Clear,Intermediate Fly Line

[supersenior]

I've used floating lines for most of my fly fishing needs.
However, of late, I thought I would like to try a clear, intermediate line from Hardy, Cortland or SA.
I'd be fishing for trout in riffles approx 4'-6' deep, using nymphs.(#12 -#16) and streamers.
Could anyone recommend a particular line that is supple and could be used in cool weather?
It's my understanding that these lines coil badly and are difficult to cast?
As far as leaders go, would one use a furled or fluorocarbon leader or just a short length of mono, 2'-4'.
Any further suggestions would be appreciated.

[kglissmeyer]

Supersenior, I love my intermediate line, but I use it for stillwater applications and not for nymph fishing. I have used it in spring creeks when using small streamers and it has performed well. If you fish with strike indicators for nymphs you would not do well with this setup, but if you prefer to fish tight-line in your nymphing this would be a good choice in most of the waters that indicator guys like to fish. I also would not use an intermediate line for most of my river streamer fishing as I do not think it performs as well as a type 3 sink-tip, which I use for most applications except for dredging deep.

Good luck,

kelly.

[JohnScott]

I doubt that an intermediate line will get you down where you want to be unless you are in very soft water. A sink tip line is one answer, but they can be unpleasant to cast. Also, for the depths you are talking, Rio makes what they call a Versileader, which comes in 7' and 12' lengths, as I recall and sink rates up to 6. ( See Dave's thread http://www.flyanglersonline.com/bb/s...ad.php?t=33419 )

I would suggest a full sinking line, and for the depths you are talking it would probably take a Type 3 or more to do the job. Here's a link to a Rio Mainstream full sinking line that comes in Type 3 and Type 6. I really like a Class II full sinking line for streamers, but don't tend to use one for nymphs because it seems to me you would have difficulty maintaining a good drift, unless you were fishing some very steady and even currents ??

http://www.rioproducts.com/product.php?recKey=53

I think the Mainstream lines by Rio run around $35 ( but I haven't checked for a while and could be wrong about that ).

John