complaints heard on stream about line/tippet choice

A friend from Philly came over to fish Erie this weekend and he caught on to some things I have learned to ignore.  One major thing was hearing guys while fighting fish complaining about their choice of line test or tippet strength.  Here is the examples we heard:
 
"Be careful netting it I only have 3lb test on."
 
"Im sorry its taking so long I only have 2lb tippet."
 
If I had a dollar for everytime I have heard this on the stream I'd have enough to buy all of these idiots some heavier line.  I use 6 and I use to use 8 the first couple of years from 2000-2002.  Never had a problem catching fish or lots of them.  Cripes I use giant jigs that would scare pike sometimes and on occasion chunks of yarn and skein that could be better suited on the Kenai.  Everyone has their style, but this nonsense with the 2lb test especially in the late winter and spring just doesnt make sense, and for that matter any time of the year.  I often think about what would it would be like to get into a record class steelhead on my setup with 6 lb test.  It would be painful to know during the fight that it could end at any time.  I basically would have to fight the perfect fight.  Easy on a 10-13 lb fish.  Much harder on an insanely large one.  The 2-4 lb test guys would have very little chance in decent flow.  I really do not see the justification for this and for people to seemingly admit their foolishness by announcing why its taking so long for them to get a fish in really calls the practice into question.  Especially when I think of the one guy on Sunday that was so worried about his friends netting job and his 3 lb test and the fact that he still insisted on fighting the fish halfway in the middle of the stream when he could have made things much simpler by stepping back and pulling the fish closer to the shoreline for a beaching or an easier netjob.  And the flyfisherman who took so long on his fish that I landed 2 while he had one mediocre fish on.  If he was worried about the clear water I also switched to floating nymphs at one point on my 6 lb test with split shot and still out caught him with his flies and his 2 lb tippet.  So I pretty much disproved the theory on going extremely light just because the fly is a small presentation.  I do not believe at all that anything lighter than 6 lb test is doing anymore good than harm.  I firmly believe that it is more about the business end and how its presented with the line test being in reason.  I would even venture to say i could go my ways with 8 and do as well as someone using 2 in the same situation.  The difference being amount of fish landed.  I do not think I would lose hookups for how I fish, and I even think that any fisherman would.  The right amount of understanding and applying it to how any lure/bait/fly is put in front or drifted past the fish would be the primary reason for getting it to strike.  Line choice factors into presentation, but only to a certain degree. 
 
I could have just put it very short and said quit griping about your line, go to heavier if it will keep you from whining, and for gods sakes Ive seen guys using mint green line and still catching steelhead.  The $30 frog hair or floro of the month is doing a lot more good for the companies that make them than it is for fisherman.  I am not completely sure that my Pline floroclear is any more fish catching than the Berkeley Trilene I use to use.  It just feels that way and im certain it is because I have learned a lot more about catching these fish in the time since I have swithched 4-5 years ago. 

Joe Baker
 
Agreed with the entire post man.  I only use 2 if its september and they wont respond to 4 lb, never had to use it though..  Other than that, save it for the midges.  Good Post.
 
Bug I agree with you too.  8-6-4 is the perfect combo for just about any condition
 

I used my ultralight rod and 4lb test on a trip in the spring some years ago. It was a lot of fun BUT I ended up keeping 3 of the fish because they were just about dead when I finally did land them. I am now totally against using very light tackle for Steelhead in the streams. Unless you are going to keep them. I don't think its fair to the fish, they have had a tuff enough time already just to get there. Hate it when I see a totally played out fish float by me on its belly!! You know its not going to make it. 

Loomis, as far as the light line in the early run- sept, oct, I worry then about the insane fights those fish have.  So going lighter to me is just asking for it.  I used to use 8 then go to six in nov, then 4 in winter, than back to 6 in spring.  Now I just keep it all to six for convenience.  But when I used 8 in sept oct I never had a problem even with the low clear water.  I certainly cant imagine how long it would take to land a 15 lb fish caught on a spoon in the lake on 2-4 lb line.  Bottom line is I think because freshwater fisherman dont have many reasons to go above 8-10 lb test except for more specialized fishing like big cats and musky, they look at a wall of line in every tackle store where there is 100 varieties up to the 10 lb mark, and everyone should realize most all will catch you fish.  Some more limp, more this, more that. 
 
I remember being a kid and putting 8 lb on everything from my small trout rods to my bass and carp rods because I didnt think I would every catch anything over 8 lbs.  That philosophy did me just fine.  Probably still would except for the cat and musky poles. 

Just because one guy was using 2lb tippet and you outfished him means nothing. One mild day in january my cousin and I couldnt get the fish to respond to anything but 5x, I was using 5x and he was using 6x. No spectactular numbers put up by me but I caught and 8 pounder and some smaller fish. My cousin caught an insane amount of fish and hooked up twice as much. He broke off a lot but when he swithced to 5x he was hooking up just as much as me. I wouldnt use anything heavier than 4x in the creeks and 3x in the lake its just a steelhead not a dam shark. If you have the time and the room to fight a fish why not do it. Is it not the reason you went fishing in the first place. If you're in such a hurry to land a fish then jsut go home and come back on a day when you have a little more patients. I use the heaviest I can and still hook up as much as the person I'm fishing with.

i dont even change my line, i use 6lb all year, i dont loose many fish due to break offs eather, usually the hook wasnt in good enough and will come back at me still tied on...i get mad at the fly anglers (no offense) who use the lightest leader/tippet possible early season and every time they hook a fish and it runs its gone with part of theirleader including the fly...no wonder most of the steelhead in early season wear more jewelry (flies, etc.)...In no way am I targeting the fly fisherman (im learning to use a flyrod too) but the light tippet that breaks right on the fish's first run, probably should tell you its time to bump it up a notch..

ORIGINAL: griffon

Here's a thought, From now on all fishing on the tribs should be fly fishing only (no jigs, spinners, bait).  No tippet should be allowed less than 8 lb. test.  All streams should be catch and release and when you have caught 3, you must go home (this would keep people from placing fish on the bank where a landowner might get upset).  If you witness a fish on a stringer, it is your duty to release said fish immediately, even if you were not the angler who put the fish there in the first place.  No one should be allowed to wear polarized sunglasses or fish any pool that is less than 5 feet deep (that way, you won't be able to spot the fish you are there to catch.  All flyrodders must use a strike indicator so that lining is reduced.  Only single hook flies may be used with no droppers allowed.  No streamers (wooly buggers) should be used as they are a tool for snaggers.  If you are over your ankles in the water then you are standing where the fish are.  Thus you are deliberatly disturbing the stream bed and should  be fined immediately.  No pictures of fish be held out of the water should be allowed as this puts undo stress on the fish.  If a fish of 12 inches or less is caught, that constitutes a smolt is present and the entire stream needs to be shut down to encourage natural spawning.  Egg patterns should no longer be used, as this encourages steelhead to eat their own eggs and thus decreasing natural spawning.  If I missed your special interest, I apologize in advance.  All modifications and suggestions to help the fishery will be considered.

this is the best post ive seen here in a long time......lmfao

I use whatever the conditions call for, and if you don't like it...move on.
 
Of course heavy line is better, if conditions allow it.

Im not buying it.  Point was there is no difference.  I have fished low, low, clear pools in september and october, little flow at all.  Barely a drift.  When jigs and flatfish stopped working, I have floated nymphs and singles.  Still catch fish.  Maybe its because its below a float and not on a fly line, i dont know.  You dont have to go that light.  If you want to to each his own.  I find it funny to listen to guys saying this stuff while fighting fish.  Why would anyone want to put themselves throught the torture if they are so worried about it breaking?  Light line and tackle is of course challenging, but I think that is already being done with 4-6 lb test.  I and many others have found 0 reason for less.  Of course I wont hurry anyone with a fish.  But everyone knows you will get moans and groans when its taking you 10 minutes to pull in a 6 lb fish needlessly or to "challenge" your skills. 

Correct - I said im my post that it's up to the angler to use what conditions call for taking into account many factors, one being the amount of other anglers in the area.  If no one else is in a hole and you're all alone, who cares?  Why not use it?  Obviously under conditions like October and the swarms of people are here (just an example because we all know crowds gather everywhere) you'd want to use heavier line to not hold up others...just common etiquette. 
 
I definitely think there is a difference between light line and heavier - even if it's only a few lb's.  Sometimes the conditions call for it.
 
Again, it's up to the individual and whatever they want.  OR what it seems like you're saying is that just have the magic touch and catch fish no matter what...not everyone is that highly skilled apparently.

I agree with Joebaker on this one. For steelhead the lightest I go is 6lb floro. The heaviest I go is 14lb mono. The  reason I use floro is because it sinks faster than mono. Plus the invisable bs is good for my head. Confidence catches fish. Do you nead floro? If you say yes than you nead to make better drifts. When you swing flies you dont have to worry about "line shy" fish because they never see the line. The only thing they see is the fly. But when you use to stiff of line it takes away from the flies movement. When I indicator fish  6lb floro is the lightest I go and the heaviest is 10lb mono. In swinging I use 8-14lb in floro or mono depending on how fast and deep I swing. Swinging flies is the best way to catch these stupid steelhead.

I don't understand how people can get so bent out of shape when you suggest C&R, but they don't mind telling you what size line you should use....just fish how you like, if it works for you great...have fun.
 
How did shutupnfish put it....oh thats right, shut up and fish...

"It should be the angler himself who chooses to make an educated decision on what to use for that time of the year,"
 
Precisely! No one should get up in arms, and try to dictate line choice, or belittle one FOR their choice. Still there is nothing wrong with offering suggestions on how to make that choice an "educated" one.

ORIGINAL: griffon

Swinger,  My statements were never about personal preference, but rather personal choice.  If I am minding my own business and staying within the context of the law, then it is absolutely noones perogative to pass judgement on me or anyone else.  Notice, I never did say my line preferences... It is noones business but my own.

 
I have no idea where you are going with this. I agree with most of what you said, even though some of it is over the top. Which I am sure you inteded it to be. I could care less about about your line preferences.

I use 4lb Trilene Low-vis green all year long for steelhead.  Never had a problem with breakoffs (except for bad knots).  I easily horsed fish in even during the insane fighting of early september fish.  I don't think people honestly realize how much pressure you can put on 4lb test.  Leave the 2lb for inland trout.

Hell I even landed kings on 4lb test in NY this past fall, no problem at all.
 
-Tim