Leaders & Tippet

The cheapest part of the setup, the one that decides whether the fly drifts honestly, and the one most people neglect.

What actually matters here

Tippet is the connection between everything you decided and what the fish actually sees. It is also the least expensive component and the one most likely to be several seasons old.

The usual argument for fine tippet is that fish can see thick tippet. That is part of it. The larger part is that stiff heavy tippet drags a small fly, and unnatural movement is what a fish in clear slow water notices first. Fine tippet is a presentation decision before it is a visibility one.

The reverse holds in coloured water. When visibility is inches, nothing is inspecting your tippet, and going heavier means you can land what you hook and pull a snagged rig free rather than break it off.

What to look for

Fluorocarbon for subsurface work: it sinks, and its refractive index is closer to water than nylon.
Nylon for dry flies: it floats, it is more supple and it costs less.
A range of sizes rather than one. The ability to drop a size when fish refuse is worth more than any fly.
A date you can remember. Tippet degrades with UV and age, and the spool that has lived on your pack for three seasons is weaker than its printed rating.

When you do not need this

You do not need a leader for every conceivable situation. A few tapered leaders and a handful of tippet spools cover a season honestly.

We do not claim to have personally tested gear in this category. Specifications, prices and availability change and are the retailer's to state: check current details with the retailer or manufacturer before buying. How we decide.

Guides that cover this

Tailwaters, any season

What a Colorado tailwater day asks of your gear

Cold, clear, technical water fished year-round. What that means for rod weight, tippet, indicators and staying warm enough to keep fishing.

10 min read

Winter, tailwaters and canyons

Cold weather fly fishing gear

What changes when the air is below freezing and the water is close to it: layering, hands, feet, ice in the guides, and knowing when to stop.

12 min read

Any Colorado river, any season

Colorado fly fishing gear checklist

Everything worth having in the car and on your person for a Colorado day, what each item is actually for, and what changes by season.

13 min read

Other categories

Gear is the third question. Which river, and what it is doing, decide most of it first: start with the river guides or the skills.