Ive been fishing with my Air-flow Multi-tip flyline for the last year now and am finding that the ultra fast sink tip section will often just not cut it sinking wise on the rivers that I fish- Nooksac/Skagit/Sauk/Stilly

Ive read and noticed that it really is the flyline that catchs the fish. If your lines not sinking fast and your not ticking the bottom then most likely your not catching fish (during cold winter flows).

So I wanna know- what flylines are you guys using. If I were to buy another spool for my reel what kinda sinktip line woould you sugjest putting on that would get me down in most fast deep water situations.

I dont mind losing flies if it meens more fish.

Thanks for any help-
Fun Fishing-
Josh

Hi Josh
there are very few suituations where I find that the air flow line won't preform. At that point you could use split shot above the fly. You might be fishing pretty heavy water. I think it is the best thing going, and having the versatility of a multi tip line.It is the best casting line availiable. I fish the same rivers that you mentond and have always found it ok. You could also use weighted flys in heavey water runs also. Every body has there own way on things and this is my veiw. I hope it helps.

I'm buying my third Teeny line soon. The balance of the Teeny series T-200, 300 400, 500 are great. For the rivers you mentioned, the Teeny's shoot a long distance. They cost ($52) but they're worth it, and they do get down. They have 35' of sink tip and they do get hung up if its rocky on bottom, so consider that depending where/what type of water you cover. www.teeny-nymph.com

Try this:

--20# test backing
--100' flat mono running line (or use 2wt flyline)
--12' floating belly section...8 wt or more
--11wt type VI sink tip

I've found a floating belly section acts much like a strike indicator...and in slower deeper holes the weight of the 11 weight type VI sink tip is enough to pull it under the water, allowing you to cover water deeper than most premade sink tips (although I haven't tried the Versatip system). I'd try to find heavier sinktips...in a 10 or 11 weight...while an all floating line might be okay for general summer and low flow use, I'd switch to a belly section and nuetral running line to get deeper quicker in heavier flows.

Amazing thing is, the last time I was in to H+H sports in Bellingham they said they "didn't carry" sinktips...while I really like that shop, I had to go to Skagit Anglers in Mount Vernon to find decent tips.

Sharp hooks!

Josh I use various sink tips on whatever line I'm using, one size does not fit all, but in this case most sizes will work on some. For instance when fishing Spey I can change from 85 grns all thge way upto 275 grns on a 10wt and still cast it as far as I need to. However on single handed rods I have to pretty much stick with whatever tip is actually the correct and specific weight for that particular rod.
I have made my own tips out of everything possible but now find it simple and easy to just purchase the ready made RIO tips at most fly shops. Theses tips come in various densitys and weights most have colored shrink wraps that may help you remember which is which.
Just an observation I have been fishing for steelhead for over 40 years and I am of the opinion that you can't catch fish everywhere that they will hold with the fly. Fish what you can cast and move on to water you can fish.

Native Son,

The last part of your post are some of the most intelligent words I've ever read on this board. Although I disagreed with you somewhat in the other post about fly lines, (I'm one of those guys who buys the second highest priced rod to skimp but try and buy the most expensive line)your ideas are exactly why I don't pursue steelhead with the fly 100% of the time like I do with trout. Sometimes steelhead just don't hold where you can easily get to them with the bug rod. Then I bust out the casting one.

DaveD

Flyguy,

I fish, or have fished, the same rivers you mention. I use 15' of SA type IV sink tip for at least 90% of my winter steelhead fishing. I'll use a full 30' sinking head or something like a Teeny 200 or 300 in specialized locations that are deep, swift, and narrow. I don't like my line ticking the stream bottom. I've never hooked a fish when it was. I like to fish my fly and line just above the stream bed, maybe a foot or foot and a half.

Like Native Son said, not every winter run lie is suited to the fly.

Sincerely,

Salmo g.

[This message has been edited by Salmo g. (edited 01-30-2001).]

Ditto to DaveD's comments NS ... that's perhaps the biggest challenge flyanglers face ... and some of the sagest advice you can give. While I can't claim to be the world's finest caster, I can hold my own fishing with the very best of them out here because: 1) I know where the fish hold ... and 2) I bypass the water that I can't fish effectively with the bugrod. You combine those two and you'll do well ... I see many, many (dare I say most) bug tossers that don't fish that "combination" water. It's something a lot of people need to work on