Sink tips in saltwater?

[Capt Bob LeMay 0]

For everything I tie using saddles - the only hard part is finding really good quality strung saddles in bulk. I'll buy a full pound of one color or other in the length desired if it's something I use (99% of the time from one wholesaler or other). Here's a pic of a related pattern that's worked for many years called a Silhouette with lead eyes, only six saddles for the tail, and roughly four to four and one half inches long. I began filling orders for this particular pattern in the very early eighties.... The white version has always been a best seller - I've had some customers order them by the hundred - all in 1/0 or 2/0. Originally they were done up in Tiemco 800s hooks (while they were available), in recent years usually with Owner Aki hooks - all with weedguards. They work best in places with lots of pilchards (scaled sardines) in similar sizes along with threadfin herring, small menhaden or even spanish sardines...

[Permitcapt 0]

Intermediate clear tip lines are great for very shallow water, whether it is crystal clear or not. Once the tide rolls in and it gets deeper, they are still perfect. If I were to fish only one line on flats for permit, bones, or reds, it would be a 9 wt. clear tip Cortland 444.

[GC59 0]

Being in the strike zone is key. I often use mini sink tips to accomplish this, I carry with me many of these, made from old sinking lines or companies like Cortland make a kit, type 6 or type 9, different lengths from 6" to 4', the longer ones can be tough to cast, I ty loops at both ends so I can add or change them quickly between flyline and leader on both floating line or intermediate.

[Ol'DirtyCaster 0]

I'm not a fan of sink tips, but I don't fish from a kayak. Ever. Anytime I have to get down or manage fast water I'll use a 30' intermediate head (or T12/T14 depending on where I'm fishing) on a floating running line (rio leviathan, or outbound short are my favorite dc heads). Sink tips load funny, they're fine for tight work up close but at a distance they're a mess. The only sink tip I ever cared for was the teeny tst-400.

[mikechell 0]

Don't read this ... I am just chiming in because my fourth week in a hotel is getting to me. Cabin fever without the cabin.

Most of my life (40+ years of 56), fly fishing was about using poppers and other top water patterns. It was only a few years ago that I started fishing sinking presentations.

I have never used a sinking line or tip ... and honestly, I probably never will. Took a long time just to try a subsurface fly ... maybe in another 35 or so years, I'll graduate to a sinking line.

 

If I need to get deeper than 10 feet (still water fishing) ... I am going back to conventional gear.

[Adam Saarinen 0]

56 + 35 = 91 Mike, giving up smoking dosen't garentee you'll get there. I'm here for a good time, not a long time! Time for a smoke, again!:-)

[mikechell 0]

Yeah ... I am thinking I won't live long enough to see a sinking tip on my fly rod, either.

Fortunately, my good times don't depend on sinking lines.

[Saltybum 0]

Just don't throw your butts in the water. I hate seeing those things thrown everywhere I go.

[mikechell 0]

I know we're drifting off topic, but I agree with you, Salty. Even when I did smoke, I never threw a butt on the ground. If I did not have somewhere to put it, it got field stripped. But I rarely did that. Usually they went into my pocket, to be thrown away when I got to a trash can.

 

I quit smoking when the price of a pack went over $4:00. I didn't "feel" bad when I smoked, and I don't "feel" any better since quitting ... 7 years ago. It was just a money thing with me. (That "Cheap" gene working full time)

[Li'lDave 0]

I'm from a different area, but agree with Captain Bob.

 

When we are wading we may use a floater, or a sink tip, BUT most times we fish an intermediate line with heavier flies in order to get them on the bottom quickly. (heavy / bulky crabs on a 10wt, or lighter, smaller shrimp on a 9wt)

 

Our targets are indo-pacific permit and golden trevally mostly.

[Adam Saarinen 0]

Guideline makes a COASTAL WF Fast Intermediate 3.8cm/sec #5 to #9

[Hatchet Jack 0]

For everything I tie using saddles - the only hard part is finding really good quality strung saddles in bulk. I'll buy a full pound of one color or other in the length desired if it's something I use (99% of the time from one wholesaler or other). Here's a pic of a related pattern that's worked for many years called a Silhouette with lead eyes, only six saddles for the tail, and roughly four to four and one half inches long. I began filling orders for this particular pattern in the very early eighties.... The white version has always been a best seller - I've had some customers order them by the hundred - all in 1/0 or 2/0. Originally they were done up in Tiemco 800s hooks (while they were available), in recent years usually with Owner Aki hooks - all with weedguards. They work best in places with lots of pilchards (scaled sardines) in similar sizes along with threadfin herring, small menhaden or even spanish sardines...

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Profoundly O.T., but them thar flies scream 'Muskie'.

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Back to regular scheduled programme.

[vicente 0]

Have any of you guys tried just putting a lead core fishing line tip on the end of your line before to make a sink tip? I was thinking about trying it with my Titan taper.

[vicente 0]

Just adding it to the end no cutting or anything.

[tidewaterfly 0]

Vicente, no, not to the end of the line, but I have made weighted leaders by nail knotting lengths of leadcore into the leader. Gets down quickly, but is hard to cast any appreciable distance. If you decide to try it, leadcore is available in different weights. I made them all the same length, but varied the leadcore type I used.