Over the last year I have written about one of my favorite ways to Fly-Fish,Streamer fishing.The idea is to pass on some pointers or tactics that I use.I don’t consider myself a fly-fishing Rock Star,but I like to throw “junk” and have caught my largest freshwater fish while doing so.Have a look at Part1,Part2 &Part3 I hope you enjoy the articles.
SINK TIP FLY LINES – PART 4
Sometimes you need your fly to stay on the bottom or it has to get deep fast, this is something that can’t always be done with a floating line and a weighted fly ..especially on large rivers and/or early in the season when the fish are on the sluggish side not wanting to chase.Enter the Sink Tip.
Sink tips come in a vareity of lengths and densities,ranging from 4 ft to 30 ft overall most trout anglers can get away with a 10ft High Density Tip I find anything beyond 15ft is overkill and when fishing streamers from a Drift Boat because you are fishing in towards the holding water along the bank which is not that deep so anything beyond 15ft is not really necessary,you also loose control over you fly because most casts are within 30 ft therefore it is hard to mend your sinking tip and stay in contact with your fly.Both the 30 ft 150-200 grain lines do have there place,fishing deep runs while wading is a great application for these lines,most of the time the flies are fished down and across from the angler these added lengths certainly aid in keeping your fly on the bottom.On BC’s Upper Columbia River a 200-300 -30 ft sink tip is a must have to fish streamers between Dry Fly sessions.For most other rivers in The Rocky’s A 10 ft type V is going to get the job done,if it is not split shot can easily be added to your leader to get your fly down and keep it there.Another favorite line that I like to use while fishing banks from a Drift Boat is Orvis’s Streamer Stripper Line.It’s a 4 ft type V mini tip,it gets down in a hurry but allows for easy mending,pick up and casting.
When Casting sink tips and big flies you have to remember to slow your stroke down and open your loop up,compensating for the added weight and hinging that is happening.once you get your rythem down you can cast mend and strip all day without worry of hooking yourself or worse yet your fishing buddies. As for rods I like a 9ft 6 or 7 weight fast action rod that easily loads the added weight.Fly Selection is determined by the day,I usually follow the theory of dark day -dark fly,bright day- bright fly and where legal I will often fish two flies at the opposite end of the spectrum,if I am getting eats and chases on one color then off goes the fly that is not being eaten.
As for Streamer patterns I fish everything from Clousers to Bugger patterns,fish the flies that you have confidence in.My leaders on sink tips are very simple 24 inches of 2X or 3X florocarbon and that’s it.This keeps your fly down near the bottom with your sink tip in the “fishy” zone.
Don’t limit your sink tips to rivers,they are great lines to use on lakes also.Here in Arizona we use sink tips to fish the deeper structure on our Bass Lakes.Stillwater Trout fishing is really not much different.
If you are new to Streamer fishing and sink tips keep it simple,start off with a 10ft type III or V ,see what happens when vary your retrieves,swing your flies and work on controlling depth and speed via mending,most importantly have fun.
Streamer Fishing Video
Sink Tip Sources