Anyone use xink? (liquid Fly sink)

[Yotrout]

I have had no luck so far this season. Four times out and been skunked everytime. This morning i hit pennypack a spotted eight to ten trout just sitting there. I entered the water aboutfifty feet upstream and started to slowly work my way down. I got close enough to see them laugh at me.

I started with a #12 pheasent tail nymph with no luck. Switched over to a #14 prince bead head again no luck. I have a 5wt line with a 6x leader and a 2lb tippet. I believe my casting technique is on the mark. I did notice that the water was moving semi quickly and my fly was no getting low enough so i picked up some xink (fly sink). I tried split shot but kept getting hung up on rocks and i feel that it totaly changes the dynamic of the cast. Just doesn't feel right. I believe i should have used a smaller nymph maybe #14 or #16? The water was very cold today i dont have a thermometer but i would guess it was 37-40f Anyway, i was wondering if anyone had any experince with using liquid fly sink and would love to know what exactly this stuff is.

Any critiques as to my form would be much appreciated.

Thanks ahead.

 

[Fishidiot]

Yo,
Sounds to me like you're doing things pretty much by the book. Don't get discoureged. Your choice of flies was good - no need to go smaller IMO.
My suggestions, first off, would be to ditch the super fine tippet (2lb test is WAY too light for Pennypack Cr this time of year). With such fine line you're much more likely to break off a hooked fish. For nymph fishing on Penny this time of year I'd use something more around 4-6lb test. They're stocked fish and not sophisticated. 2lb test is for specialty situations. However, even fresh stockies can get lockjaw from incessant fishing pressure. Those fish have been hammered since Saturday and probably need a break from pressure before they start feeding readily. They can also be spooky. If it's possible to do so, try approaching them from downstream rather than from above. Trout always face into the current which means they're almost always facing upstream and if you approach from that direction they're more likely to see you and refuse to bite. Also, by casting upstream to the fish your fly gets a better chance to sink and drift naturally to the fish. You definitely want to be behind the fish (downstream from them) if you're a new nymph fisherman.
As for the Xink, I don't use it. I'd recommend split shot for this time of year. The Xink won't get your fly to the bottom. You're right that shot does change the feel of casting but it's an adjustment you'll want to make as using shot is a necessary adaptation for catching fish this time of year under most circumstances.

 

[buffalo7]

I've used it, I always carry it with me, it works great but most of my nymphs are weighted. I fish mostly high gradiant rocky streams that don't get that deep. but if you put it on a nymph that hasn't been weighted you can see the diference. I never carry or use split shot.

 

[Yotrout]

Thank you so much for your response. I wanted to sneak up on them from behind but that way would have taken me quite far down the creek before i could re enter the water. It's quite reassuring to know that i am doing a few things right. Honestly, sometimes it feels like im doing everything wrong.

How important is line diameter between 2lb and 4lb test tippet? I started using 2lb test on my ultralight spinning rod and noticed a huge difference in the number of trout i landed as opposed to the 4lb i was previously using. Someone had told me it was because of the trouts ability to spot the line. I had assumed i would choose the same for tippet.

Thanks again.

 

[Yotrout]

Any suggetions on how to use this stuff? The directions say to "Apply to fly". Sort of a loaded statement in this sport if you ask me.

 

[Fredrick]

If you can come out fri mornings I would glad to help you get into some fish . Or maybe come down to Ridley in the afternoon for a few hours I could help you out

 

[gfen]

I'm curious to know if this is really any different than simply being dishwashing liquid ala PhotoFlo.

 

[franklin]

I carry Xink and use it occasionally. A fly coated with Xink doesn't hold any air bubbles. There are times I think the air bubbles are important as either an attractor or maybe imitating gas bubbles of an emerger. I have had a guide suggest that I use desiccant on nymphs to promote bubbles. In addition the Xink can tend to mat up some of the fibers which reduces the appearance of action of the fly. I'd be interested in others thoughts on the subject.

BTW Gfen, I think it's silicon based. Xink, that is.

 

[MKern]

I have it and carry it opposite my gink.

However, I never use it and would never buy it again. The downside...I'll have this bottle forever (too cheap to throw it away).

I think spit or a quick dunk at your feet is all that's needed to get the air out of a nymph or streamer.

I think tying/buying weighted flies or using shot is a thousand time better than xink.


side note: to are going to spend the time to dunk your fly to get the air out, use your fingers to squeeze it out. Or else your fly will just sit on the surface.

 

[buffalo7]

gfen wrote:

I'm curious to know if this is really any different than simply being dishwashing liquid ala PhotoFlo.

Are you talking about the photoflo for drying film. I don't think I have anymore of that, I gave all my dark room equipment away.

As far as the xink goes, I'm always afraid of getting it on something I want to float. I can feel the difference when I cast, it must add weight or cause it to obsorb more water.

 

[pcray1231]

I have used it, but don't use it often.

Frankly, for flies that are already wet, I don't think it does anything at all. What it does do is makes them sink right away. For instance, wet flies, eggs, streamers, etc., anything bushy really, they tend to float till you get em good and waterlogged, which can be a few casts. I have spooked fish that way, the first cast with a new fly doesn't get down and its over. But with stuff like this, you avoid that waterlogging period and its good to go right away.

 

[gfen]

buffalo7 wrote:
Are you talking about the photoflo for drying film. I don't think I have anymore of that, I gave all my dark room equipment away.
As far as the xink goes, I'm always afraid of getting it on something I want to float. I can feel the difference when I cast, it must add weight or cause it to obsorb more water.

Indeed.

IMNSHO, Xink is just a wetting agent, like Photoflo. Feels the exact same to my fingers, at least.

Photoflo, in turn, was able to be replicated by a diluted dish detergent.

 

[franklin]

gfen wrote:

buffalo7 wrote:
Are you talking about the photoflo for drying film. I don't think I have anymore of that, I gave all my dark room equipment away.
As far as the xink goes, I'm always afraid of getting it on something I want to float. I can feel the difference when I cast, it must add weight or cause it to obsorb more water.

Indeed.

IMNSHO, Xink is just a wetting agent, like Photoflo. Feels the exact same to my fingers, at least.

Photoflo, in turn, was able to be replicated by a diluted dish detergent.

Yes, I agree. Went and checked my vest. The bottle of sink gunk on my vest is a Loon product. The bottle on my son's vest is Xink which feels as you described. The Loon Sinket feels like silicon.

 

[gfen]

More power to George Gerhke for pulling it off if that's the case, too. Same with Gink which is just cold cream, or I'm sure was in its first incarnation only to maybe be modified in time, I'm sure Xink was nothing more than whatever Photo Flo was in the beginning, if not still so.

Oh, and 10 seconds of google tells me its not soap, its dish detergent.

 

[Yotrout]

Not to change the true nature of this thread but just an fyi. Went out this morning to a regular spot. Used a #16 bead head hares ear with the xink. I watched the fly's sink rate (No aviation pun intended for you pilots out there) and noticed that it did sink faster however it still needed an extra umph to get it down there in the moving water. I believe i am going to have to get used to casting with shot on my tippet.

I didn't get a nibble yet as i was walking out i noticed some spin guys with some decent fish. Aggravating yes, but i wouldn't have it any other way. When i do catch that first trout it'll be all worth it.

 

[buffalo7]

Thats like 3Ms photo mount they package it for wall paper, car headliners and everything else at diferent prices.

 

[bam]

There's no substitute to a heavily weighted fly or shot.

I actually think it's more useful on the leader than the fly. Apply it to part of the leader... especially if you had it loaded up with gink for dry fly fishing.

 

[flipnfly]

i have used it its good for streamers like the muddle and deer hair like that but i quit using it because i noticed it produces a milky cloud when you bring the fly out of the water and squeeze it it does sound liek your doing everyhting ok just get some smaller shot to adjust you weight to where you can feel the bottom but you can only feel it every so often not a constant drag across the bottom also a shorter / less tapered leader will help this is what i do try a 7.5 ft 4 or 5x leader after you used some of the leader and it gets too fat and the butt section is about 5 1/2 long tie some 4 lb fluro tippet about 24 inches a lil bit shorter if using a tandem fly rig this will be alot less tapered your flies will sink faster and you will get less drag on your drift

hope this helped
tight lines

 

[Yotrout]

I'm definitely not ready to play with the dual fly rig yet. Maybe later in the season I'll experiment with that one. As far as the split shot goes, is it more common to use it on the tippet or the leader? I had no idea how important it was to sink that fly. Guess it was something I overlook during my recent month long crash course in fly fishing.

 

[gfen]

Xink doesn't weight the fly or even help it sink any better than a fully saturated fly, it does however help a fly get saturated quicker.

That's why guy who said he uses it on eggs, or the muddler heads, notice it. Those are boyant materials.

Its a wetting agent, breaks surface tension of the water. Once your fly is soaked, xinked to the bejesus or just rubbed in the mud its probably about the same.

However, dry it out on excess false casts, its dry with or without the additive, and the weight of the fly matters more than anything you smeared on it.