Need some suggestions. I haven't fished streamers in years as I've been hooked on tactical/euro for the past decade. However, I want to get back into it. Previously I was tossing smaller streamers like buggers and used my regular WFF fly line for that on my traditional fly rod. I want to fisher larger streamers - not the really large dungeons but the likes of mini dungeons. I have a 6wt that I pretty much used exclusively in the past for Smallmouth on the Delaware and Susky and larger streams. I have a sink tip on it (photos) which is 10ft of type III. I would like to get into a more modern sinking head not just tip or even a triple density for a few reasons - but mostly to ditch the belly that is created by the short sink tip which creates an unnatural baitfish fleeing action and want to present something more natural like a downstream escape which more of the fly line sinking will aid - to alleviate the jigging action and instead cast more upstream and let the long sunken head section belly underwater and pull the fly downstream straight-ish and maintain the position in the water column - say...neutral from where I started to strip back to stop the descent. I will be using this primarily for Trout - like big aggressive Browns. Appreciate any suggestions or input on what others are using.
Need suggestion on a streamer-specific line.
- Thread starter galvanni
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Nymph-wristed
Well-known member
This is an interesting question! I like chunking a streamer, but I am far from an expert on this. I just saw that this question has sat for a day. I personally would like to see some of the answers.
I have never found a sink tip all that effective in moving water or at least fast-moving water, also for the belly you noted. I use an SA line that has a heavier taper and I will stack mend if I want the fly to get deeper. I am sure I have missed a take or two while mending this way, so I try to start the cast well above where I think the fish are. I use more tungsten and lengthen the leader if I don't like the depth at which it's swinging.
I also upstream streamer fish with jig streamers a lot more these days then I did in the past, sometimes up to 5.5 mm tungsten beads. Less step and swing and more targeting of specific lies.
I have never found a sink tip all that effective in moving water or at least fast-moving water, also for the belly you noted. I use an SA line that has a heavier taper and I will stack mend if I want the fly to get deeper. I am sure I have missed a take or two while mending this way, so I try to start the cast well above where I think the fish are. I use more tungsten and lengthen the leader if I don't like the depth at which it's swinging.
I also upstream streamer fish with jig streamers a lot more these days then I did in the past, sometimes up to 5.5 mm tungsten beads. Less step and swing and more targeting of specific lies.
I've been happy with the Airflo Shovel Head for streamers.
Also don't sleep on a mono rig. You wont bomb casts 100' but the control you have on the fly is unmatched. I sometimes use 20# Maxima for the running line but have also been using a spey running line like SA Absolute Flat or OPST Lazar line.
Also don't sleep on a mono rig. You wont bomb casts 100' but the control you have on the fly is unmatched. I sometimes use 20# Maxima for the running line but have also been using a spey running line like SA Absolute Flat or OPST Lazar line.
Mikey2006
Well-known member
Cortland streamer line (floating) is what I use. Floating is all you need for streamer fishing imo, but then again I only wade fish medium sized rivers and small creeks. Unless you are gonna be fishing off a boat but even then PA doesn’t have many rivers that are large enough to demand a sink tip or sinking line. I’m sure there are places where they are more effective though.
Don’t be afraid to throw full size dungeons. I’ve caught fish as small as 9 inches on them and a 6wt can handle them perfectly fine
Don’t be afraid to throw full size dungeons. I’ve caught fish as small as 9 inches on them and a 6wt can handle them perfectly fine
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tjsingle
Well-known member
Questions to ask - Are you wading or floating? If wading you might want to go sink tip over full sink so it doesn't get tangled in your feet.
Also what type of streams are you fishing?
I like Orvis Bankshot. I use it on my 7wt with lots of success. Intermediate might be a good option too.
Overkill for small or medium streams, but at that point I am brining my 5wt and fishing smaller streamers anyway.
Also what type of streams are you fishing?
I like Orvis Bankshot. I use it on my 7wt with lots of success. Intermediate might be a good option too.
Overkill for small or medium streams, but at that point I am brining my 5wt and fishing smaller streamers anyway.
Nymph-wristed
Well-known member
Yes, I should have added that when I am upstream streamer fishing, it is with a mono rig 👍
TerrellBFly
Active member
I use the Cortland Streamer sink tip 10 t3. Perfect for my preference, style of fishing and the rivers I fish here in PA. Also pairs well the rod speed, Echo Streamer X 7wt. I would cast a few different types, to see what goes well with the rod you are using.
For instance, on my 5wt streamer rig, I use airflow sink tip 3". That rod has completely different action than my 7 wt.
For instance, on my 5wt streamer rig, I use airflow sink tip 3". That rod has completely different action than my 7 wt.
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PennKev
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Nothing wrong with the fly having a jig like action. It' s quite desirable actually. I can understand wanting the fly to maintain depth, but "straight-ish" movements ain't all that.
NRD
Active member
I recently bought this line for my 6wt Streamer X, and wished I had gotten the 7wt line instead. The line I was considering replacing was the Airflo Streamer Max Short, which is heavier than the Cortland. I feel like I need to swing faster to load the rod with the Cortland 6wt line. It probably feels better on a different rod, and I have too many 6wts, but I haven't had time to try other rods yet.
drakeking412
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Orvis Bankshot for most wading applications. Recently I’ve really been liking the rio 250 grain full sink though on my 7wt. I’m mostly fishing heavy current with it though and a mend is very important.
TerrellBFly
Active member
CRB
Well-known member
This is very interesting post.
I usually use just a long belly weight forward for swinging steelhead and small mouth fishing up here in Northwest Pennsylvania. For my lake fishing I use floating, intermediate and density compensated deep sinking all dependent on fishing depth and if wade or boat fishing.
The longer you fly fishing the more lines you'll experiment with I think I have at-least 4-5 different lines at home( sink tips, level, full sink density compensated,...)I usually am using these lines in the fall with sink tips too.
Remember to vary your leader lengths as this too will effect depth depending upon if the streamer is weighted or unweighted.
Sometimes even use a split shot or two about 1.5-2 feet before the streamer.
I usually use just a long belly weight forward for swinging steelhead and small mouth fishing up here in Northwest Pennsylvania. For my lake fishing I use floating, intermediate and density compensated deep sinking all dependent on fishing depth and if wade or boat fishing.
The longer you fly fishing the more lines you'll experiment with I think I have at-least 4-5 different lines at home( sink tips, level, full sink density compensated,...)I usually am using these lines in the fall with sink tips too.
Remember to vary your leader lengths as this too will effect depth depending upon if the streamer is weighted or unweighted.
Sometimes even use a split shot or two about 1.5-2 feet before the streamer.
NRD
Active member
I've gone back to using the Max Short exclusively with my Streamer X rod, because I prefer the heavier head. Sometime soon, I want to try the Cortland line on my 6wt Helios 2 Mid flex.
Actually, I wish I'd bought the 7 wt Cortland line.
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Sylvaneous
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For unweighted smallmouth streamers, I got a graduated sink tip line, but I wasn't happy with what I got. I needed something with the heavy weight at the tip to sink and make it easier to get more line in , or work with a shorter line. It would , like , sink kinda uncomfortably far down in the middle of the sinking tip and be harder to manage. And, with that, got a too fast a sinking line. I got it for drifting the Allegheny and really only wanted to work the streamer (Murdich's and whatever version of Lefty's deciever I strung together) down to about 3 ft. I used it on my jetboat with my buddie, so care and tightness of casting of line was VERY important. This 'sagging" made it difficult to get the line in to where I could re-cast it. I was really fighting it's sunken-ness right when I wanted to pick it up and cast it again. We are always drifting and fishing towards the bank, so I needed to be able to fish it more rapid-fire style than using a LOOOOOONG retrieve. AND, where I would fish over a flat or glide where I WOULD make a full line retrieve (not casting to 1 target), it would bog into the weeds in that time of retrieval. I think I will just cut off like 10 ft of the sink tip. I don't think it will hurt anything.
BUT TO YOUR POINT: I had NO idea, really , what I was doing, just dead reconing and guessing from a distance. These are some disappointing experiences I had with my line and it was/is a good SA line (forgot the series name) just by its nature, not because it is bad; stuff I didn't expect and discovered with use. Kelly Galloup made streamer lines. I have no idea if one of those would have avoided the problems I found with mine. I would get a less dense line next time, though.
