Sink Tip Question

[IloveBrookies]

I currently only own a 4wt and 6wt rod with floating line. If I want to get deep I have to add either heavy flies or a bunch of tungsten splitshot, which I've found can work, but also keeps me from casting accurately or getting my flies to the fish I'm targeting when I want to.

I'm thinking of getting a sink tip line, but I'd love some input...I'm wondering what a lot of you guys use during the winter or in higher water conditions when you want your flies to get down deep. Should I get a sink tip line, or a line that is interchangeable or anything else? I'm primarily going to be fishing streamers and nymphs in a medium-sized stream if that helps...does anyone keep a separate reel/line combo in their vest to make a quick change?

 

[turkey]

Take a look at polyleaders from Airflo or versileaders from Rio. They come in different lengths and sink rates.

 

[boychick]

A 4' to 8' piece of T8 or T11 looped at both ends is an instant sink tip. I keep 8' tips in each weight for steelhead in Ohio and a peice of 4' T8 durring smallmouth season it will get big streamers down is faster flows. The sinking leaders Turkey recomends are good too, but have a slower sink rate.

 

[Ramcatt]

Sink tips are not a good option for nymphing

A tip is not for getting your fly down
Rather, it's for keeping you fly down during a swing or strip

 

[jabink84]

I use a fast sinking line that i keep in a case in my pack. most reels you can buy a spare spool, load it with a different line and switch when you need to. when fishing streamers this time of year on the little J i feel its a must(for me)

 

[sandfly]

Sink tips are not a good option for nymphing
A tip is not for getting your fly down Rather, it's for keeping you fly down during a swing or strip

I disagree, sink tips are for getting a nymph down you just don't use a long leader but a short piece of tippet (1'-3') . They are not good for high sticking but for longer cast nymphing they work great. a short 3' tip section with a 2' tippet works wonders on deep fish cast upstream and allowed to drift down. You can not use a indicator but have to learn to watch the floating part of the line.

 

[gulfgreyhound]

In my opinionsink tips are a must have; combined with a sinking leader,different sink rates, they have a variety of uses. Nymphs and streaners will get down and stay down better.I find they are great for trib fishing in cold weather .You can scrape he bottom without split shot and IMO are easier to cast without all the lead on the leader. One trick is to roll cast the line before you try to pick it up to cast.GG

 

[jayL]

I am with ramcatt for the most part. A drag free drift is nearly impossible with a sink tip. You can present nymphs with them, but I find it to be way better for actively fished nymphs. For streamers, they are nice.

I have dead drifted nymphs with a sink tip in a pinch, and it worked. The drifts were short, and drag was an issue.

 

[gulfgreyhound]

Jay,how long a sink tip? Mine are 4ft and I think they work great. GG

 

[Ramcatt]

sandfly wrote:


I disagree, sink tips are for getting a nymph down you just don't use a long leader but a short piece of tippet (1'-3') . They are not good for high sticking but for longer cast nymphing they work great. a short 3' tip section with a 2' tippet works wonders on deep fish cast upstream and allowed to drift down. You can not use a indicator but have to learn to watch the floating part of the line.

weighted in tying and shot get flies down

a tip will be made of 9ips material at the very max... which will not equate to a 9ips fly
a properly weighted fly or shot with an appropriate leader with get down faster every time

if you are truly using the tip to get down with nymphs,
that will mean that the entire tip will be at that depth
which means hang up and snags
especially on a slack line as described

even more trouble if there are any variations of depth/ boulders/hard seams between you and your fly
it may work in some specfic situation... featureless bottom with uniform flow...
but it is not a general technique that will produce positive results



now for swinging and stripping flies... i love them
i fish 30' to 4' tips
and build all of my own tips out of T and Z material
from 8grains per foot to 17 grains per foot

 

[gulfgreyhound]

Ramcatt wrote:

sandfly wrote:



if you are truly using the tip to get down with nymphs,
that will mean that the entire tip will be at that depth
which means hang up and snags
especially on a slack line as described

I disagree. If the tip is 4ft and you add in 6ft. of sinking leader you have to take into account the floating line behind the tip.
As I said I don't seem to have a problem getting hung up the current tends to keep everything moving and sort of ticking the bottom. GG

 

[jayL]

I find that a long, straight mono leader gets me down if I use shot or heavy flies. Just seems to be better contact with the flies, and less issues with mending, snags, and drag.

I've fished the way you are describing before. I actually just did it a few weeks ago on the yellowstone with a bugger. It worked, but I definitely was doing more of a zen hookset thing, as drag and the bulky sink tip had me feeling almost nothing. This last weekend, I went with a long, straight 0x leader to a heavy fly, and just generally felt more strikes.

The disclaimer is that the water was 10-15 degrees warmer last weekend.

 

[boychick]

I swing or strip big streamers with sink tips, never thought to nymph with one. Not sure how you would do that.

 

[IloveBrookies]

Thanks for all of the posts! I think at this point I'm leaning towards an interchangable line, as I like the idea of being able to change things up without having to carry an extra line or reel with me. For those of you who use those, what are the pros and cons?