Rio Extreme Tippet

[Bakoguy]

Does anyone have any experience with this tippet?
Last trip to the Owens my tippets (6X and 5X) seemed to be a little fragile. Not necessarily on fish but pulling loose from snags etc. Since I haven't fished as much as I would like in the last year I began to question the longeivity of the tippets and I'm not sure how long I've had these two spools.
I am going to New Zealand in two weeks so I decided to change out all my tippet material. No reason to lose a once in a lifetime fish to old tippet. Seemed a small price to pay.
In general I have always liked the Rio tippet material and their leaders. I was looking at their sight when I came across their Extreme series tippet. I'ts a braided material with an incredible strength to size ratio. I've read on some other sites a few opinions and Rio actually has some suggestions as to knots etc. It's been around for a while so I'm curious whether anyone here has had an expeience.

[planettrout]

I would consider this tippet material once arriving there:

http://www.flyshop.co.nz/category/stroft.html

Excellent stuff !!!

PT/TB

[fflutterffly]

Is Stroft in the USA yet?

[RiverRat]

Flouro goes bad quickly in Bako! Left accidently in the car just one time during summer heat and it becomes brittle.

Buy new spools so you don't lose the big one on your trip!

Shane

[planettrout]

Is Stroft in the USA yet?

FF,

I asked the guys out at BM's if the were going to carry Stroft and they looked at me with that " deer in the headlights" expression...It is distributed by Rajeff Sports here in the US:

http://www.rajeffsports.com/stroft.php

I have no idea how many of their dealers are now carrying it. It can be purchased here, online:

http://www.lostcreekflies.com/shop/inde ... =24&cat=1&

I have a bunch in different X's that my son Michael brought me back from France...I likee...


PT/TB

[fly addict]

Try Halo P Line. I have used it for 3 years now, I won't ever buy 25 meter spools of tippet for $15 when I can get 200 meters for $22.

Mark

[NorcalBob]

I'll actually answer your question. Yes, I've used it, and I personally don't like it. It's made from GSP, quite expensive compared to normal tippet, can be difficult to cut with my usual nippers, requires different knots than you're probably used to (since GSP is hard and does not like compression knots), it's not as thin as you think (it's flat, not round, and while the small side is quite small, the big side is not quite as small), and it's (most importantly to me) not clear! As far as using regular tippet material, you should replace your small diameter tippet material (5X and smaller) every year as regular nylon tippet materials degrade over time, especially if you hang it from the outside of your vest in the sun! If you're paying big bucks to go to NZ, spend a little extra and replace all your regular tippet material! Cheap insurance for that big 'un you're gonna nail! Note: flouro tippet does not need replacing on a regular basis as it's very stable and basically inert.

[Rob909]

Hey Jim,

I don't have an answer to your question, but I just wanted to say have a great time in New Zealand.


Rob

[briansII]

I have not used the Rio tippet in particular, but do use spectra/gelspun/super braids. All the things Bob said are true. It is VERY thin for it's break strength rating, but they are not clear. I believe Rio's is black. There are some new, conventional tackle braids described as clear, or transparent, but they are not totally clear. The nature of the fiber doesn't allow them to produce a clear line. Still, if you wanted to go the Spectra route, you might look into conventional tackle lines. It's probably cheaper. Oh, and you will have to learn a couple knots(if you don't know them already), but they aren't hard to tie.

Personally, I would use mono or flouro instead of the Rio Extreme Tippet. I would not have any problems trying it, IF I was continually break fish off. As a matter of fact, I was thinking of streamer fishing with Spectra this winter.

briansII

[RiverRat]

I'll actually answer your question. Yes, I've used it, and I personally don't like it. It's made from GSP, quite expensive compared to normal tippet, can be difficult to cut with my usual nippers, requires different knots than you're probably used to (since GSP is hard and does not like compression knots), it's not as thin as you think (it's flat, not round, and while the small side is quite small, the big side is not quite as small), and it's (most importantly to me) not clear! As far as using regular tippet material, you should replace your small diameter tippet material (5X and smaller) every year as regular nylon tippet materials degrade over time, especially if you hang it from the outside of your vest in the sun! If you're paying big bucks to go to NZ, spend a little extra and replace all your regular tippet material! Cheap insurance for that big 'un you're gonna nail! Note: flouro tippet does not need replacing on a regular basis as it's very stable and basically inert.

Darn Bob actually read the question so he could properly answer. Not like this dummy

shane

[NorcalBob]

Brian, I've been fooling around with GSP leaders for streamers and will relay the following advice; nailed about a 10 pound chinook in the delta this fall whilst fishing for stripers and when I tried to leader the fish with my bare fingers (just like I do with mono!) the fish surged, wrapped the line around my hand and pulled hard, and the GSP easily sliced through my skin and left a nice little cut. Since the leader was about 6 feet long, I had no way of landing the fish, because the six feet was too long to control the fish. Luckily, I had a pair of gloves available, so I put them on and quickly got the fish under control for release. I like some things about GSP, especially since it doesn't stretch it provides great bite detection for those subtle winter mush bites, and it cuts through weeds better than mono. But go with a short leader or use gloves because that stuff is so slick and hard it will cut through skin much easier than mono!

[briansII]

Brian, I've been fooling around with GSP leaders for streamers and will relay the following advice; nailed about a 10 pound chinook in the delta this fall whilst fishing for stripers and when I tried to leader the fish with my bare fingers (just like I do with mono!) the fish surged, wrapped the line around my hand and pulled hard, and the GSP easily sliced through my skin and left a nice little cut. Since the leader was about 6 feet long, I had no way of landing the fish, because the six feet was too long to control the fish. Luckily, I had a pair of gloves available, so I put them on and quickly got the fish under control for release. I like some things about GSP, especially since it doesn't stretch it provides great bite detection for those subtle winter mush bites, and it cuts through weeds better than mono. But go with a short leader or use gloves because that stuff is so slick and hard it will cut through skin much easier than mono!

Oh, I know about line cuts. I have had many. Some, just cinching down knots with spectra, AND mono. I guess pushing pencils, does nothing to build up callouses.

I was conventional bass fishing on the Delta, and I had to break off a snag. I was using 50lb braid. I could not break it by holding it in my hand, and still keep all my fingers. I wrapped it around my arm(long sleeve shirt on), pointed the trolling motor the opposite direction, then pulled. The stuff is amazingly strong, but needs special care when using.

briansII

[Bakoguy]

All right.
Thanks for the replies. You pretty much echo all the reported problems though Bob and Brian mentioned a couple more.
The line is very tough (only cuts well with scissors), needs special knots with extra wraps (uni knot works well), will cut your finger if you tug too hard, is black in color all of this for a significant price. The line strength is impressive though for the relative diameter.
Better idea is to stay conventional.
Now for those interested I could pick up some Stroft while I'm there. Let me know. Handling charge is typically just a cold beer somewhere down the line.
I'm not big on fish * for the average trip since I do a lot of fishing alone and the camera is a hindrance but I'll make a big effort to capture lot's of pictures this time. Hopefully no LDR tippet failures.
I'm travelling with a fellow I met through the Santa Barbara Fly Fishers. He's been going over for 10 years while his wife does a Geology Seismic Project in the Pacific. He even has a car over there. His wife's gig is up this year and I couldn't procrastinate the trip any more or I would lose his valuable expertise. One highlight will be a helicopter ferry back into the bush and a 2-3 day raft trip down river.
Probably, I should be asking for camera and memory stick advice.
Thanks again
Jim

[NorcalBob]

"I was using 50lb braid. I could not break it by holding it in my hand, and still keep all my fingers. I wrapped it around my arm(long sleeve shirt on), pointed the trolling motor the opposite direction, then pulled"
I was wondering why one of your arms was longer than the other when I ran into you a few weeks ago!!!
Dude, you are much braver than me. I would NEVER attempt to try and break off on 50 lb braid, unless I wrapped it around a boat cleat and turned my 150 HP big motor on!!!