This list was inspired by that great old say “assuming makes an ass out of…” you all know the rest. Really though, lets be honest, for the average bear fly fishing is a hobby that takes them into the woods once, MAYBE twice a month. And that would be a lot for most people. Take the average shop rat and you’ve got someone looking at 1-2 days a week, and on top of that they spend another 2-3 days a week staring at equipment, and the rest of the time thinking about it.

Leader and Tippet

a) tippet attaches to leader (with a blood knot or double/triple surgeon’s knot). you use tippet to extend your leader when you break off, AND extend the life of it. Simply add a foot or two at the beginning of the day. When you break off on Hog Johnson, or a bush, you lose your tippet and maintain that nice tapered leader you just bought for 5 or 6 bucks.

b) standard tippet should not be used for steelhead or salmon. Use Maxima instead. This is a big one for us. Maxima Ultragreen breaks almost 2-5 lbs heavier than its listed weight and has the ideal properties for big fish.