I have a couple situations that I think might be conducive to using a sink-tip fly line.
I’ve never used one. I’ve use full-sinking lines a couple of times, and find them more suitable for trolling deeper water from some sort of water craft than for casting. Not that I can’t cast them. But it certainly isn’t something I’d want to do for hours at a time.
So perhaps a sink TIP is the way to go. Here’s my situations, please offer your solutions:
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Large Spring-time Crappies in 7’-20’ of water. Lots of rocky snags within 20’ of shore. Wish to reach 50’+ on a cast. A fairly slow presentation is best, but prefer a “horizontal” fly path/pattern.
Thinking about this a little more…perhaps a WFF line with a REALLY LONG tippet section at the end of the leader might work…with a strike indicator above? I’m not convinced that is the answer either, though, and might be difficult to cast, especially since wind will probably be an issue.
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Fishing a good-sized river that varies from 4’ deep in late Summer to 8’+ in the Springtime. Flow rates can be 3’/sec or more. Rocky snags on the bottom are common, water clarity is usually 24" or less. Want to keep close to the bottom, but allow the fly to ride up over the tops of the rocks.
Target species will be white bass, carp, walleye, freshwater drum, channel catfish and possibly flatheads.
… is the Rio Versileader.
Follow the link.
http://www.rioproducts.com/product.php?recKey=70
John
That would serve the purpose. I think I have some Cortland sinking leader material I could probably make my own…
Have you tried those, John? Do they cast well?
I actually do already have some sinktip line to use, I just haven’t spooled it on a reel yet.
… since I used one. I really don’t like casting sink tip lines or sinking leaders, which is why it has been a while. My recollection is that the VersiLeader was easier to use, and less expensive, than the sink tip lines I tried ( had one that I bought, as I recall, and made some sink tips in varying lengths from a homebrew sink tip kit at one point ).
I’d suggest making up a sinking leader from the material you have and trying it - and then figure the VersiLeader in the same sink rate and length will probably cast somewhat better.
John
David,
In your first senario, I’d go with the long tippet/indicator set up if you need a really slow presentation. I use that kind of set up for colder water smallies, and it works really well. You have positive depth control AND speed control, something you can’t get with a sinking or sink tip line.
However, as you pointed out, a really long tippet is difficult to cast. I sometimes go as deep as 30 feet, but I use a releasing indicator and only try to cast this deep a rig from a boat. I’m comfortable with up to 15 feet of depth below the indicator from shore, but I don’t try to cast it 50’ either…
Other than that, a full sinking line will give you better depth control overall than the sink tips in a stillwater situation. Just remember that the slower you want to retrieve, the slower the sink rate you need. Which means waiting a long time for the line to reach depth before you can begin the retrieve.
As far as your moving water senario, I’d go floating line/indicator there as well. I really like having absolute control over the depth in any warm water situation (depth is usually the most important factor in angler success in warm water). Any sink tip/sinking line you used there would be a trade off between depth and drag…and if the flow or depth varies you’d need a different line for each one…that’s a lot of lines and a lot of line changes if the variations happen often. Much easier to just slide the indicator up or down and add weight as needed to hold the correct depth.
Good Luck!
Buddy
David,
I’ve used two approaches to fishing deep for smallies on the Mississippi here. It seems similar to your good sized river, except that the Miss is usually fairly clear. Both have worked well. These are on a 9ft 7wt rod. First approach, a WF7F line with a straight “leader” of 8 - 12 lb fluoro tippet, about 12 - 15 ft long. Awful to cast, but gets the fly down well due to the thin diameter. I generally use this with a fairly heavy fly like a Clouser, and don’t use an indicator. Second approach, a 200 grain streamer express sink tip, with a short, 2-4 ft straight leader. This I fish with unweighted flies, for example a streamer similar to a Clouser, but no dumbbell eyes. Both setups will hang up some on rocky bottoms. The sink tip will wrap around rocks. On balance, I think the sink tip catches more fish for me, probably due to the action of the unweighted fly, but I find casting it to be more of a chore than the floating setup.
Spyderman
All very good advice! This gives me some new ways to look at my situations, for sure. Thank you all!
David, I’ve used all kinds of sinking tip lines and have found most them very difficult to cast and unforgiving to various fishing needs. Then someone told me about Teeny T-200 Sinking Head Line and I now use it exclusively for deep water situations. The line shoots out like a rocket and it just seems to behave better overall for a variety of fishing environments and conditions. It seems to work best on my 7 wt. rod but have used it successfully on both 6 and 8 wt. rods.
Excellent review. I will certainly give that consideration! Thank you.
A long leader/tippet and rig the strike indicator as a slipfloat. 2 stops, one above and one below lets you set the depth of the retrive very well.
David
When fishing in Central IA, in the early summer, when the river is up, I often use a 15’ type IV sink tip on my 8wt when fishing for smallies. Short leader of about 3’-4’. Once the river comes down to normal flows, I fish a floating line and use straight piece of 10# fluro of about 9’ to fish Clousers and other subsurface flys.
Dave