[dafack01]

It's a Teeny T-200 on an 8 weight Scott A2 rod

I started out with miserable results. If you overpower a floating line a bit, you can still have a relatively functional cast within a short distance. But this sink-tip was totally foreign to me. It took me a while to get used to it. After a bit of overpowering it, I used the gentlest of strokes with better results, though short casts. I began to experiment with how much of the non-sink part to cast, and found out that having a foot or so of non-sinking line hanging out yielded the best results.

I started to be able to shoot out to about 35-40 feet pretty often, with a few 50 footers thrown in there if I had a really good cast (I wasn't using a leader, so add about 6 feet to that for actual cast length), especially when the line laid out straight and not in that J that you get sometimes.

I need to spend some more time casting this week before I go after them big Browns and Stripers on Sunday. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/banana.gif)

Any tips as to how to be more consistent? These things seem to be more sensitive to casting strokes than regular floating lines (or is it me?).

And it seems that this thing LOVES an easy casting stroke. I seem to have to put more effort into casting floating lines out to 40-50+ feet.

[Sean Juan]

Consistency is all about practice.

I love Teeny Lines - not as much distance as a true shooting head but far more comfortable.

The biggest differences with them and a floater are that you need to set up the back cast.

After stripping in to just before the sinking part of the line - do a roll cast - this will bring the sinking section to the surface and enable you to make a better backcast with a haul. Now you will have to find the wonderful corner to determine what is the optimum amount of line you should shoot into this backcast, but once you find it make a mental note of it. Then its just a simple forward cast with a haul. I find that for whatever reason - double hauling with a sinking line gives a lot more power per pull than a floating line. I'm sure Sir Issac Newton could explain why but the Science Channel kinda said he was a dick so you are better off just knowing that a little goes a long way...

In a short time you should be able to cast that line the whole line everytime - get in the habit of forming a circle with your fingers rather than just letting it fly - its a good habit to have.

[dafack01]

I have been doing the roll cast trick, it just feels different with a sink-tip. And I haven't really tried single or double hauling, even with a floating line. Right now, I just need those 50 footers. I'm gonna head back to the water tomorrow to do some more casting. Once I get the 50 footers mastered, I can learn how to haul for some SERIOUS distance.

I'd LOVE to hook into a nice Brown or Striper this Sunday!

And why the circle with your fingers? I'm assuming that you mean to form a circle around the line while its shooting instead of just letting go? Is this to prevent a knot from hammering off one of the guides?

[Sean Juan]

The finger circle serves two purposes.


First it directs the line almost like having another guide...

More importantly it allows you to always have control of the line - should a striper hit the second the fly lands.

Since you are learning now its easier to start doing it rather than have to add the technique later...same goes for the haul. I double haul on casts less than 20' feet - I certainly don't need to but its easier to do it than to not because of force of habit. Again its up to you, but I find its easier to learn the one technique and modify it for distance than to try to add a technique later.

[Greg H.]

I find that sink tip lines don't 'float' in the air as well as floating lines, due to the thinner dia. So the back-cast should be high and with good energy, or it will start to fall and ruin the cast. I fully agree that a more relaxed stop to the stroke is better for these lines. And contrary to the usual casting procedure, use a BIT more wrist on the forecast to open the loop a touch (to avoid the tailing loop), because the line tip will not 'float' though the air as easily on the forecast either.

[Shoe]

Not being familiar with the Scott A2's I can't put my finger on it, but in order to cast that type of line one needs a stiff rod to get distance.

When Loomis changed the old GLX with a "more novice-friendly" blank, I couldn't get any distance with the replacement as far as my T200 line went. I addressed it with Loomis and they sent me the salt-water version (stiffer). No problems since.

[dafack01]

Not being familiar with the Scott A2's I can't put my finger on it, but in order to cast that type of line one needs a stiff rod to get distance.

When Loomis changed the old GLX with a "more novice-friendly" blank, I couldn't get any distance with the replacement as far as my T200 line went. I addressed it with Loomis and they sent me the salt-water version (stiffer). No problems since.

I'm not going to need super-long distances with this thing. It'll be freshwater fishing out of medium-sized rivers, mostly out of a drifting boat, so I'll be fishing on top of them for the most part. 30-50 foot casts are all I'm gonna need for the most part. A 60 footer would be nice from time to time when I'm casting to Wipers on the Ohio from shore, but unlike saltwater fishing, I'm not going to need to shoot the entire line out. the A2 has a med-fast blank. Stiff enough for my uses. I wanted a rod comfortable at the 30-50 foot range instead of chucking out 100 feet of line.