What fly line

[pikergolf]

Looking for a sinking line for fishing lakes, will be wading. Not sure whether to get sinking or sink tip, these are prairie lakes so not that fast of a drop and lots of weeds in the summer. Am leaning towards sink tip as the fly will ride up as it climb's back to shore, also am getting back into it after a few years so brand names would be appreciated. I have just finished a 6wt build and am casting a 5wt SA supra sink tip but it casts like crap, so am looking to go to a 6wt but want a nice casting line.

[silverdoctor]

I bought a full sink line a few years ago for my 5wt TFO, (cortland I think) used it for all of 20 minutes and hated it. It's a nice casting line, just too hard to surface it and backcast it once it's down deep. Personally, I'd go for the sinking tip and use a longer leader.

If you're in Calgary and want to try it before you buy one, shoot me a pm.

[tacklerunner]

By far the best fly line is a clear or clear camo full intermediate sink. I use Cortland Precision Sub Surface WF Stillwater Clear Camo which sinks 1.25 - 1.75 inches per second. That way you can stay in the top 5 FOW if you want or add a bit of shot to get down further and have control of the water column you want to be in.

I ordered mine from Denny Rickards as I could not find it in stores in Canada. He's probably the world's most knowledgable "stillwater" fishing guru.

It's the Camo Intermediate (Cortland Camo 444 intermediate sink) and is awesome. See link below.

http://www.flyfishingstillwaters.com/lines.asp



Here's a pic of a 7 lb bow landed on this line with on a micro bunny leech on a 4 weight rod. Took us about 1/2 hour to land. Great fun.

[Pudelpointer]

What Tacklerunner said EXCEPT I am not a fan of Cortland lines (I have the sink-tip version of that line and the floating portion sucks goat balls!), so I recommend a RIO Aqualux or their camo version.

The full sink is better then the sink tip for most lake fishing. The Intermediate sink rate is excellent for working flies in shallow water, weed beds, or the top few feet of the water column. If you want to fish deeper in still water (from shore) with the full sink you just wait longer before beginning your retrieve. If you have the sink tip you can get the fly down fairly deep, but as soon as you start your retrieve you will pull your fly out of the productive zone (usually).

The sink-tip version is a lot nicer to use in moving water.

I have only started "seriously" fishing lakes in the last few years and am at 7 lines for fishing lakes. If need be, a good floating line and a intermediate full sink (preferably clear/camo) line will allow you to fish, in some manner, most of a lake, and I would highly recommend getting those 2 lines first. Then, I would get a fast full sink (Type 5 or 6), then a Type 3.

And remember: with a full sink line (especially the clear/camo) using a leader is unnecessary, and counterproductive. On my clear lines/tips I use 2 feet of tippet. One the dark lines I use 3-4 feet, often with a heavy but section (15-20lb) of 2 feet, then 2 feet of appropriately sized tippet; I am usually using larger flies with these lines (buggers, muddlers, boobys, dragonflies).

[Pudelpointer]

BTW TR, that is a booootiful fish. BC?

[commieboy]

Sounds to me like you want a sink tip.

I have a full sink and a sink tip and use the sink tip almost exclusively in the types of situations you are describing. I reserve my full sinking for mountain lakes or for when I'm in my canoe. The sink tip also allows me to streamer fish rivers.

While I use Rio Gold and Cortland 444 for my floating lines, I generally won't spend as much for my full sinking or my sink-tips. I use Scientific Anglers Professional Series for full and Cortland 333 for my sinktips. The work perfectly for my needs. Basically, I try to remember that dry fly lines are presentation lines..... Sink-tips and sinkings aren't. I just need the fly to get close to where it needs to be, the rest is up to me with the retrieve.

Alternately, use a longer leader on a floating line.

[tacklerunner]

Originally Posted by Pudelpointer

BTW TR, that is a booootiful fish. BC?

Of course. Sheridan Lake.