The 5-weight fly line you may use for fishing small dry flies has a tip diameter of about .030 inch. The 9-foot, 6X leader you attach to it should then have a butt diameter of about .020 inch.

Mono vs. Fluoro Tippet When it comes time to tie on tippet to the end of your leader, you’ll have a choice between mono and fluoro, as well.

Like the time I anxiously threaded a dry fly on my tippet during a heavy hatch and started casting while forgetting completely to actually tie a knot. So where’d my fly go? Duh!