lake flyfishing for rainbows..

[pikergolf]

Originally Posted by FisherPotch

Especially with a sink line, but as someone stated long lining can work on a dry line.

Have u not had luck under a strike indicator? Or is it that you prefer the purist technique? If it was a yarn indicator would that be different?

I find it more thrilling to feel the strike rather than watch a bobber go under. So I understand that perspective if that's why u hate indicators.

I got back into fly fishing last year after a good 15 yr. hiatus. When I left there was no such thing as an indicator, or if there was I never heard of it. When I started fly fishing in the spring last year I was snickering at all the guys I walked past using indicators. After watching them outfish me by a wide, wide margin I approached a guy, he's actually on this board, he helped me a lot in a conversation we had on the lake. I wasn't snickering anymore, just humble pie, had never seen chironomids either, just used a size six woolly bugger. Learned a lot that spring, bobber fishing among them, still prefer that straight line to the fish though.

Best thing that ever happened to me was not having a boat that spring and early summer, you learn a lot when you are on shore. You see bugs that others miss, you see hatches that others never see, and you learn to match what you see in the water. I hit one two week period when the caddis were hatching inside the weed edge, I would wade out waist deep and cast parallel to shore. I was using a fly I had tied based on the caddis I watched hatch, I don't think I have ever been as satisfied with myself as I was during that two week period. Had I had a boat I would have missed it all and never seen a thing.

[FisherPotch]

Originally Posted by pikergolf

Never cast a 22ft leader, heck the lakes I fish aren't 22ft. deep. But I do cast my line after every fish when I troll. I rather enjoy casting, love then mechanics of it, the feel of load and unload, on a slow day I can have fun just casting!!

That is a talent of its own! And a good attitude, I hope one day to have a similar appreciation.

[FisherPotch]

Originally Posted by pikergolf

I got back into fly fishing last year after a good 15 yr. hiatus. When I left there was no such thing as an indicator, or if there was I never heard of it. When I started fly fishing in the spring last year I was snickering at all the guys I walked past using indicators. After watching them outfish me by a wide, wide margin I approached a guy, he's actually on this board, he helped me a lot in a conversation we had on the lake. I wasn't snickering anymore, just humble pie, had never seen chironomids either, just used a size six woolly bugger. Learned a lot that spring, bobber fishing among them, still prefer that straight line to the fish though.

Best thing that ever happened to me was not having a boat that spring and early summer, you learn a lot when you are on shore. You see bugs that others miss, you see hatches that others never see, and you learn to match what you see in the water. I hit one two week period when the caddis were hatching inside the weed edge, I would wade out waist deep and cast parallel to shore. I was using a fly I had tied based on the caddis I watched hatch, I don't think I have ever been as satisfied with myself as I was during that two week period. Had I had a boat I would have missed it all and never seen a thing.

Always great to match a hatch.

To the op
I don't think anyone has brought up caddis yet. But I've seen a few hatches as of late so keep an eye out for them.

Also I fished beaver once this year. My best success was....... Wait for it..... A chironomid under an indicator and..... Trolling a leech pattern.

[fishermansfriend]

Honestly I have to take back what i said in a earlier thread about "fly fishers being snobby" this is great. Thank you all so much for all the advice and different perspectives on something i had no idea about..

I will be heading out to beaver in the morning with my father!! Thank you so much all!!!!

i hope to catch some pics to prove ive learnt something from you all!!!

i will try the floating line for now and if i dont have to great of luck i will buy some sinking line for the weekend at phyliss!!

[338Bluff]

Originally Posted by Doc

Not sure anyone posted that they only fish a floating line. What was posted is that a floating line is your most versatile. I always have a minimum of two rods strung up, my 10ft 5wt with a floating line and my 9ft 5wt with a sinking line but the floating line is used 80% of the time as most trout will be caught in less than 20ft of water and it offers more techniques and tactics at these shallower depths. And yes, an open mind is a must when stillwater fly fishing, it goes hand in hand with observation. Tunnel vision will just get you a lot of fish-less days. Trolling on the other hand, is that really fly fishing or fishing with a fly?

If someone wants to call it fly fishing whats the big deal? I prefer sinking lines on still water because I find indicator fishing boring as all heck. Maybe I have tunnel vision, but when I'm not catching fish on the floating line I don't have all day to fool around. I grab the rig with the sinking line. Tie on a leech or minnow pattern and cover water. It does not always catch the most, but the average fish is larger.

I got all caught up in the chironomid craze and bought all the stuff the articles and blogs were spouting off about. Never really could get on to it. I had more fish less days with that than I ever did with fishing wet.

Is it only trolling when in an aluminum boat? Or if I kick my fins as I strip line does that make me hairy troglodyte as well?

I just fish. Fly-fishing, I hear, is only done with a size 22 dry fly. Using a bobber old man is just not cricket.

[pikergolf]

Doc said,
Here are some articles that may help you out.
Stillwater Articles

Some good stuff there Doc!!

[Okotokian]

Originally Posted by 338Bluff

I just fish. Fly-fishing, I hear, is only done with a size 22 dry fly. Using a bobber old man is just not cricket.

I'm pretty sure there are people out there who say it isn't hunting if you use a scope.

Interesting story addressing this "purist" attitude in the most recent AO magazine. Personally, I've never caught so many fish using one technique that I would ever turn my nose up at another that produced fish. LOL

[Calgaryguy1977]

Most of these arguments depends on the lake, the time of year, and quite possibly the hatch. I was agreeing with doc that the floating line is the most versatile imo.

[Pikebreath]

Originally Posted by FisherPotch

If you do have only one club on the bag, the dry line is far superior and most versatile. I find they cast further/smoother and good luck fishing a dry on a sink line.

Pray tell me,,,, how does a floating line cast further than a sinking line?

The laws of physics and aerodynamics will favour the thinner head of a sinking line over the fat head of a floater when it comes to moving the line through the air.

I have a 120 foot density compensated 10 wt integrated shooting head sinking line that I can throw into the backing when the stars align right.

Most of my floaters are 85 -95 feet long and if the stars, planets , heavens and wind all come together on one of my better days, I might get all but the last 5 feet of fly line out (maybe)!!!

I'll agree that a floater may be smoother to cast, and that sinking lines certainly feel much different,,,, but as far as going for distance, there is no way a fat line will cast as far a skinny line.

As far as fishing with a 22 foot leader on a floating line with a bobber, each to his own I guess,,, but any leader over 12 feet long ( with or without the bobber) create their own issues when it comes to casting (particularly in the wind),,, and to be honest with you I am not into texting,,, or reading War and Peace while waiting for the fly to sink.

Is the floater the most versatile,,, I suppose you could say that,,,, but then again, you can say the same thing about a pair of vise grip pliers!!!

[FisherPotch]

Originally Posted by Pikebreath

Pray tell me,,,, how does a floating line cast further than a sinking line?

The laws of physics and aerodynamics will favour the thinner head of a sinking line over the fat head of a floater when it comes to moving the line through the air.

I have a 120 foot density compensated 10 wt integrated shooting head sinking line that I can throw into the backing when the stars align right.

Most of my floaters are 85 -95 feet long and if the stars, planets , heavens and wind all come together on one of my better days, I might get all but the last 5 feet of fly line out (maybe)!!!

I'll agree that a floater may be smoother to cast, and that sinking lines certainly feel much different,,,, but as far as going for distance, there is no way a fat line will cast as far a skinny line.

As far as fishing with a 22 foot leader on a floating line with a bobber, each to his own I guess,,, but any leader over 12 feet long ( with or without the bobber) create their own issues when it comes to casting (particularly in the wind),,, and to be honest with you I am not into texting,,, or reading War and Peace while waiting for the fly to sink.

Is the floater the most versatile,,, I suppose you could say that,,,, but then again, you can say the same thing about a pair of vise grip pliers!!!

I FIND (as stated) that my dry line cast further. I feel that is because it is smoother. My wet line seems sticky and it burns horribly from friction because of its friction coefficient (if you want to get into physics). It doesn't go thru the guides the way the smooth dry line does. Exact same quality of lines from the exact same manufacturer. My personal experience.

Like I said go try to fish a dry on the sink line if you think it's so damn versatile! It's a no brainer, you can do anything with a dry line. There are times I much prefer a wet line but there are techniques a sink line is 100% incapable of.

[fishman]

Originally Posted by FisherPotch

I FIND (as stated) that my dry line cast further. I feel that is because it is smoother. My wet line seems sticky and it burns horribly from friction because of its friction coefficient (if you want to get into physics). It doesn't go thru the guides the way the smooth dry line does. Exact same quality of lines from the exact same manufacturer. My personal experience.

Like I said go try to fish a dry on the sink line if you think it's so damn versatile! It's a no brainer, you can do anything with a dry line. There are times I much prefer a wet line but there are techniques a sink line is 100% incapable of.

my rio casts just as easy as my floating line.........and back to which line i would fish with if i only had one would be a sinking line..........i am the ooposite then the floating line advocates as i find sinking line will usually out fish floating line majority of time.........i have reason why i fish the way i do but it is very productive and i love it when i am watching 14 tubers at fiesta using there floating line and i am the only guy catching fish......when the floating line produces more then the sinking hey i have no problem will change over but that is only a miniority

[Okotokian]

LOL Not sure we are going to solve this the way we are going at it.

Let me see if I can summarize and if you have any problem with it:

If you are fishing around these parts (lake and river/stream) and for some reason only only want or can afford one fly line, then the fly line to get is a floating one. However, if you have the cash for an additional spool and line, a sinking tip or sinking line is a nice option that will peform better in certain circumstances.

Am I off base with that?

[FisherPotch]

Originally Posted by fishman

my rio casts just as easy as my floating line.........and back to which line i would fish with if i only had would be a sinking line..........i am the ooposite then the floating line advocates as i find sinking line will usually out fish floating line majority of time.........i have reason why i fish the way i do but it is very productive and i love it when i am watching 14 tubers at fiesta using there floating line and i am the only guy catching fish......when the floating line produces more then the sinking hey i have no problem will change over but that is only a miniority

Compair the friction coefficient. Here's how..... Hold the line in the webbing of your fingers and then rip it. Let me know which one hurts more lol. I fish rio line as well.

I'm not gonna argue which is better. I use them both regularly, I'm not afraid to. Maybe if you didn't have so much against dry line you'd catch more fish on it. To say one out fishes the other is just silly, comparing what they can do and the pros n cons is a different story it is worth debate.

GREAT EXAMPLE LMAO fiesta puddle with epic amounts of fishing pressure and highly educated c and r fish. I fished it this year an every fish was on a dry line and not a soul on the lake got a fish other than myself. Guess what.... I was too lazy to change spools so I tied on 20ft of tippet on a dry line! Go figure.

U realize most those fish have probably been caught under an indicator a few times right? They get educated man.

Time and place is the biggest factor in which I use, and I suggest to the op to go in with no biase. The more open you are to the options the better you'll do!

[FisherPotch]

Originally Posted by Okotokian

LOL Not sure we are going to solve this the way we are going at it.

Let me see if I can summarize and if you have any problem with it:

If you are fishing around these parts (lake and river/stream) and for some reason only only want or can afford one fly line, then the fly line to get is a floating one. However, if you have the cash for an additional spool and line, a sinking tip or sinking line is a nice option that will peform better in certain circumstances.

Am I off base with that?

Nope. Bangarang in my opinion

[fishman]

[QUOTE=FisherPotch;2053409]Compair the friction coefficient. Here's how..... Hold the line in the webbing of your fingers and then rip it. Let me know which one hurts more lol. I fish rio line as well.

I'm not gonna argue which is better. I use them both regularly, I'm not afraid to. Maybe if you didn't have so much against dry line you'd catch more fish on it. To say one out fishes the other is just silly, comparing what they can do and the pros n cons is a different story it is worth debate.

GREAT EXAMPLE LMAO fiesta puddle with epic amounts of fishing pressure and highly educated c and r fish. I fished it this year an every fish was on a dry line and not a soul on the lake got a fish other than myself. Guess what.... I was too lazy to change spools so I tied on 20ft of tippet on a dry line! Go figure.

U realize most those fish have probably been caught under an indicator a few times right? They get educated man.


we r not going to settle this as i am just as stubborn as u and i catch lots of fish on dry..........but i guess in whole arguement i missed saying fishing on a lake if i had only one line it would be a sinking line..............as far as coefficient of lines it all depends on what they coat the line with as i had some hardy line that would shout out line alreal never had another line as good as that line

[fishman]

i lived in whitecourt for 40 years and i fished a little lake 20 minutes from my door and it had brookies in it and i learnt from many trial and error hours how to fish succesfull with a sinking line................that little lake taught me alot considering nobody else would fish it in the summer only in the winter as the locals would say cant catch them in the summer

[FisherPotch]

Originally Posted by fishman

i lived in whitecourt for 40 years and i fished a little lake 20 minutes from my door and it had brookies in it and i learnt from many trial and error hours how to fish succesfull with a sinking line................that little lake taught me alot considering nobody else would fish it in the summer only in the winter as the locals would say cant catch them in the summer

In the hot months of summer is when I use a sink line most

[pikergolf]

Originally Posted by fishman

i lived in whitecourt for 40 years and i fished a little lake 20 minutes from my door and it had brookies in it and i learnt from many trial and error hours how to fish succesfull with a sinking line................that little lake taught me alot considering nobody else would fish it in the summer only in the winter as the locals would say cant catch them in the summer

That's funny, from your first post on this thread when you slagged type one line and said you use type 7 and a streamer, my first thought was he's fishing brookies. We have a local brookie pond as well, once the water is past 65F, you can kiss those puppies goodbye. You can see them down in the trough in 25' of water. I don't have a line to get down there, but this 22ft leader thing has got me thinking. Still a steamer would be better going sideways than up and down like it will be with a floating line.

[FisherPotch]

Originally Posted by pikergolf

That's funny, from your first post on this thread when you slagged type one line and said you use type 7 and a streamer, my first thought was he's fishing brookies. We have a local brookie pond as well, once the water is past 65F, you can kiss those puppies goodbye. You can see them down in the trough in 25' of water. I don't have a line to get down there, but this 22ft leader thing has got me thinking. Still a steamer would be better going sideways than up and down like it will be with a floating line.

Some split shot will help get it down as well.

[fishermansfriend]

TRIED IT ALL TODAY but weather turned to **** on us.. should have fished near shore. met a fellow that got a few..

saw a bald eagle catch a good 20" plus trout was so wicked to see.. heading back tomorrow.

guy who was catching was trolling with a leech pattern.. right close to shore

[Pikebreath]

Originally Posted by FisherPotch

Compair the friction coefficient. Here's how..... Hold the line in the webbing of your fingers and then rip it. Let me know which one hurts more lol. I fish rio line as well.

Throw an SA Sharkskin floater into your test and tell me which line burns the most!!!!

From your posts, I am also getting the feeling that your experience with sinking lines is based on one sinking line. Not trying to be argumentative, but if your sinker is that sticky, it's needs to cleaned and reconditioned,,, and if that doesn't help, replaced.

The sinking part of a sinking line does feel different in the hand compared to a floating line, Basically it has to do with the stuff (tungsten, lead powder etc.) impregnated into the coating to make it sink. Some sinking lines are prone to cracking and having the coating wearing off prematurely,,,,, they are especially susceptible to solvent abuse (i.e. Deet).

That is one reason many anglers (my self included) like sink tip lines where the running line (and part you handle) is either a floating or intermediate line.

I also prefer the density compensated,,,, integrated shooting head ,,,, or uniform sink lines available from many different manufacturers over the old fashioned full sinking lines.

All flylines,,. and rods for that matter,,, are just tools in your toolbox,,, each has its time and place. Yes, you may find yourself using a floating line more often than not, but to purposely limit yourself to just on or two lines (and rods) doesn't really cover the full spectrum of fly-fishing opportunity.

[FisherPotch]

Originally Posted by fishermansfriend

TRIED IT ALL TODAY but weather turned to **** on us.. should have fished near shore. met a fellow that got a few..

saw a bald eagle catch a good 20" plus trout was so wicked to see.. heading back tomorrow.

guy who was catching was trolling with a leech pattern.. right close to shore

That's too bad. It's a heavily pressured lake and the big ones are likely purdy smart.

[FisherPotch]

Originally Posted by Pikebreath

Throw an SA Sharkskin floater into your test and tell me which line burns the most!!!!

From your posts, I am also getting the feeling that your experience with sinking lines is based on one sinking line. Not trying to be argumentative, but if your sinker is that sticky, it's needs to cleaned and reconditioned,,, and if that doesn't help, replaced.

The sinking part of a sinking line does feel different in the hand compared to a floating line, Basically it has to do with the stuff (tungsten, lead powder etc.) impregnated into the coating to make it sink. Some sinking lines are prone to cracking and having the coating wearing off prematurely,,,,, they are especially susceptible to solvent abuse (i.e. Deet).

That is one reason many anglers (my self included) like sink tip lines where the running line (and part you handle) is either a floating or intermediate line.

I also prefer the density compensated,,,, integrated shooting head ,,,, or uniform sink lines available from many different manufacturers over the old fashioned full sinking lines.

All flylines,,. and rods for that matter,,, are just tools in your toolbox,,, each has its time and place. Yes, you may find yourself using a floating line more often than not, but to purposely limit yourself to just on or two lines (and rods) doesn't really cover the full spectrum of fly-fishing opportunity.

You are correct I only have experience with one sink line. But it always had high friction, rio 444 or 555 I think. It's intermediate and if I wanna get down i just add lead. I hate changing spools on the water (can be annoying on the toon).
Next line will be a full sink. Current line is in good shape, I might have landed a 16.5 lb brown on it the other day

[Don Andersen]

Gee, I typed 2 pages of what to use where and finally realized people will do what their personality requires.
Some like it slowly, some fast. Your choice leads to the line used.

PS- my silk floater casts further that my plastic floaters due to smaller diameter. The silk line is rough to the touch.

PPS - I regularly use leaders >20' long on a 8' bamboo rod.

Don

[saskfly]

Originally Posted by Shawnlh

yes while fishing for cuttiebowbrowns raking the bottom with a hopper dropper dropper hopper betty white nymph is most effective and don't forget to snap it so you know its working i like color coded lead line to get the hopper down where the brownbrookybows live.

Thats comedy!