Hello,
I've been totally intrigued by stillwater fly fishing for trout this summer, and was wondering what is the best method for marking a sinking line? I'd like to mark it in increments of 10'. I was thinking of using automotive pin strips with a dab of superglue, but it might not hold up going through the guides over and over again. The color of the line is dark green. Any ideas?
I would stay away from the super glue on the PVC personally.
I mark my floating and sinking line by using a dab of Knot Scenes. A little tiny bump that I can feel. Nice thing is, you can use a hair dryer and remove it without damaging the line.
Green line, is it by chance a type III?
I wanna hang on to this post and see what others do.
Why do you want to mark the line? I’m curious
You can put a nail knot on the line every ten feet. You will be able to feel it. If you need to see the mark from a short distance, use mono with some color such red or green amnesia or one of the yellow or red monofilament lines. Wrapped over a dark line they won’t stand out much, but they may stand out enough to see from a few feet away. The nail knots wont significantly affect how the line casts and shoots.
We all know about the dot dash method…Roman Numeral… with the magic marker for marking our line weights…ala Lefty
Though I haven’t done it yet I’m thinking of marking a thermometer probe line I just got similarly…e.g. one dash = 5ft…two dash = 10ft…use the dots if I want to get more specific…
I don’t know. I’d like to say it is a type iv, I purchased it maybe 2 years ago, and the little tab that identifies it has long since fallen off - I had it pasted in back of the spool - This would probably make another good thread.
Hmmm. I’ve been tying my own leaders lately (I must admit it’s fun). Nail knots, and I don’t care what size - like 5x to 6x - will catch your guides. I can only imagine what nail knots on my fly line will do to my Titanium guides.
Are you marking for Chan Deep Nymphing?
Yep - I think that’s what this is, please correct me if I’m wrong though - I’m going to try the technique of letting the chironomid (I think I finally got the spelling!) settle directly below me in 30+ feet of water, and then stripping ever so slowly so it swims upwards like the natural. I tried this two weeks a go, and I had a hard time knowing how much line I had out. Kept picturing in my mind that I had coils and coils of the stuff at the bottom. I’ll be using a 7.5’ leader with a 6x tippet and a sz 22-24 mosquito pupa (as a starting point). May go as light as 7x, and maybe even 8x if they have it available at the local fly shop tomorrow.
Before this, I’ve been using an indicator float. It’s worked very well on bluegills, but now I’d like to go after the big boys (trout) swimming at the bottom and in the thermocline.
Below is a pic from the fish finder I stuck on my fC4. At this area of the pond the fish are all at the thermocline, and at the springs there are fish at the bottom (I’m assuming these are more than likely trout too). It’s interesting that around sun down the fish start cruising in 10 to 3.5 ft of water.
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Click on the pic to get a bigger view.
[b]You really don’t need to do that light and you don’t need a tapered leader. Try just a 4’ piece of flourocarbon like P-Line or Vanish in a 6lb.
I agree that it is very hard to know how deep you are with that method. I think I read that he puts a weight on the end of the leader or flouro then ties the fly up from that. It is going to be tough cause you are going to be moving to some extent on Stillwater.
But I would think, with the weight on the end, let it drop, then slow retrieve you should get into fish, cause they are going to hit on the up sweep.
We went to a lake in Idaho over the weekend that I am familiar with, so I knew a 20’ leader was what I needed and I knew where to go.
I put a black and white tungsten bead Chironomid on the bottom of the 20’ piece of P-Line and then tied a tag that would hang down about 2’ to 3’ up from bottom flie and tied a Green Chironomid on that.
Dropped it down between my legs to 19’ (one foot left before line) and put my slip indicator on. This is with a floating line. Pulled out some line and kicked back…BAMB after BAMB even while it was dropping at times.
I was catch a fish every time I got the indicator on for about an hour and a half and nothing under 20". Man that is what I am talking about.
I like this method although you have to reel the fish in instead of stripping, then have to pull all the leader out again and set indicator, but you get it down after a couple of times. The good thing is no guessing if you are deep enough or too deep, and if there is a little chop on the water, those flies are bobbing up and down and action is on.
Sorry, that was a little long winded, I just really like this style of stillwater fishing.[/b]
FG…I hate the thought of an indicator …can you tell me why you even need it with that method…can’t you just watch the floating line?
No, the flies are weighted to get down fast and they are suspended off the bottom. I just think of the indicator as a big FOAM flie with no hook…how many of you have had a fish hit your indicator? 8)
[quote=“Fly_Goddess”]
No, the flies are weighted to get down fast and they are suspended off the bottom. I just think of the indicator as a big FOAM flie with no hook…how many of you have had a fish hit your indicator? 8) [/quote]
Thats why I use a dry fly…
To mark my light colors lines I use a black sharpie marker. For dark lines, I use a silver colored sharpie marker. Just a tiny tick and you can see it. You can get a variety pack from any office supply store for about $5 that has a black(sometimes 2) a red, a green, a blue, and a silver.
You can use them for so many things I keep them in my gear bag. Just mke sure whatever you are coloring is dry or the ink won’t stick well. Then let it dry before you get it wet. It usually dries quick, but on slick or not porus materials it takes a few minutes.
I definitely agree with Flyrodde on this one.
I have two Sharpies in my vest - black and red … it’s a great way to alter the color/appearance of a fly. I saw a guide do it out on the Bighorn one time and it was an AHA!
I knew if I hung in here I would hear some great ideas. I have one of those SILVER markers from the old mans rod building. Right On!
Oooh…let’s give this a try then. Off to Officemax I go!
Hmmm. I’ve been tying my own leaders lately (I must admit it’s fun). Nail knots, and I don’t care what size - like 5x to 6x - will catch your guides. I can only imagine what nail knots on my fly line will do to my Titanium guides.
You use nail knots to connect the sections of a leader instead of blood knots or surgeons knots?
I have been putting nail knots on my lines for years and never had an adverse effect in fishing and casting. On my shooting head systems, I use them to secure loops to the heads and shooting lines and these knots go through the guides hundreds of times a day. If you trim them close they do not catch on the guides. I have also used them to mark spots on lines. I think I first learned this from an article or book written by Lefty Kreh.
I agree 100% on making leaders, but wouldn’t it be a little bulky tying them on fly line assuming you are talking like a mono on the PVC line? Am I see this in my head right?
The nail knot from mono on the fly line should be tied tight enough to bite into the coating.
Since your are only putting a marker on the line, you can use thin mono, the equivalent of 3, 4, 5 or 6x tippet. The purpose of the knot is to mark a spot on the line, not actually hold anything. You might hear the knot going through the guides, and you may not. It wont affect how it casts.
You dont need to use something like a thick leader butt, that would be too thick.
So to make things simple, on a dark line why not take your fly tying bobbin with some white thread and wind it around the line (biting into the line) for a 1/16" or so and then put a dab of Knot Sense or Sally’s on it.
Start at 10’ and mark every 5’. Count your leader length and you shouldn’t have a problem getting to the bottom. I don’t think if you ended up with a couple feet coiled you’ll soon bring it up. As for a leader butt, why even have one. If your line has a loop in it, just tie a perfection loop in your leader and handshake them together.
