Ever Get That Sinking Feeling

[Baron]

One Prominent member wanted me to post a three page discussion about Rod Cases. But that is such a boring subject. Instead lets discuss leaders and tippet.
I am currently using Mono & mono and it usually floats the way it should. Thats great for the weeds I fish and also for shallow streams. But then I switch to fish th Delaware near home and there is a 2kn current and an uphill wind. Furthermoree the water is 2-8' deep. Is there a better way to get my presentation near the bottom than by hiring Jacques Cousteau to put it there for me?

Some things I've seen:
-I see sinking leader online.
-I see split shot which I hate.
-I see sinking lines.

I'm usually trying to fish #8 closusers, black #8 buggers or similar. How do you sink your comparable flies down to where Charlie Tuna lives?

Incidentally I would like to know how you carry your un-mounted reels around safely.

 

[RLeep2]

Gravity and trial and error can be your good friends if you let them..

If you're on the big river and seem unable to get your offering as deep as you'd like, consider figuring out how fast your fly is sinking as currently weighted and either: a) add more weight to get down where you want to be or b) make your cast far enough upstream so that by the time the fly gets to where you think the fish is, a) has been achieved. Or even consider c) add more weight AND cast upstream some, this of course being the nuclear option..

As Heraclitus reminds us, "No man can step in the same river twice". Every situation you encounter trying to achieve your goals in these things is different. There is deeper and more shallow and faster and slower. All require a different answer if if only in minor ways. So, you learn by trial and error.

Additionally, you may have to confront your hatred of split shot and work through it...

There are other methods involving sink tip lines and leader length, but I've said enough.

 

[Baron]

Hmmmm, lemmesee here. Heraclitus isn't he the guy that helps folks git-the-hitch-outa-yur-git-along? I've met him, unfortunately!;-)

To begin with I think I was using the split shot wrong. I was placing them 2-3' up the line to reduce distractions. Another member suggested that I should have placed the shots much closer, even against the steamers and then they'd sink better. I was also thinking a fast sinking leader with lighter floro tippet.
I'm using a 1x leader with is far more drag prone than the 4x I use for trout.
So combining all this information, would it look like this:
switch to 4x sinking leaders with floro tippet and a splitshot tight to the streamer and cast a bit further upstream than normal. Would that help me avoid the nuclear option or would this lead to Error by Trial?

RLeep2 wrote:
Gravity and trial and error can be your good friends if you let them..

If you're on the big river and seem unable to get your offering as deep as you'd like, consider figuring out how fast your fly is sinking as currently weighted and either: a) add more weight to get down where you want to be or b) make your cast far enough upstream so that by the time the fly gets to where you think the fish is, a) has been achieved. Or even consider c) add more weight AND cast upstream some, this of course being the nuclear option..

As Heraclitus reminds us, "No man can step in the same river twice". Every situation you encounter trying to achieve your goals in these things is different. There is deeper and more shallow and faster and slower. All require a different answer if if only in minor ways. So, you learn by trial and error.

Additionally, you may have to confront your hatred of split shot and work through it...

There are other methods involving sink tip lines and leader length, but I've said enough.