Fly & Game Shop Cortland Toothy Critter ‘Tie-Able’ Wire Leader

Cortland Toothy Critter Tie-Able Stainless Steel Leader Material is supple enough for tying, but tough enough for even the most razor sharp teeth. Most conventional fishing knots work for tying and rigging with Toothy Critter. Chasing after pike, perch, zander, bluefish, barracuda, and a variety of other sharp toothed fish requires specialized tackle. The best nylon and fluorocarbon leaders are useless against such adversaries unless you use a bite- proof tippet. Cortland Line Company introduces “Toothy Critter”, the newest tiable stainless steel leader material available for fishing.

Aptly named, Toothy Critter is tough as steel (because it is) a leader material that is supple enough for tying all common fly fishing leader knots. It is tough enough to stand up to the sharpest teeth. We attached Toothy Critter to IGFA rated #20 monofilament and fluorocarbon tippets using a standard two turn surgeons knot. Much of our fishing during the five days of testing was with fast sinking lines. The fish were holding deep among basalt ledges. Inevitably our flies became snagged periodically and had to be broken off and the leader retied. Not once did any knot involving Toothy Critter fail. Every time the leader broke somewhere else.

Another redeeming quality of Toothy Critter is its near invisibility in the water. During each day’s fishing species which didn’t require a bite tippet were also encountered. As an experiment one angler would leave the bite tippet on, the other would snip the bite tippet off. No difference in the amount of fish caught by either angle was detected. This material is about the same diameter as monofilament, so it doesn’t effect casting or presentation. If you fish for species with teeth, you will like Toothy Critter.