Sinking tippet

[arawa]

Please forgive me if I am trying to evade the laws of physics, but has anyone found a particular brand of 3-4lb tippet that cuts through the surface film well? It does not matter which type of material.
Even well degreased, all the brands I have tried stick in the surface film in calms.

[Wildfisher]

I'm not sure such a thing exists. Surface tension has to be broken in order for it to sink, some detergent will help. I use mainly Rio Powerflex and it's not too bad, a pull or two breaks the surface tension. I have read that fluorocarbon sinks more readily, but I can't say I've tried it.

[Robbie]

I think you will struggle to find one.

Worth bearing in mind that if you switch to fluorocarbon, buy something of the same diameter rather than matching breaking strain. While fluorocarbon may be denser and sinks more readily, it also has a higher breaking strain. If you buy the same breaking strain the material is likely to be thinner, will not sink any better and be more prone to breaking.

[arawa]

Thanks both.
I have tried pretty much every brand and not found any significant difference. Ditto for the proprietary degreasers.
Most of my fishing now is with a single dry and I definitely get better results fishing close in on small crystal-clear waters with lighter tippets. But not on calm days when the lightest tippets wont sink through the surface film.
If a fish is feeding in roughly the same spot it usually takes the fly immediately it hits the water (fishing for me as good as it gets!) so the floating tippet is irrelevant. But if I am trying to ambush a cruising fish with a floating tippet I can often see it has ignored my offering as it swam past.
My (quite successful) workaround in flat calms has been using a light tippet to a sinking furled leader that gradually pulls the tippet under and, of course, then the fly. But timing has to be spot on to fool cruising feeders.

[Wildfisher]

I remember discussing this with Bob Wyattt and he reckoned the tippet floating made no difference. His thinking was the fish see stuff floating past all the time, grass, stems etc.

[Moggie]

I mix up Fullers Earth with Fairy Liquid to a consistency like toothpaste put it in an old toothpaste tube, treat the leader and it goes down right away.

[arawa]

I mix up Fullers Earth with Fairy Liquid to a consistency like toothpaste put it in an old toothpaste tube, treat the leader and it goes down right away.

I do the same and it works (except for very light tippets in calms) as well as any of the expensive degreasers
The kg bag of Fullers Earth I bought off ebay will see me out!

[burnie]

This may work................https://www.matchmansupplies.co.uk/brands/drennan/drennan-feeder-and-method-monofilament-line

[Highlander]

The old Permasink works well I still have some left. Do not know about the "newer" stuff. Be honest with you I do not think it makes much difference if it is treated or not.
Tight Lines

[arawa]

This may work................https://www.matchmansupplies.co.uk/brands/drennan/drennan-feeder-and-method-monofilament-line

I have not see this before, so thanks. The problem is that it is very thick for its strength so I would lose the stealth I am seeking by using fine tippets. The laws of physics are winning