Unfussy, quality fluorocarbon tippet, this. It has a satin surface, so it’s not too glittering and it feels very smooth and slightly slippery. Try to stretch a length and there’s very little elasticity. Pull until it snaps and there is some stretch then sudden snap. Off the spool this seems moderate stiffness and slight coil memory which pulls out easily.

4lb (0.17mm) and 10lb (0.28mm) over the season these served well for trouting and sea trouting. I’m not convinced of the need for fluorocarbon on rivers so the 4lb saw service nymph fishing on lakes. It has good knot strength. Degreased, it sinks easily. Getting below the surface is ideal with a couple of buzzers. Then a tippet with limited stretch seems to help detach and set takes.

10lb Powerhead fluorocarbon isn’t excessively thick or stiff and matched medium and smaller sea trout flies well – both in salt and fresh-water. Attaching flies with a Rappala loop helps make them more mobile. Again, getting flies down to fishing depth quickly is ideal.

Fluorocarbon monofilament ages far more slowly than nylon. From an angler point of view that means where I tend to get rid of old nylon I can trust these spools longer. On the other hand it means any fluorocarbon I lose is around far longer – snagging God knows what. So I try to avoid using fluorocarbon for entire leaders; I try to reserve it for the tippet. That does mean I tie nylon to fluorocarbon. I’ve had no troubles but I know some people have. If that’s you then try a leader ring.