Sink lines

[Clusterite]

I know pretty much nothing about sinking lines, so I need some help fellas, here's what I'm thinking, maybe completely wrong but me and and my brother head to the Bow every year as early as we can, chuck everything we own with tons of split shot.... What about a full sinking line instead of all that stuff we crimp to the line? Is this the solution or am I dreaming? Help me brother fly fishers... Help!!!

[rycoma]

Are you using nymphs or streamers. If nymphs there is almost no way around a ton of split shot on the line. You cant add enough weight to a fly. If your using streamers use fish skulls and lead wraps sink that sucker quick. In my opinion sinking lines in moving waters are near about useless unless there is a deep pool with little current.

[lannie]

Full sinking lines are much better suited to lakes. If you fish rivers like the bow use lines with sinking tips. My experience has been that if you use a sink tip with a non weighted leech pattern you will enjoy more success than using a lead added leech because you have a much more natural drift. There are different sink rates to match conditions for most circumstances. I don't enjoy adding lead weights fly fishing at all either.

[goldscud]

I have great success in the Bow with a Type IV or V (4 or 5) sink tip that is between 10-15ft long. Sink tips allow you to pick up line easier for casting as well as mending the floating section during the swing of a streamer. You can vary the weight of the fly to match the speed/depth of the water you are fishing.

[Clusterite]

Thanks for the help guys, will give a sink tip a try with the steamers, bloody split shot drives me mad!!

[Flieguy]

I disagree with some previous statements. A type 6 sink tip with 4' of fluorocarbon leader will sink a streamer like a brick, and is much easier to cast than a ton of splitshot. I do also like the fish skull streamers.

for nymphs, try tying with tungsten

edit: I also use fluoro for nymphs. The thinner the line, the faster the flies can sink it. 8 or 10lb mono will practically float a smaller nymph, 4 or 6lb good quality fluoro cuts through the watter much better.

[fishman]

I never use a straight sinking line when stream fishing
I fish from one handed rods , switch and spey
My single handed rod is a 10 foot 8 weight I either use
A 300 grain scandy line or my skagit 300 grain commando
Head on the end I use a mow sink tip with a bead head
Fly. It is easy to roll cast get 60 feet no problem and sinks great

U ever try to swing a fly with a full sinking line it sucks

[Bhflyfisher]

Serious streamer anglers like galloup use full sinks on their streamer rigs.

It works. I use either a Outbound short full intermediate, or the Outbound short I/S6 (Which is intermediate running line, with a type 6 head).

Nymphing, is best done with splits.

[highwood]

I'm of the Galloup school of thought, but it really depends how you streamer fish.

[Myles]

Agree with the above but also think it depends on the size of river you're fishing. I can get away with using a floating line on smaller rivers around Red Deer using a sparsely tied streamer with dumbbell eyes. Hitting a foot or two above the rock, bank, whatever where the fish was holding and then hitting it with a quick upstream mend got the fly down in the zone. This way all I needed to carry was one reel with one line so when the dry fly fishing picked up again I just changed leaders. I do find my accuracy is better with a floating v. sink tip v. full sink line.

I consistently catch my biggest fish, especially browns, using streamers.

[highwood]

Originally Posted by Myles

Agree with the above but also think it depends on the size of river you're fishing. I can get away with using a floating line on smaller rivers around Red Deer using a sparsely tied streamer with dumbbell eyes. Hitting a foot or two above the rock, bank, whatever where the fish was holding and then hitting it with a quick upstream mend got the fly down in the zone. This way all I needed to carry was one reel with one line so when the dry fly fishing picked up again I just changed leaders. I do find my accuracy is better with a floating v. sink tip v. full sink line.

I consistently catch my biggest fish, especially browns, using streamers.

Meat eats meat.

[Bhflyfisher]

Originally Posted by Myles

Agree with the above but also think it depends on the size of river you're fishing. I can get away with using a floating line on smaller rivers around Red Deer using a sparsely tied streamer with dumbbell eyes. Hitting a foot or two above the rock, bank, whatever where the fish was holding and then hitting it with a quick upstream mend got the fly down in the zone. This way all I needed to carry was one reel with one line so when the dry fly fishing picked up again I just changed leaders. I do find my accuracy is better with a floating v. sink tip v. full sink line.

I consistently catch my biggest fish, especially browns, using streamers.

Yes, a cone head, or dumbell eyed streamer is all thats needed for smaller rivers with the appropriate leader off a floating line. From a boat though on tailwater, full sinks rule. The streamer tip lines are good too, however i don't fish them as much because eventually your fly ends up swimming upwards, full sinks keep your streamers on a straight trajectory towards the boat until you start to pick up for the cast.

Personal preference though. Galloup does also believe in sink tips from the boat as well, because if you're not getting a chaser within 3-5 strips of the cast, they say to pick up and hit the very next piece of structure available. Full sinks can help though when a streamer eater can't make up its mind in that short time allowed, as you bring it all the back to the boat.

[fishman]

Originally Posted by Bhflyfisher

Yes, a cone head, or dumbell eyed streamer is all thats needed for smaller rivers with the appropriate leader off a floating line. From a boat though on tailwater, full sinks rule. The streamer tip lines are good too, however i don't fish them as much because eventually your fly ends up swimming upwards, full sinks keep your streamers on a straight trajectory towards the boat until you start to pick up for the cast.

Personal preference though. Galloup does also believe in sink tips from the boat as well, because if you're not getting a chaser within 3-5 strips of the cast, they say to pick up and hit the very next piece of structure available. Full sinks can help though when a streamer eater can't make up its mind in that short time allowed, as you bring it all the back to the boat.

Jamie


I've never used or seen anyone fish with a full sinking line
Out here everybody is using a sink tip line or a skagit with a
Mow tip looking at a long drift hard to see how a full sink
Would work. Sometimes I'm only casting 30 feet but drifting
70-80 or sometimes more If course when I lived in alberta
I was usuing floating line with indicator
When we r drifting the cowichan I use indicator and when we
Beach I use my mow I fish small rivers to medium rivers and
Some flow fairly fast
I'm not saying your method doesn't work I would have to
See it