TroutHunter Leaders and Tippet

New TroutHunter Leaders and Tippet

TroutHunter has a new line of premium leader and tippet material that seeks to address several problems with conventional products. The first issue they’ve addressed is that of UV light and water degradation.  According to TroutHunter, “Each day that a leader or spool of nylon hangs unprotected in a fly shop, it is exposed to ultraviolet light and humidity, which quickly degrades the material’s strength.”  TroutHunter alleviates this problem by protecting our leaders and tippet in UV-resistant, waterproof packaging.  Once it has been removed from the packaging, the TroutHunter tippet material is protected with a UV- and water-resistant band, rather than the conventional tender, which tends to hold moisture.

The next issue they addressed with their tippet spools is that of capacity.  Both their nylon tippet spools and fluorocarbon tippet spools hold 50 meters of material per spool.

Finally, TroutHunter answered the needs of anglers who want a tippet size that is stronger than 7X, but not as thick as 6X, by creating half sizes.  In their nylon tippet line they include new 5.5X and 6.5X tippet sizes, as well as 6.5X in their fluorocarbon tippet series.

One tidbit of advice worth reiterating came from our conversation with TroutHunter co-owner Rich Paini at the International Fly Tackle Dealer show.  Paini said, “Always cut off the last 18 inches of a tapered leader and tie on a new tippet, because the machines have a hard time controlling quality on the end.”

Nylon Tippet

TroutHunter’s Nylon Tippet is made from the highest quality co-polymers available.  It is coated twice for maximum knot strength and water repellency and has a very high strength-to-diameter ratio.   The material comes spooled around a misty brown polycarbonate large arbor spool, which allows for low material memory and easy handling in a stackable, compact design.  The premium rubber tippet tender is long lasting, smooth and water repellent.  Tenders for each tippet diameter are a different color, allowing for easy size identification.  Available in 0x to 8X, 5.5X and 6.5X for an MSRP of $6.50 per 50-meter spool.

Fluorocarbon Tippet

Offering excellent knot strength and abrasion resistance, TroutHunter claims this is the best-performing fluorocarbon on the market.  Like their nylon tippet, the fluorocarbon spools are a misty brown polycarbonate large arbor spool, which allows for low material memory and easy handling in a stackable, compact design.  They also feature TroutHunter’s premium rubber tippet tender which protect the tippet and allow for size identification.  Available in 0X through 8X, as well as 6.5X, for an MSRP of $22.95 per 50-meter spool.

Trout Leaders

TroutHunter’s Trout Leaders are extruded to exacting standards from the highest co-polymers available.  The camouflage olive tint offers low visibility, and the taper offers excellent turnover.  Packaged in TroutHunter’s UV-resistant, waterproof packaging, these leaders are available in 0X to 6X at 8-feet long, and in 2X to 7X at 10-feet in length.  MSRP is $4.75.

René Harrop 14′ Signature Leader

From TroutHunter, “Finally a tapered leader that performs at the level of the finest hand-tied leader.  Fourteen feet in length for demanding spring creek and tailwater situations.  You will not believe that a leader this long can be so accurate and turn over so easily.”  Available in 4X through 7X at 14-feet in length for an MSRP of $5.25 each.

You can purchase TroutHunter leaders and tippet at their Web site, or at your local fly shop.