Fly Line

[Ruger01]

I'm looking for recomendations on some good fly lines--for intermediate sinking, and sinking (fast sinking?) lines. Only experience I have is with floating lines.

Any recomendations on brands for these types of lines? There's so many out there, it's hard to know what's good.

Thanks!

[6XLeech]

Rio Versi-tip

Depends on your applications, but I used Rio's Versitip for several years with good results and still like the idea of a sinktip better than sinking fly lines, which are necessary for some (salt?) waters , but not for any fishing I do (trout, char, grayling, salmon, steelhead).

What's bad about a multi-tip (changeable tip) line is the hinge effect - the loop:loop connection between the sinktip and the rest of the flyline - which bothers some. I'm no expert, but found that especially when fishing weighted flies (usually), that was not a problem. I would buy Rio's product again without hesitation.

Good luck.

[garnede]

I don't know where you are located, but Mountian View Sports had some Rio and Scientific Anglers Mastery series lines on clearance. There were several multi tip lines there too. Might be worth a look if you are near town.

[danattherock]

Like 6XLeech says, it will depend on the application.

For me personally, swinging flies in 5-10 foot of water for NW Alaska dollies and one trip to SW Alaska for silvers, I chose the Scientific Anglers "Wet Tip" lines. These come in several sink rates, type I, II, III, IV, and V. The larger the number the faster they sink. I employ the type IV most the time. But this will vary depending on the waters you are fishing. It would be logical to have a type III and IV in some instances. Depends on where you are fishing and of course how many extra reels/spools you have. The length of the sink tip varies on line weight. A 6 wt is shorter than an 8 wt for example. My use with these is on my 7wt and 8wt reels. My 8 wt is a type IV 14 foot sink tip and works great in 5-10 foot of water. I usually use 3.5 foot leaders with this line. But this is highly subjective of course and you need to give some thought to your intended species and fishing grounds. I have used these lines for a few years and I am very happy with them. Below is a link.

http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/te...497&hasJS=true

[danattherock]

It would be logical to have a type III and IV in some instances.

Typo. My bad. I meant to say "It would be logical to have a type III and V in some instances."

Type III on the runs and then the type V for fishing deeper holes. Most people would likely do well with only one line, being a type III or IV. Just depends on where you fish (and how many reels/spools you have).

[stevesch]

I also use Scientific Angler "wet tip", in the way d-rock describes. There are less expensive economy brands that will do the same thing, but I like the characteristics of wet tip, especially its flexibility in all different temperatures, relatively low coil memory, and the length of the tip seems just right for the type and rod weight.

[TimK]

Rio is the way to go. They have an assortment of sinking tips lines but not with overwhelming info. Versitip is a great choice, better than a full-fledged sinking line.

[jakec5253]

make your own sink tips

Have you thought about buying/making sink tips to use with your floating line? Mt. View Sports carries T8 and T14 sinking line that you can buy by the foot. At .45 cents a foot, they are very reasonable, and can be cut to any length you like.


Jake

[stevesch]

As for "making your own" sinktip, or buying rio's sinktips (a fixed 15', if I recall):

Been there, done that, don't bother, none of that works as good as the integrated line. Go with the best, get the SA mastery series wet tip, and if you go cheap and get something else, I'd go shorter - like a 10 foot tip (and in any case certainly avoid the 24' tips that go with the "teeny"-type lines). There are some economy brands by Cortland and even Cabela's that are probably serviceable, but not as good.

If you get just one line, I would recommend a type III sink tip, and add weight or use heavier flies in deeper, faster water, if needed.

[danattherock]

Good advice Steve. I think it would be hard to go wrong with this set up.

[Wyo2AK]

I typically use the SA wet tip with a type IV sink tip, and have been very happy with it. I've given thought before to making my own sink tips (mostly just to have some other fishing-related project to work on during the winter) but have never got around to it.

When I was driving through Canada, I picked up a Canadian made sinktip called Aquanova to serve as a spare. For the fifteen bucks I spent on it I've been really impressed. Several friends and visiting family have used it, and I've tried it out a few times to good results. It stays supple in the cold water and has virtually no memory - not a bad impulse buy.

[TYNMON]

Trustworthy's in Soldotna had a bunch of 250 gn, 350 gn, and a few 450 gn, SA mastery series lines for $22.50 last fall... I am a SA man myself... But lord odear is this a good deal.