The River Damsel: Testing, Testing, 1,2,3...6? ~ Sunday Tippets, Damsel Style

Sunday, September 24, 2017

Testing, Testing, 1,2,3...6? ~ Sunday Tippets, Damsel Style

It was going to be a beautiful fall day with the temperatures in the 60's. Winds at 5-8 mph. What more could you ask for? Well, I tossed back and forth throughout the night with a headache in my eyes and front forehead. I wasn't sure that it was a go for fishing the next morning. I laid an icepack in a towel over my eyes, after taking 800 mg of Ibuprofen before bed. A few hours passed. My eyes half way opened and looked at the clock. 1:30 am. Three more hours of sleep. Getting up at 4:30 am on a Saturday morning is just not right! But, I needed to pack since I didn't feel good enough the night before. Maybe I slept, but it wasn't that deep kind of sleep. 4:30 came and I put on the snooze button. 5:00 am. Ok, this better be worth it! On probably 6.5 hours of sleep, it was on... It's funny, but as I drove and got closer to the river, my last dose of Ibuprofen seemed to work. You better be ready, fish! I have a new weapon... Seaguar 6 lb flourocarbon test.

Well... As luck would have it, I caught the biggest one first. So, here was the real test. Would my lousy knots hold on long enough and would my weak arms be able to hang on tight with this guy? I have tried a variety of tippet and leaders throughout my fly fishing journey. Recently, a friend told me about Seaguar. He told me that it was 30% stronger than the off brand stuff that I have been using. I couldn't believe how much easier it was to bring in a 20 incher with big shoulders! Yeah, he ran a bit, but I felt so much more confident as I battled him. He wasn't going to come off if I had hooked him good! He was mine... Well, for a few minutes until I put him back in his home. Here are a few of his homies.

It was a good day, to say the least. The fish liked everything I served. RS2, Sowbugs, PT's, Red Worm, and a Surveyor.

I netted more fish with this new friend of mine, Seaguar 6 lb Fluoro. Compared to the Berkley Vanish 4 lb @ .007 diameter and 110 yds... I got 6 lb @ .007 diameter and 200 yds with the Seaguar for twice the price. (So, basically the same price, but the internet deals are cheaper) BUT, it is sooo much stronger with the same diameter. And my knots held up better than ever. I can't tell you how many fish that I have lost due to breaking off. It is heartbreaking to say the least. Hopefully, this is a start to even better fishing days. =) This can be a tough fishery and I've always come out with at least a couple fish. But, when you can have a day where your arms feel like they had a workout from almost a couple dozen, it is all that much better!

Haha. Yes, "Make My Day" kept ringing in my ears!

So, lesson learned. Don't be afraid to try something new with your equipment. Whether it is floating line, leaders, tippet, rods, reels...etc etc. There might be something out there that can be the game changer for you! And one last note... What works for me, might not work for you. And visa versa. We all have different styles to our fishing. That's why this pastime is so much fun! But, if you need more strength in your tippet and have a need for fluorocarbon without losing the thinner diameter... This one is a winner.