Thank You Adam, David, and everyone who contributed on this thread,
I like to hear about the sort of details you shared on this topic. I only have a couple seasons worth of flyfishing experience. No traditional at all…just tenkara/fixed line. So, the breadth of your experience and philosophy is a real help.
Thank you!
I used Braided Leader for fly fishing for many years and thought I would naturally gravitate to
using only Furled Leaders for Tenkara Fishing. However, for some reason after only using furled lines for
a short amount of time I started enjoying Level Lines as much or even more. Not sure why; maybe that’s a question for a psychiatrist to ponder. I enjoy using 3.0 and 3.5 Level Line and use Furled Leaders only sometimes. ><)))))*>
I am thinking of buying a Moonlit Tachi furled Tenkara line from Dragontail and notice that I have the choice of Tippet ring connection or micro-swivel . I have no knowledge of a micro-swivel connection as I have not come across that here in the UK. I am sure some of you will have furled tenkara lines with such a connection and would be grateful if you could give me your comments.
Any advice will be appreciated. Many thanks.
David
I really like moonlit’s lines. I think I may have one or two of the Tachi lines. Most of the lines I have are the katana, oudachi, and Bushi.
Best to ask the guys at Moonlit about the specifics.
These are my thoughts on tippet rings and micro swivels. Take into account, I have only a couple years experience and my opinions are sort of a moving target.
Lately I feel like my line connection to the tippet ring is a point of failure. Not sure why, but I have a lot of knots fail there. This could be user error but I somehow suspect that the ring might be weakening the knot when I tighten down on some of these lighter tippets.
One outing when I was targeting salmon. I had salmon strike multiple times at the micro swivel on my oudachi.
The micro swivels add more weight than the rings. I am not sure how much because they are so small, but I think its noticeable on the regular casting lines…(vs…oudachi which is made to have a sinking tip). With a line like the oudachi you may want to tip to sink or anchor. On other lines you might want it to anchor on windy days, but in generally any and all weight will draw your drift toward you. The regular casting line that I ordered with the swivel I did not like. I think it was a katana. I also have katana lines with the ring which I like better.
In general swivels are good for presentations that introduce line twist. I am trying to think of a time this has ever been a concern for me. Streamers, heavy flies, and nymphing with lead in moderate to heavy current might be an occasion that this might happen, but I never really do any of those things. I do cast streamers, but only to salmon.
I don’t have any of their lines with a shorb loop, but wish to try one.
Hope the info helps.
Thanks for the reply. Very useful. I hadn’t realised that they also did a Tachi line with a shorb loop connection which I prefer. Dragontail don’t list that as an option and Moonlit don’t ship to the UK. I think I may go with the Tenkara USA third generation furled leader with shorb loop connection, which I also like and can buy more easily in UK.
I note your experiences with Tippet rings twhich rather puts me off that option
I have just realised I should have started a separate thread for my original post. Sorry I got confused… Technology and me don’t mix very easily😀
David
T-USA is not the only one making some sweet tapered nylon mono lines. 
I have had some success casting larger than reasonable flies on softer than reasonable rods (for large flies) using a tapered 3.6m line and 5X tippet.
Also, I did well with a 3m tapered White Tenkara on the super-soft Air Stage 290 w/ big heavy wind-resistant dries like a #10 double humpy.
I’m no expert, but the taper helps transfer energy through the cast and turn over the line more easily.
The Fujino Midi, Soft and White tapered nylon lines are very nice. I am virtually certain that the TUSA line is made for them by Fujino (essentially a Midi length in a Soft color and nylon formulation). Personally, I like the White line. Easy for me to see and harder for the fish to see, and it casts well.
I also REALLY like the White Fujino.
The T-USA 3.6m was my first nylon tapered line and it does feel very similar to the Fujino’s I’ve used.
I’m a LL guy (level line) and you get to use what ever line you want without critique from me.
I do use tippet rings on all my lines. It serves two reasons well. It keeps my line at a consistent length across all my rods.
Consistency.
I use a clinch knot on the same premium tippet. Not an improved clinch knot, a simple clinch knot. Pulling the knot tight generates friction so I wet the knot with my tongue before snugging it down. If I snug it down before I wet it, the knot, where it is twisted becomes hot and it greatly weakens.
It is a step that must not be skipped.
I don’t read much about people wetting their knots before setting. It’s not a myth, it is real and I surmise that this omitted step is reason for a lot of lost fish, that and poor choice of tippet brand and it’s old or has not been stored properly.
I use 5,6 and 7x. All on tippet rings. Same brand, same knot, same wet before cinching down, no problems. Same methodical approach at the kebari. I use silk bead cord, same brand, size etc.
My knots break when I expect them to. Occasionally the tippet will break in between the knots, most of the time which is rare and expected, it breaks at the fly where I want.
That’s whatI want.
Where it breaks, it is consistent, and the tippet gets inspected and I nip a quarter inch off the distal tip and re-tie my fly on.
Tippet rings give me consistency at little or no compromise.
I don’t like them because they are an extra step in line making but worth it. My lines last longer, stay the same length and the weak point in my system is at the fly, where I want it.
That being said, it’s the consistency and repetition that allow me to cast flys larger than normal, although that is something I rarely do.
Buy what you want, use what you want. Choose to follow advice from who you want. It’s up to you to make your own choices.
Have fun and take care.
Hmmm. Yes… i understand the concept of doing my own thimg. I doubt there is anyone in the tenkara community that could influence or shame me into doing something their way. Its not to say i am not open to new things to try.
It is a peeve of mine to have peeps peddle their way as the way to do things or the best way. It is both short sighted and immature.
I too use tippet rings on my level lines. I like it.
There may have even been a thread i started here on the subject. Seems like most people dont use rings. I even have a loop of dacron for a girth hitch attachment. For me its easier.
I think most peeps wet their knots. I would consider it 101.
I am curious on how these topics factor into this thread.
Nooooooo
I think your honesty and way of thinking is very wonderful
I am impressed about your quest heart
I am reading threads happily, thank you.
Level lines, furled, and heavy flies・・・
My casting a circle at the tip of the rod（回し振り）
According to the location
Roll cast or side casting
・・・In my case
Yes @Gressak , you did start a thread on Tippet rings, though I appreciate how it fits into this thread as well.
I go back and forth, sometimes using them and sometimes not using them. As of recent, I have not been using them. I feel when I use #2 and #2.5 fluorocarbon that it adds weight and causes more drape in the line. I find it particularly noticeable when casting across stream. On the other hand, they are wicked convenient and agree with whomever said it above; they do enable my level line to last longer. I see them as another tool and use them when I feel it works best, but that’s just me. I think people should fish in a way that’s fun for them, no need for you to do it my way.
@Gressak I completely agree with you, wetting your knots is part of fishing 101, one of the first things you learn. Granted I don’t fish with very many other people, but everyone I do fish with, does that.
Maybe that?
No?
I’m pretty sure I can pick some threads out about knots and not one mention of whetting before setting.
Common sense, not so common.
I’ve also found through experience, which I can write without hesitation, I oftern learn more from thread drifts that I do from original posting.
I’m all about experience but not too smug to admit being human.
blah blah bla
Adam your earlier post on the thread seemed more on topic…but i am still trying to understand how consistency is related to heaver flies.
Independant of the type of line i am using…I have to modify my casting stroke for the fly i am delivering…heavy or really light fly. That in itself is breaking any consistency. Once i modify for that fly i do build a new rythm.
I could see if one were to take a true one fly approach…then…consistency may have a larger role.
I see casting as a skill of adapting…which actually includes alot of variation. Even with one fly…there are factors like wind and creative castng restrictons that break rythm and require the angler to excersise a new one.
I always wet my tippet before knotting, except when I don’t… And when I don’t, that’s where it fails. 100% of the time, all of the time. haha
I am super lazy with knots, I use davy for almost everything… A davy at the end of my LL (not tied onto anything, just the line itself) just happens to be a figure-8 stopper knot.
A davy tied above that w/ tippet, then pulled down against stopper is how I connect tippet to LL.
Davy from tippet to fly. So long as I wet the knots and don’t apply too much pressure, I know I can count on the line to do its part. It is incredibly easy, incredibly fast to tie, and very repeatable.
I would like to give tippet rings another try though, it makes a cleaner connection from LL to tippet I think.
Check the rigging and repair kit on TF. There I show the things I’ve learned about making them easy to attach. They aren’t easy, pain to set up but that’s where it stops and the attributes begin.
On tippet attachment methods: Although I am using different knots to accomplish the same thing, I like the Oni-Long-Loop attachment method because the long loop creates a Transition Doubled Tippet Section of line that gives better accuracy and less hinging of the smaller diameter tippet material to the much larger Line diameter of the T-lines, whether they are Level or Tapered lines. And who among us can compete with Oni’s casting accuracy? Here is a Video showing the knots that Oni Uses: http://www.oni-tenkara.com/english/tool/linemusubikata.html
To keep a constant and consistent line length, I tie Perfection Loops at both ends of the line length I want, using a Girth-Hitch Loop to connect to the lilian on the rod end, and a Loop-To-Loop knot to connect the Tippet to the Line on the fly end. When you need to replace the tippet, you just cut one leg of the tippet loop next to the loop-to-loop knot and pull the old tippet away. The weight and resistance of the double loop and the Loop-to-Loop Knot setup provides a Sea Anchor in the water, the resistance of which helps you to hold more line up and off of the water in your presentations. Give it a try and see what you think.
I want no sea anchor between me and my fly.
Stiff hackle for that.
A tippet ring is more of a sea anchor than a loop-to-loop connection is.
It may very well be.
I would call it that but I definitely understand what you are saying.