Boy howdy am I paranoid about asking for info these days in light of some of the posting lately.I have been up the last few night building bunnie leeches for the next drop in water. Some I have tied with lead eyes, others without. I have set my line up with four different tips, fast sink, medium sink, yadda yadda. Is anyone willing to tell me what set-up seems to work the best. I know the flow of the water will dictate things to a certain extent, but do you guys have any general settings that seem to work consistantly. I promise not to take fish from your hole if you tell me, honest.

As a general rule for winter fishing i fish a 15ft type6 9wt sink tip on a 4 foot leader and unweighted flies. Sometimes' actually rarely i use a 15 ft 550grain sink tip and unweighted flies, but only in cold dirty water. I dont use any weighted flies anymore. I dont see the point in it. Unless your trying to fish very deep wateror want to use a floating line. Remember a steelhead can's see a fly when its below him.

I also try to avoid weighted flies, as they can be a pain to cast, not to mention keep sharp. But then, I fish the Stilly for the most part, and there aren't that many deep deep holes...I can usually find bottom with a 10 wt. type VI. For the times I do need a heavier fly, I use comet-style patterns made of fairly sparse stiff materials with lead eyes...can be deadly to simply let this dangle into the riffle at the head of a pool. For a better profile try bead chain links--and on those shrimp and crawdad patterns, use plastic barbells so you don't end up weighing the back end of the fly down...

No tip is "best." I often end up changing from a floater w/a sinking fly at the head to a full sink at the throat and then work my way back up to a type II as I approach the tailout...the rocks will tell you where you need to be.

Go ahead and tie up some weieghted flies but don't be suprised if you don't like them. I still have some laying around somewhere but they are a retrograde to the time I thought more about catching and not about fishing.
After you cast with a heavy sink tip and a heavy fly you will understand why three post have said heavy flies suck.

Thanks for the info. I did stop after a few of them because they seem to much of a pain to cast. I did want to make sure I should leave off at having only a few in my quiver. I seem to be stuck on bunnie leeches as they are easy to tie. Anyone suggest some other patterns? Feel free to email me.

Try tying up some maraboo flys. They are cheap and easy and you can put some really wild colors together. Best part of all is they work really well. I think they have better action than bunnies because the fibers are a lot longer. Lead is not needed. Most any fly fisherman can tell you that good fly water is 6ft deep at the most "most of the time" I just started using a Rio versitip and have found that the 13 foot type 6 will get down to any fish that would take a fly if you know how to mend correctly. Short 3-4 foot of Maxima for leader.. A big black maraboo with 5-6 strands of flashaboo and your all over it. Some of my older sink tips really hinged and were a ***** to cast. I really like the Rio

I have to agree that fishing weighted flies is hard in the old file, but I think other than that they can have thier uses. Maybe (not sure though) it has to do with the fact that I use very thin lead wire (.020). My weighted flies are more "density compensated" than noticably heavy. I seem to have no trouble tossing weighted 1/0 flies with a 9'6" 8wt. I just use the lead to keep my wet fies wet

As for favorites, (which weighted flies are not a member of...I wonder if I subconciously do not like weighted flies because of how they cast...hmm) I like big "spey" flies like the Orange Heron and the Sol Duc Spey (1/0 or larger). They have lots of color and a big profile without a lot of materials to hamper sinking. And to quote my seven toed step-nephew "They're kinda purdy!"

Hey "work",
Depending on the slot, I tie up bunnies on #2's with a lead-tape wrap. Works great with my multi-tip set up on fast, semi-shallow water.
Good luck!

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C&R Works!

I agree with the rest of you. But there are places and times for a weighted fly. So dont leave home without a few in your box. Spots like at the head of a deep run where you know your normal gear wont get down. Try a long cast and then just let it hang there, some times the fish are slow to move to any thing and sometimes I think it takes awhile to get them ticked. thanks

I vote for bead chain eyes. Seems to be just the right amount of weight for most fly water. Plus they make a pretty whistley sound as you be chuckin 'em.

Later

Paul