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Post by flyguy on Dec 28, 2003 22:33:43 GMT -6
Any sugestions for a sinking line for lake fishing? I often fish lake of the woods, and I am wondering what kind of sinking line I should buy. I will most likey be fishing smallmouth.
I checked out pure sinking lines and was blown away by the choices, do i want a fast or slow sinking rate types i-v etc.
I also checked out a 30' head and a 12' mini head.
Any sugestions?
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Post by cane on Dec 28, 2003 23:21:46 GMT -6
Hi- take a look at the sink rates(inches per second)- I use a #II and a slime line( very slow) depending on the patterns you use and the way you fish - you can find a line that suits. A #2 or #3 is pretty standard for deep water-up to 30 ft deep- work using standard-North American style lake patterns sub surface
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Post by RickL on Dec 29, 2003 10:25:19 GMT -6
I cannot claim to have much experience with different types of sinking lines as I am still using the first one I ever bought, but there are times it is handy to use. One thing I personally am wondering about sinking lines is if the uniform sink lines really make a difference. The uniform sink lines are supposed to not sag in the middle, making depth control easier and strike detection more sensitive. Is this true enough to justify buying a new line? If anyone has experience with both and would care to comment...?
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Post by cane on Dec 29, 2003 10:51:37 GMT -6
oops noticed i said i use a #1 - I meant # 2 - if you think about it all sinking lines will get to any depth if you wait long enough:)) for lake work its more a matter of where in the water column you want the line to mostly stay during the retreive. It,s tough to keep a #IV in the upper water column remembering the line is still sinking as you retreive:) without ripping it back at breakneck speed
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Post by flyfisheranonymous on Dec 29, 2003 11:01:49 GMT -6
Hey Guys: The lines I use are a sink tip to cover the first 10 ft. of water. To go deeper I use a type IV sinking. This line will sink at approx. 6" per second. If you count to 10 your line will be down 5 ft. As for uniform sink lines you have to remember how long you want your fly in the strike zone. Using a regular sink line in 10 ft. of water your fly will be in the zone for approx. 3 ft. If you use a uniform sink line you extend the strike zone to 8 or 9 ft. Is it worth it? I think so. If you do want to get a new line a type IV uniform sink is the way to go. Hope this helps.
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Robert Burton
Fly Fishing Zombie
Eventually all things merge into one, and a river runs through it.
Posts: 4,744
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Post by Robert Burton on Dec 29, 2003 11:02:03 GMT -6
I have only been using a full sink and a sink tip. I think i like the sink tip more but i still prefer to time my trout fishing for when the fish are closer to the surface. I find plenty of hits/hook ups and no landings more frustrating than no hits/hook ups and no fish. rb
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Post by flyguy on Dec 29, 2003 17:43:11 GMT -6
thanks guys,
I have a sinking mini head for shallower water, so i think I might go for the faster uniform sinking for deeper water as flyfisheranonymous has suggeted. I sure this line will work well in the red river as well.
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Post by flyguy on Dec 29, 2003 17:47:22 GMT -6
I understand that the mini sinking heads are weighted with lead. Is this an ecological no-no? It appears that the lead is encased within a vinyl sheath. I have heard that lead should not be used for fishing anymore. Is this true for Manitoba?
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Post by cane on Dec 29, 2003 20:37:58 GMT -6
Hi FlyFisherAnon- i,m curious how the difference between a regular and uniform sink line tranlates into a longer time in the zone for the uniform-
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Post by cane on Dec 29, 2003 20:39:06 GMT -6
stupid emoticons i meant question mark<repeated not frown-lol
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Post by cane on Dec 29, 2003 20:42:01 GMT -6
hi
i,m also curious if you see a role for #2 and #3 lines - given that 6 i/p/s seems very fast- would,nt it be usefull to exploit the slower sink rates for taking fish on the "drop"
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Post by caddisguy on Dec 29, 2003 22:58:25 GMT -6
I quess everyone has to find a system that works for their own casting styles and fishing situations. For my 6 wt system I use primarily a wt forward floating line and ajust the leader length or use weighted flies to fish down to 10ft. If I need to go below that or am fishing heavy current I use a type IV UNIFORM sink. I have a Multi-Line system by Orvis for my 8 wt. THis system gives you the advantage of having 4 lines for the price of 2. The system is a take off of the shooting head systems that have been around for decades only a little more refined. The 30 ft heads are attatched via loop to loop conectors which are built into the lines so no knot tying required. You get a wt fwd floating line, intermediate clear slow sinking line, Type III full sink and a type VI full sink line. This type of line is excellent for for Bass fishing because you can go after them no matter what depth there at. I have even connected the sinking lines together to fish down to 30-40 ft. The sinking lines fish like sink tips because the running line is a floater. I don't know if I would recomend this system for a beginner caster because it they take a little getting used to, some casting skill is required. The advertised seamless connection is not as seamless as a one piece line but the benefits make up for some of that. You don't have to fumble around restringing a new reel every time you want to change fishing tactics, and there is the $ factor. I would not recomend this type of line for rods less than 7 wt as the loop connectors need fairly large quides to travel through when casting. Keep your system as simple as you can. It will keep the gear sorting time to a minimum and the fishing time to maximum which is what were out there for anyway isn't it.
Caddisguy
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Post by darrellmyskiw on Dec 30, 2003 11:10:00 GMT -6
so much info on sinking lines - scary thing is - its making sense..... ;D I'm still stuck on floating lines - although I definately need to get into sinking lines sometimes soon. FlyGuy - in response to the lead and ecological no-no. Lead is only banned in Manitoba within the National Parks - which is nation wide (obviously). The ban includes posession (and they do check). I try to stay away from lead as much as possible if the options are available. My 2-bits to the environment. The province has pondered the banning of lead for fishing - I believe the jury is still out on that one. darrell,
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Post by flyfisheranonymous on Dec 31, 2003 10:39:58 GMT -6
The reason the uniform sink generates into staying longer in the strike zone is the whole line sinks evenly. That is all the line will sink at the same rate. In regular lines the head ( first 30 ft. ) contains most of the weight therefore it sinks in a u shape and can only cover a fraction of the area. The uniform sinks in a straight line and covers more area. Hope this clears up your question.
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Post by flyguy on Jan 1, 2004 14:18:48 GMT -6
Hey Stu, If you use a iv or a v uniform sinking line, are you able to keep the fly just off the bottom? Or is it going to sink so quickly that the fly is dragging along the rocks(and getting snagged) no matter how fast you strip? Ideally I would like a line that when stripped slowly will keep the fly just off the bottom. Is that possible?
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Robert Burton
Fly Fishing Zombie
Eventually all things merge into one, and a river runs through it.
Posts: 4,744
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Post by Robert Burton on Jan 1, 2004 14:39:50 GMT -6
That would totally depend on the depthof the water, leader length and the sink rate of the line.
Shallow water slow-medium current. floating line with leader and weighted fly.
Medium depth water maybe a slow sink but with faster current maybe a medium sink .
In lakes the sink rate has more to do with the time it takes for the line to get down to where ya want it.
"Down near bottom " is a very relative term. In conventional fishing we see if we are dredging the bottom (weeds on the lure) the change what the presentation. Same thing in fly fishing. It is just not as easy as changing from a diving rapala to a floating one.
If you haven't bought alot of stuff yet the perfect answer is to have one reel and many spools for it. Or Johns system from Orvis with the multiple heads.
rb
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Post by cane on Jan 1, 2004 15:33:51 GMT -6
Hi
to bad its lead based but - by getting a lead core fly line( for making shooting heads) cutting it in 4/8/12/etc inch lengths( so you have various weights) and adding loops to either end so they can be quickly changed- and using them with a sinking line in conjunction with Booby or Foam backed style flies- ie -flies that will float up:))) . By varying the leader length you have a Supending fly setup with the lead core "anchoring" the fly line end to the bottom in a very snag free way.
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Post by caddisguy on Jan 1, 2004 16:16:39 GMT -6
:oThis picking lines has really got a WOW factor doesn't it. Get 10 guys to build a mouse trap and you will have 10 diffrent ways to kill a mouse . The end solution is still the same . The fun part of the "River Why?" is trying out all these diffrent techniques and finding out what works for YOU. I think there has been a good demonstration here of the ability of Fly fisherman to play in any part of the water column. Just a small advantage to becoming a complete fisherman. It is a little like looking at a 3d chess board and being able to play at all levels at once. Just don't over anilize the situation but play the game and have fun.
Caddisguy ;D
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Post by Dale Martens on Jan 1, 2004 20:59:22 GMT -6
This is a good thread! It's interesting to see how different people solve the same problem. I thought I might throw in my two cents worth!
I started out with a floating line and a type IV full sinker. My thinking was that if you want to get down, then you may as well get down fast.
However, I came to realize that much of my fly fishing for trout and bass in lakes and ponds involved sinking flies in 3' and 10' depths. The type IV was a bit too "snaggy" for this so I went out and bought myself a type II full sinker; it sinks at about 3" per second and seems to work very well for me. I reserve the type IV for depths greater than 10'.
If I had to do it all over again and buy only one full sinking I'd go for a type II or a type III.
Trying to figure out the best solution to a fly fishing problem is part of the fun...
Dale
P.S. I like the idea of a type I (or intermediate or slime line) but in practice I don't have the patiece needed for them to sink.
P.P.S. I use regular sinking lines but if I had to re-purchase them I'd probably go for the uniform sink.
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Post by flyfisheranonymous on Jan 2, 2004 12:38:29 GMT -6
Hi Flyguy: To keep your fly just off the bottom you have to tie it in a way that it floats. Any pattern that is tied in the old style ( fur and feather ) will sink. If you tie in a foam under body or a peice of foam on the fly somewhere you will have a pattern that can be fished just off the bottom. A prime example of this style of fly is a Boobie. Developed in England this fly is deadly on our lakes. You don't even have to retrive it before a fish hits. With this type of fly you can use any sinkink line you want. Once again my favorite line is a type IV. Now go out a catch a big bow. Have fun tying.
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Post by flyguy on Jan 2, 2004 20:26:56 GMT -6
Thanks guys, lots of things to consider.
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