sink tip v. full sinking lines

[FlySwatter]

I'm thinking about putting either a sink tip or full sinking line on my spare spool. This is for a fast 6 WT rod. I'll mostly be fishing streamers for trout and smallies in bigger, moving water (UDR, Lackawanna R., Lehigh R., Penns, Pine, Susquehanna, etc.).

Please let me know what you all think about the pros and cons of each:
1) class V, 15 foot sink tip
2) Class III density compensated full sinking

Thanks in advance for your insights.

- Mike

 

[afishinado]

Mike,

Opinions differ on full-sink vs. sink tip. Most anglers find a full sink line best suited for still water to reach down deep and employ the countdown method to gauge the depth. IMO, A sink-tip line is most useful for fishing the current in streams and rivers. It makes line manipulation, such as mending, much easier, and it is also easier to pickup at the end of the cast on moving water and recast.

I have a removable Orvis sink tip that I use for many of the same streams and rivers you fish. I didn't like casting it at first, because it seems to hinge, but I doctored it up by redoing the loops and it seem to work just fine getting my fly down in shallower runs. For smallies I like to change back and forth from surface flies and the removable tip makes that very easy.

I bought got a poly leader this winter, which is a sinking leader, and plan to try it out this season. I plan to use the poly leader alone for getting more depth in shallower water, and the leader plus sink tip combined for deeper areas. I'll report how it works out when I test it out.

 

[govtmule]

i agree with Afish, the RIO ones work great, get a few sink rates in different lengths. Also, dont forget to use a short leader (3'-4') or the fly (if unweighted) will rise...

jeff

 

[Fredrick]

If your leaning towards a sink tip buy one of these and cut it to the desired lenth you want . http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/templates/product/standard-item.jsp?_DARGS=/cabelas/en/common/catalog/item-link.jsp_A&_DAV=MainCatcat20431-cat20437-cat601303&id=0037441319742a&navCount=10&podId=0037441&parentId=&masterpathid=&navAction=push&catalogCode=IA&rid=&parentType=&indexId=cat601303&hasJS=true

Also don't overlook intermediate shooting heads for big river streamer fishing they will help you cover more water and get down deep .

 

[CLSports]

I have the Orvis sink tip attachments as well. I have only used them so far when smallie fishing with streamers. They work just fine although I do have to agree that they do make the casting a bit awkward. Not the smoothest feel with those on. Good with a short leader for bass, but I never tried them for trout fishing.

I also have a reel with 7wt Orvis sinking line (Class II I believe). I use this mostly in the salt and that is much nicer to cast, but you can definitely tell that the line is much heavier. It feels a bit odd at first as well, but once you get a feel for it, you can cast it much more easily. Maybe double-haul casting would work best.

Both of them do their job of getting the fly down in the water column. I like the sinking line better, but the convenience of the removable tips has benefits as well. I add the removable tips to my 5 wt line in somewhat shallower water.

Rob

 

[bam]

Fly,

Go with a sink tip if you'll be wading. A sinking line at your feet can be annoying in chest deep water. If you'll be fishing from a boat, you can't beat a full sink.

 

[roygpa]

I have quite a bit of 18 pound leadcore line from my trolling days. could I use it and make my own sink tips? Anybody know how Rio T-8 and T-11 are different from 18 pound gudebrod?

I have scales at work, I guess I could weigh it, convert from milligrams to grains and report back if nobody know.

Roy

 

[FlySwatter]

Everyone: Thanks for the replies and insight. I'm going with sink tip since I'll be wading 80% of the time.

roy: Try this site - http://www.sciencemadesimple.net/weight2.php

I hope it helps.

Mike

 

[roygpa]

Should anyone care, 18 pound test Gudebrod leadcore line is just slightly more than 10 grains per foot.
Probably close enough to the T11 to use the 8 inchs per second sink rate. I could test sink rate too, but I will have to wait until my sisters pool thaws.

Roy

 

[osprey]

I'll share something here i forgot where i learned it works good in a pinch and it's cheap , try using various lengths of lead core trolling line fastened/incorporated into the leader using loop to loop connections , by varying the length of the pieces and moving them around on the leader you can attain just about anything sink wise , experiment and let us know if you get em GOOD LUCK

 

[osprey]

Roy...........ya beat me to it there buddy.......yep.