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Looking for sinking line recommendations to fish the small alpine lakes and reservoirs in southern Utah and Nevada. Fishing from shore and canoe with 5 wt rod. Considering Orvis Wonderline Class II with Sink Rate: 1¾" to 2¾"/second. Also looking at an intermediate line, but would I get the same result with my floating line and a longer flourocarbon leader & tippet with some split shot?
Thanks,
Tim

I have limited experience on those higher up lakes, but have had lots of conversation with other anglers. Most of those lakes are very clear water, and receptive fish to the fly. The need to go deep doesn't seem to be necessary. Most use intermediate sink lines that are more manageable then the heavier sinkers.

Hi Ducfat -

Are you hiking in or driving? If the latter, you have all kinds of options. I use three lines, a full deep sinker, a slow sinking clear line and a floater, all weight forwards. To ovoid multiplicity, I probably won't buy another full sinker when my current batch wears out (they last a lot longer than the floaters) and just use teeny type of long sinking head that I use for moving water. The head takes the floating running line down and the line assumes a very similar profile to the full sinker when a long cast has been allowed to fully settle deep. The subtle difference is not enough to justify the additional expence, IMO. For the clear line, I prefer the old SA clears if you can find them as they approach the sink rate of the intermediates the best. The popular Cortland camo clear sinks a little too fast, but is still a good line.

There is a distinct difference in the way the three lines fish. IMO, adding split shot to a long leader while using the floater (while often an effective technique) is not a substitute for the sinking lines. The former is much harder to regulate, less stealthy, and the fly fishes much differently.

Hey Entoman,

Would you also say that floatingline w/ shot is not as effective as sinking while fishing deep in running water, rivers and such, say, in a deep hole or something ?

Thanks,

Adriman

Hi Adirman,

No, I wouldn't put it that way. I was trying to point out that the two are different methods of presenting the fly and neither is a substitute for the other. Rivers and streams are a different matter, but on stillwaters where long casts are involved, I prefer sinking lines when motion is going to be imparted to the fly and you want to fish deeper than a foot or so. Especially on calm days when twitching a dry line across the surface causes a lot of disturbance. For leeches/buggers, dragonfly nymphs, and baitfish imitations, etc., this is my preferred method of presentation as it also keeps the flies more horizontal in both posture and retrieve whereas the floating line/long leader approach is more vertical if the fly has any depth at all. I think the latter is best reserved for fishing midge larvae/pupal imitations deep dead-drift and/or on the ascent. The same can be said for fishing Hexagenia nymphs in lakes. IMO, where the dry line for nymphing really comes into its own is shallow fishing with damsel nymphs, scuds, and Callibaetis nymphs. I love to grease the leader and look for the twitch of the take!:) if there's a good riffle on the water that hides the disturbance caused by the retrieve, so much the better.

Having said this, many fine catches are made by anglers jigging heavily weighted buggers and such on a dry line. The action imparted to the fly can't be duplicated with a sinking line nearly as well. Remember, there are no hard fast rules other than it's good to have an understanding of the methods you choose and why. Over the long haul, I believe this a much better approach than simply chucking and chancing:)

Adir -

To avoid confusion and maintain continuity, I'll post my answer to your questions regarding the use of sinking lines on moving water in a new topic.

Jere -

BTW, I missed the fact that you have again resurrected and addressed the questions from a very old topic. I think it's great that you do so as they are often interesting topics and your posts always are. I encourage you to continue, but could you give us a little "heads up"? You reply to them as if they were written yesterday and I feel a little silly posing a question to somebody that hasn't posted on this board in over 4 years. I know I should have checked the date, but this one got by me. Oh, well... :)LOL

OK where are we at on this one? I start reading and posting, and don't look at dates. I just realized that several days ago, and today looked at dates.
Sounds like my fault for resurrecting the dead without knowing it. :)

Ha! No problem, Jere... Keep it up, as the topics and your comments are always interesting. I was just trying to cover my own mistake - by placing the blame on you!:):) I wonder if Duckfat will ever answer my question...? :)

The lake fishing is different kind of experience. The small lakes provide easiness in fishing but there are few number of fishes in these small lakes.

Hi


Fishing is a good sport and I went fishing once in Kasilof river fishing, This site is very nice to Some of the providers are giving their customers with the many important fishing equipments Alaska fishing Lodge.

I just ran across this thread, good reading- and info.
There's a lake approx 45 miles north of me that was accidentally stocked with Rainbows some years back, the MDNR messed up and the descendants of this 'plant' have developed into a self-sustaining population. It's hike-in only, this is a No Motorized vehicle Area...but there's 6 Primitive (pack-it-in, pack-it-out) campsites and it's on my hit-list for summer fishing. I'll be adding a sink-tip line to my arsenal.

Michiganders- Google Condon Lake and see what you think.

Roguerat

'Less is more...'

Ludwig Mies Vande Rohe