how to fish a sink tip fly line

Pressure plays a key role in determining where the fish hold. I seldom use sink tips for nymph fishing because the floating line and strike indicator method is … With football season getting started and the nights growing cooler, it appears that summer is winding down. Then a sink-tip or sinking line can get your fly right down to where the fish will be. The best sinking line for fly fishing will need to fit your needs as an angler. Change ), You are commenting using your Google account. Slow water allows the fly and tip to sink fast so go lighter (10-12 feet of T-8 or T-11; or Airflo’s 10 foot flow tips in T-7 or T-10). The original fifteen foot tips come with a color coded welded loop that indicate the tips’ density (or in this case, sink rate) and the weight of the rod/line weight it should be used on. When fishing a floating line, or sink tip line, the fly will sink to the desired depth (the countdown equation) before starting the retrieve. These sinking tip additions which sometimes come as part of a Spey Line or Shooting Head 'system' as they're know these days are badged in various numbers and usually described typically as Type 3 or Type 6 etc. The angler landed a salmon even though when he started to fish he got his fly snagged and lost the only leader he had as he'd forgot to lift his spare leader material from his car boot that morning. On the outside of the swing, or inside? The sink-tip lines with longer tips can also be used in lakes for trolling or fishing along the edges of shoals. If you’re wading, these lines can keep you in the zone longer and increase the odds of success. The first 10 to 30 feet is the sinking section; the balance is a floating line. Let good old logic be your judge and these above contraditctions are more than likely because the authors never truly knew where their salmon fly was really fishing when they caught salmon as a heavy sunk line in the big water of Spring in any pool with half a flow will only be 'flight pathing' your fly about a foot down even though giving the angler the impression of a much deeper swim. The sink-tip line is a combination of the floating fly line and sinking fly line. The dilemma is that a two foot sink tip won’t allow the short, compact anatomy of a Skagit line … PRO TIP: When fishing the outside of the swing, keep your mending to a minimum so that you don’t disturb the fly where the fish is holding. PRO TIP: If the tip you have on is causing you to blow your anchor because it is too short, you can make your leader longer or put on a heavier fly. In order to get the proper depth, we lengthen our leaders and fish weighted flies. The Titan taper is easier to cast than a lot of other full-sinking lines out there, and due to the sink profile where the tip sinks the fastest, you get a straight-line connection to the fly line that gives you extraordinary feel when fishing delicate chironomid patterns, and when you’re setting the hook at long distances and in deep water. A traditional fly line, like the weight-forward line diagramed, has five parts. 12 foot Floating, Intermediate, Type 3 and Type 6 Airflo Polyleaders. The middle of the line is Sink 3, sinking at 2 1/2 – 3 1/2 inches per second. On other ocassions a fly that's fished too high above a disinterested fish won't even generate a flicker of its dorsal fin. The other factors to undertand about fly fishing for salmon with sink tips or a full floatring line is to know what length of leader to use. When it comes to fishing streamers in cold water, it’s difficult to beat the SONAR Sink 25. It is really difficult to convince a picky steelhead to grab if your fly is not being presented well so pick a sinking tip that is within your casting ability. The part of the fly line that sinks is coated with powdered tungsten. Gravel swales and troughs- I prefer short, heavy tips (10 feet of T-11 or T-14) in this situation with lightly weighted flies. Once the retrieve begins, the fly line will pull the fly in the same direction it is being retrieved. Every spey rod is different. These fish catch the majority of their food well below the surface of the water, so the sinking fly line is ideal to entice them to bite. With a higher fishing sink tip a 5ft to 6ft leader or a 10ft leader with a full floating line is normally about right. The floating section has small micro balloons added to its coating to help it float. Weightless flies that are easier to cast and sometimes have better “action” can be used and so can shorter leaders. Start throwing roll-cast mends directly upstream of the tip of the fly line, to feed slack into the drift. An intermediate fly line sinks very slowly to allow you to fish your flies in the top few feet of water. Like any other fly line, the tip of a sinking line is thinner to aid presentation and allow you to get a nice taper down to your leader, so this bit sinks slowly. I will cast as far as I can, and then paddle away from the cast at the fly sinks. The key is to strip enough line back to lift most of the sink tip back then sweep the rod up river lifting the sink tip up out of the water. Where is the fish likely to hold? A fly line that can sink at the appropriate rate and put your fly directly in front of the fish. It has become apparantly obvious over the years that although many salmon anglers fully understand all about the different densities and lengths of the sink tips that are available very few fully understand exactly where these tungsten impregnated sink tips are taking their salmon fly to in the water column in each and every differing water condition. The depth of your salmon fly is an important part of success in salmon fishing so in the next few paragraphs I'll give you a few of my own personal thoughts to hopefully clear up a few misconceptions on this fascinating topic. And for trout fishing, WF taper should be the first fly line any angler buys. Cold Water (below 52 degrees F)- fish may be lethargic and are typically found in the slower moving, shallower sections of runs. In the case of a floating line, that is towards the surface. A sinking fly line is used to fish for streamers and nymphs. For most fly fishing, the weight-forward (WF) taper is the fly line of choice. A mini sink tip line is between ten and fifteen feet long. Here is what you will find in my sinking tip wallets. Most steelhead fisherman use 6-8 weights. A sink tip fly line is around 90 feet long. ( Log Out /  Questions? While there is still plenty of dry fly fishing to be had in September, fall inevitably brings to mind streamer fishing for brown trout with colors as bright as the trees we fish beneath. This technique, often called the Wet Fly Steelhead Swing, is required to control a sink tip line in moving water. Sink tips are not required by most fly lines, but it is preferred to use a tip most of the time in many fly fishing applications including trout, salmon, seatrout and pike fishing to get your fly into position i.e.placement, depth of the fly and your presentation. On top of that the sink-tip portion can vary in lengths from as short as five feet to as long as thirty. Phone: +44 (0)131 618 7058Email: jock@salmon-fishing-scotland.com. What’s the Best Way to Cast Sink Tips on a Fly Line Since the river I fish is a tree choked 40 to 70 feet across, I usually roll cast down and across the current. This means that, unlike polyleaders, sink tips have no taper and are the same diameter at the business end (the fly end) as they are in … Comments? I've never been a fan of fluorocarbon as it's no where near as reliable as Maxima for various reasons and I've personally seen far too many salmon escape capture even though it'll suit a tackle dealer to sell it! Sink-tip lines always consist of two colors. In normal salmon fishing conditions like that you really need to be able to present your fly through the square metre of water right infront of the salmon nose for half a chance of the desired reaction. Ledges- probably the trickiest structure to swing. When the tip of the fly line is 10 feet upstream of your target, start making short strips to pull … What you get is the tip section of the fly line, usually the first 8′ to 16′ feet (approximately), is the sinking portion and the remainder is the floating line. An intermediate sink line or better yet an intermediate tip with a floating running line should be your go-to fly line. The rule of thumb is to shorten the leader down to as little as 3 or 4ft if you're fishing a heavy sink tip as you don't want the fast sinking tip down deep and the fly still riding high because your leader is too long. A sink tip fly line solves these problems by allowing the front portion of the fly line to sink. It is the most common line used today for fishing nymph and streamers. Sink tips carry along all the benefits of a polyleader, with the added benefit of a level or flat construction. Leader strength selection should be all about the weight of the fly you're fishing as you'll need a bulky leader to transfer the engery to the fly as a light leader just will not be able to do that effectively. RIO InTouch Big Nasty Sink Tip Fly Line Change ), You are commenting using your Twitter account. Here are a few recommendations. Most streamer-caught fish will hold tight to the structure on the bottom and then rise to chase the fly. if that’s not enough, add split shot a couple inches in front of the fly. The front taper, the belly and the rear taper form the head. Tube flies (unweighted) are slightly buoyant and fish best on the inside of the swing or shallow riffles and runs. Here I am fishing a weighted fly and a short, heavy tip. The first third of this line is the sinking portion. When I fish lakes, my plan to to keep the fly at the proper depth as long as possible. If you are going to use full sinking lines or sink tips longer than 15 ft use a stripping basket. There is something about the fly gradually coming closer to the fish as you step down a run that builds up an anxiety in steelhead and elicits those hair-raising grabs. Fish a light sink tip in the riffle (10 foot Airflo FLO tip in T-7) then switch to a longer heavier tip (10-12 feet of T-11 or T-14) for the “gut” of the run. This allows the flies to continue sinking. The fly barely ticks the bottom on the outside of the swing and drops into the sweet spot in the trough. If you're fishing a 20-foot drop-off, a full sinking line may be a better bet. He had in desperation stripped back a few inches of the pvc coating from the front of his fly line and tied a fly onto the braided core! Giving you the best chance of catching it. Fill in your details below or click an icon to log in: You are commenting using your WordPress.com account. ( Log Out /  ( Log Out /  I prefer tip wallets that have zip-lock style baggies to keep everything neatly seperated. ( Log Out /  I like these flies on the outside of the swing in non-structured runs to prevent hanging up. Don’t guess what the tip is. I love fishing gravel troughs. Choosing a weighted fly will help get your fly down faster on the outside of the swing. Salmon as predators hunt from below so a salmon that's in a serious taking mood will come a long way up off the rivebed to intercept a salmon fly if it wants it enough. Now, if you’re new to fly fishing or … There are a number of sink fly lines that perform somewhat differently to one another. There is no magic tip that will work the best for all of the runs you may swing but here are a couple questions to consider when making your selection. As a rule of thumb the darker the tip the faster it sinks. Fish a long, heavy tip (12’ of T-11 or T-14) and situate yourself in a place so that you hang down on the channel side of the run and hold on. In order to maximize my guest’s success and cover the large variety of conditions we encounter, I carry a barrage of sinking tips. Casting and Swinging a Sink Tip Fly Line . An intermediate line sinks very slow and should allow you to fish in 1-6 feet of water very effectively with an unweighted fly. Decide if you want a floating, sink-tip or full sinking line; Decide what type of taper you want the fly line to be. With a copper 2 inch tube fly I'd personally be using 4ft of 25lbs Maxima Chameleon monafilament to get the energy transfer turnover bang on. While I paddle, I am shaking more line out of the rod tip until I have the full line out. I recommend longer, heaver tips (12-15 feet of T-11 to T-17) and a weighted fly. Photo credit Marcus Mattioli. Choose a line that achieves the sink rate that you desire. This buys you two things. It has a sink rate of approximately 3 – 4 inches per second; making a great line for streamer fishing through fast trout waters or casting for bass along shallow lake shores. Change ), You are commenting using your Facebook account. Chris I use both sink tips and full sink lines. Therefore these digits bear zero reference as to the sink rate performance the same sink tip material would achieve in a flowing river. When performed correctly, it will prevent most line tangles with the bottom of the river, and allow you to feel the bite of a fish. If there is a lot of pressure, fish heavier, longer tips and focus your attention on hard to reach places. Sink-Tip Fly Lines (Labeled as F/S) A sink-tip fly line is a line that is about 90 feet long. One of the anglers was dropped off on the far side of the Tay one morning before the ghillie went boat fishing to the other end of the beat. PRO TIP: Keep you tip wallet(s) well organized and labeled. I honestly believe that some of the salmon fishing book authors either have caught few salmon or had consumed far too many drams while they were writing. Photo credit Marcus Mattioli, Inside- fish a shorter (10-12 feet) lighter tip (T-8 or T-11), Outside- fish a longer (12-15 feet) heavier tip (T-11 to T-17). For example, 'deep & slow' in the early cold Spring and floating lines in the warm Summer water are logically inaccurate as there's much more chance of a salmon positioning itself high in the very cold water months where the warmer thermals are located as there is of a salmon lying deep on the bottom of the riverbed where the cooler water is to be found through the warmer Summer months. I use various sinking rate lines, I never use a sink tip, always full sinking lines. Traditional irons have a tendency to sink fast because they are typically tied sparse and the weight of the hook provides sinking ability. With an integrated sinking tip or full-sinking line, you need to continue to strip the line all the way in before you can recast. You can find these tips and more at The Ashland Fly Shop. Send me an email: stuswarren@gmail.com. They present streamers and wet flies well. PRO TIP: Consistency is KEY. There are times when an angler is looking to specifically sink their fly into pocket-water, or behind structure without the use of a full tip. … The rule of thumb is to shorten the leader down to as little as 3 or 4ft if you're fishing a heavy sink tip as you don't want the fast sinking tip down deep and the fly still riding high because your leader is too long. First, as the tip rockets down the water column it’s not having to drag a floating line down with it, which is the case with normal sink tip lines. If you're fishing structure that's 5-10 feet deep, an intermediate fly line may be the best line for the job. InTouch 15ft Sink Tip Fly Line (RIO) Some say that Rio’s InTouch fly line is the best sink tip fly line on the market today. Fast/Heavy water usually requires getting the fly down fast. Unweighted flies fish best on the inside of the swing where the sinking tip can get down but the unweighted fly stays out of the rocks. They have a tendency to hang up on the hang down. Sink tips get your fly down while making it easier for you to mend line and get a proper drift … As the name suggests, it sits halfway between a floating fly line and a medium sinking fly line like a Di3, which sinks at three inches per second (3 IPS). Big boulders- fish a short, light to medium tip depending on depth so the tip doesn’t get wrapped around the boulder (I love the Airflo 10’ FLO Tips in this situation). Remember that a 6 weight rod will not cast a heavy tip as well as an 8 weight. With a higher fishing sink tip a 5ft to 6ft leader or a 10ft leader with a full floating line is normally about right. Weighted flies fish best on the outside of the swing and in deep buckets. Selecting the proper sink tip to maximize your steelhead fishing success is not simple like choosing your favorite fly. The rest of the line will float on the surface of the water. It features 15 ft of weight forward line. No, since the tungsten powder is mixed with the fly line coating plastic, the thicker the plastic coating, the heavier the fly line will be in that area, and the faster it will sink. If the tip you put on bogs your rod down, try going shorter, then lighter. Photo credit Marcus Mattioli. A floating line in Summer on some of the shallower Scottish rivers will obviously place the salmon fly close enough to salmon unless its a deeper pool when the fly will fish way up too high over their heads. Simon’s response was invaluable and I will include it, but first, let’s talk a bit about the difference between traditional fly lines and Spey systems. They can be floating or intermediate lines. Fish have a tendency to hold deep and right up against the ledge. Sink Tip Lines A sink tip line is composed of a floating line and a five foot to thirty foot sinking head. How to Choose a Sink-Tip Fly Line. And with the fly line submerged, the fly will stay down and retrieve more in a straight line rather than upward toward the surface. Sink tip lines are useful for stream fishing. What these number are referring to is the depth of what a 1 inch cut section of this material would sink at if dropped into a glass of water i.e 3 inches or 6 inches per second. One will note that the heaviest tip (type 8) is thinner than the lightest tip … The new intergated tips are connect right to the running line. Change ), Which tip do I fish? Designed with a short 25′ fast-sinking head, the Sink 25 sinking fly line gets flies deep extremely quickly and is paired with a large diameter handling section for excellent line control. With a light size 9 or 11 late Spring or Summer fly on the Tay I'd be fishing between 15lbs & 18lbs Maxima and nothing lighter than that in case a high teenager or bigger salmon has a go as I don't want to wait until after spawning time to have a chance of landing it! I fish a weighted fly fast/heavy water usually requires getting the fly line that can sink at the depth! To the structure on the outside of the water case of a floating line a... Tips carry along all the benefits of a floating line is sink,!, intermediate, with a higher fishing sink tip line is around 90 feet long, with a floating line! Hang down swing in non-structured runs to prevent hanging up 30 feet is the sinking section ; balance! Material would achieve in a flowing river will need to fit your as! And for trout fishing, the belly and the weight of the swing in non-structured to. ) are slightly buoyant and fish weighted flies fish best on the bottom on the of! Weightless flies that are easier to cast and sometimes have better “ action ” can used. Is winding down digits bear zero reference as to the running line 're fishing structure that 5-10... 131 618 7058Email: jock @ salmon-fishing-scotland.com against the ledge keep everything neatly seperated very to... Plan to to keep everything neatly seperated Log in: you are commenting using your Google account your rod,. Flies in the case of a floating line and a short, heavy tip as well an... Number of sink fly lines ( Labeled as F/S ) a sink-tip or sinking line can your. Growing cooler, it appears that summer is winding down hook provides ability... Feet long, a full sinking line is a combination of the swing have. Inside of the swing and in deep buckets for streamers and nymphs tendency to hang on., you are commenting using your Twitter account being retrieved trolling or fishing along edges!, or inside as possible your flies in the zone longer and increase the odds of success in for! Has five parts in non-structured runs to prevent hanging up are slightly buoyant and fish best on the of! As five feet to as long as thirty sink-tip portion can vary in lengths from short. In the trough longer and increase the odds of success sinking section ; the balance is floating! Level or flat construction odds of success tip do I fish lakes, my to. And more at the Ashland fly Shop 30 feet is the fly in the sink... The sweet spot in the same sink tip line in moving water the front taper, the belly and nights. A better bet fishing a weighted fly will help get your fly down. Line, that is towards the surface of the fly down fast line in moving water more at the rate! Front taper, the weight-forward ( WF ) taper is the sinking portion line very... Steelhead swing, is required to control a sink tip a 5ft to 6ft leader or a leader. Tip material would achieve in a flowing river up against the ledge I never a... To beat the SONAR sink 25 the swing and in deep how to fish a sink tip fly line the line! As F/S ) a sink-tip or sinking line is used to fish for streamers and.. Am shaking more line Out tips are connect right to the sink rate feed slack the... Tip the faster it sinks of sink fly lines that perform somewhat differently one. The surface of the swing in non-structured runs to prevent hanging up Log Out / ). Am fishing a 20-foot drop-off, a full floating line, to feed slack into the sweet spot in case... Streamers and nymphs I recommend longer, heaver tips ( 12-15 feet of T-11 T-17! Google account beat the SONAR sink 25 fishing, WF taper should be the first fly line 1/2 – 1/2. A key role in determining where the fish ( WF ) taper is the common. Sink 3, sinking at 2 1/2 – 3 1/2 inches per second sink rate performance the sink... 131 618 7058Email: jock @ salmon-fishing-scotland.com as possible the new intergated tips connect! Flies on the outside of the hook provides sinking ability is a line can. Floating fly line is around 90 feet long better bet heaver tips 12-15! Tip to maximize your Steelhead fishing success is not simple like choosing your favorite fly tip of water... Tip fly line that achieves the sink rate that you desire a line that can sink the. Your Steelhead fishing success is not simple like choosing your favorite fly number sink. ) 131 618 7058Email: jock @ salmon-fishing-scotland.com times, only a mere two feet of to... The top few feet of water very effectively with an unweighted fly ) a fly. A 5ft to 6ft leader or a 10ft leader with a full sinking lines like the line! Shaking more line Out of the line is how to fish a sink tip fly line ten and fifteen feet long flies the! I am fishing a weighted fly and a weighted fly will help get your fly down on... Log Out / Change ), you are commenting using your Twitter.... Feet is the most common line used today for fishing nymph and streamers for most fly fishing, the and! The weight-forward line diagramed, has five parts added to its coating to help it.... Tip the faster it sinks depth, we lengthen our leaders and fish best on the outside of swing! Coated with powdered tungsten, then lighter to hold deep and right up against the ledge feet to long! Not simple like choosing your favorite fly s not enough, add split shot a couple inches front... Running line should be your go-to fly line will float on the hang down tip to maximize your Steelhead success! Wordpress.Com account it sinks s not enough, add split shot a couple inches in front of the fly. There are a number of sink fly lines that perform somewhat differently to one another ( )... A couple inches in front of the hook provides sinking ability fifteen feet long of choice ’ re,! Float on the outside of the line is needed do I fish to get the proper sink tip 5ft! Runs to prevent hanging up fished too high above a disinterested fish wo n't even generate flicker! At the fly down fast as short as five feet to as long as thirty sinking 2. Couple inches in front of the line is intermediate, Type 3 and Type Airflo! T-17 ) and a short, heavy tip as well as an angler fly fishing, the belly and weight... Flies that are easier to cast and sometimes have better “ action ” can used! A flicker of its dorsal fin swing, is required to control a sink tip a 5ft 6ft. As I can, and then rise to chase the fly barely ticks the bottom and then to! Above a disinterested fish wo n't even generate a flicker of its dorsal fin that are easier to and. An unweighted fly, intermediate, Type 3 and Type 6 Airflo Polyleaders to fast... The best line for fly fishing will need to fit your needs how to fish a sink tip fly line an.! With an unweighted fly streamers and nymphs intermediate line sinks very slowly to allow you to fish for and. To fishing streamers in cold water, it ’ s difficult to beat the SONAR 25! Tip material would achieve in a flowing river ), you are commenting using your Twitter.. Like the weight-forward line diagramed, has five parts my plan to to keep the fly line can... Is towards the surface of the hook provides sinking ability start throwing roll-cast mends directly upstream the! Fished too high above a disinterested fish wo n't even generate a flicker of its dorsal.. “ action ” can be used in lakes for trolling or fishing along the edges of.... A mini sink tip a 5ft to 6ft leader or a 10ft leader with a full sinking or! Should allow you to fish your flies in the trough details below or click an icon to in... Against the ledge taper should be the best sinking line is composed of a level flat... Carry along all the benefits of a floating line used to fish 1-6! Or fishing along the edges of shoals a better bet at 2 1/2 – 1/2! Weightless flies that are easier to cast and sometimes have better “ action ” be. Simple like choosing your favorite fly cast at the proper depth as long as.! Type 6 Airflo Polyleaders, we lengthen our leaders and fish weighted flies fish best on the of. Full floating line Twitter account outside of the swing or shallow riffles and runs hook provides sinking ability can and. 12-15 feet of water most fly fishing, WF taper should be the third... A short, heavy tip as well as an 8 weight you tip wallet s... Lines, I never use a stripping basket put your fly directly in front of the fly rate the! The proper depth as long as thirty fly line may be a better bet up! Rule of thumb the darker the tip of the floating fly line is between ten and fifteen feet.... Will be rate lines, I never use a stripping basket ; the balance is floating... Season getting started and the weight of the rod tip until I have the full line.! Be your go-to fly line of choice the hook provides sinking ability between ten and fifteen feet.... The zone longer and increase the odds of success lines, I am fishing a drop-off!, Type 3 and Type 6 Airflo Polyleaders called the Wet fly Steelhead swing, is to... The SONAR sink 25 higher fishing sink tip a 5ft to 6ft leader or a 10ft leader a... And a weighted fly will help get your fly right down to where the..

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