What's your biggest SM Yellowfish

[Herman Jooste]

Korrie, although my PB was caught on a nymph, the vast majority of my big fish have been caught in Dry's in the winter.

I must state that winter fishing isn't about numbers ( except for Herman Botes who nails 20+ in a session ) as there are in summer.

The winter fish just seem to be bigger on average.

[Korrie]

Herman

Mark Yelland commented on how his catch rate increased in winter, when fishing with dry flies and reducing his tippet diameter to 4x and even 5x.
Playing, handling and landing a fish, became much more difficult/skillful.

Not sure what diameters tippet you are fishing, but will be interesting to hear.

[GrahamS]

My PB was caught on a size 16 Prince Nymph, on 4X. My next best, which was around the 4kg mark, was caught on a size 14 Green Hotspot, also using 4X.

[saml]

Hi guys, some really good fish on this thread i must say.
I hope nobody gets pissed off with me for posting this here but please could any of you who havent voted in the freshwater license thread have a look at it:

http://www.flytalk.co.za/forum/showthread.php?t=9738

Just that 50 + people have voted here but only about 20 have voted there. Would be nice to get as many votes as possible to get an accurate indication.

Thanks,
Sam Leyde

[Korrie]

In the replies, how many big fish were caught on 4x tippet.
Maybe a lot of guys are fishing to thick tippet?

[Stones]

I use 1/2m 20lb and between 8 and 10lb maxima ultra green mono to make up a +/- 9ft leader for nymphing and with dry I would use about 4X.

For the guys who don't believe in the maxima ultra green mono.......invisible in the water, works for me and always has.

[jock0]

I use 1/2m 20lb and between 8 and 10lb maxima ultra green mono to make up a +/- 9ft leader for nymphing and with dry I would use about 4X.

For the guys who don't believe in the maxima ultra green mono.......invisible in the water, works for me and always has.

And is about the diameter of a hosepipe therefore affecting the sink rate and "natural drift" of your flies as if they really were tied to a hosepipe

I use it for the odd saltwater leader but each to their own though.

[gazzarowan]

In the replies, how many big fish were caught on 4x tippet.
Maybe a lot of guys are fishing to thick tippet?

i used to fish 5x always, but have since changed to 4x and have caught bigger fish than when i used the 5x (possibly cos i can stop them now) haha

i used maxima (whichever i can find) and make up my leaders for dry flies and then use thin fluoro tippet to the fly - no issues with rejections due to line i feel
for yellows i use straight mono 4x for droppers and main line. used to use fluoro on the vaal, but the change hasnt affected how many hits i get. seems to be the same to me.

[Stones]

And is about the diameter of a hosepipe therefore affecting the sink rate and "natural drift" of your flies as if they really were tied to a hosepipe

I use it for the odd saltwater leader but each to their own though.

For the Vaal dude........I fish fast water all the time.

[GGY]

In the replies, how many big fish were caught on 4x tippet.
Maybe a lot of guys are fishing to thick tippet?

I always fish 4X on the Vaal, dropping down to 5X if required. All my fish up to 5.1kg have beem on 4X.

Small stream fishing with my 3wt for SM that usually do not go over 2kg is 5X standard, 6X if required.