarkman]

It definitely should be noted to take care with your knots with fluoro. Wet them and tighten slowly. Plus use the one or two knots you're most comfortable with.

That said, as @Salmo_g said, maxima is tried and true & bombproof. I just happen to prefer fluoro personally.

 

[Mingo]

100% fluoro for me too, for all salmonids and bonefish. sunline sniper is my favorite.

 

[Snopro]

It definitely should be noted to take care with your knots with fluoro.

X2

Mono is forgiving as you tighten the knot. Fluoro is not. Plenty of youtube videos on correct tightening technique.

I choose fluoro for all subsurface techniques because I feel it gets me deeper faster, giving a more direct connection to my fly with less leader drift.

 

[rooftop]

I try to be judicious with my use of Fluoro because of it's long lifespan. But I do prefer it.