Sinking Tip add on

[maineman]

All you fly liners. What's your experience with adding a sinking tip to a regular floating fly line? Does it work well, does it hold up? I'm thinking of putting some 3-inch-per-second tip on the end of some 8 weight WF.

Thanks, RonG

[Guest Jim S]

I'd be interested too, never even considered it before.

[mikea]

I've been using these for years http://www.rioproducts.com/fishing-leaders/versileader/freshwater-versileaders/

I don't even bother with complete sink tip lines, carry a couple densities and your all set.

[Jonn Graham]

I use it for muskie fishing. Attach section to my Rio Outbound Short floating fly line. It works ok, but still struggles to pull a big Muskie under the water very far. It is definitely better than not having a sink tip. I bought the sink tip material from SA. It comes super long and then you can cut it and make any length you want. I am considering buying a fly line with the sink tip already integrated. Folks up at the Fly Fishers in Milwaukee are suggesting Air Flo's Streamer Max for Muskie fishing.

[Steve S.]

I've used the Rio product as well in two different weights. They're almost a must when fishing any diver pattern to get the nose down.

 

I'd say they're effective for rivers, but if you're looking to fish still water the intermediate lines would be better.

[mikea]

I've used the Rio product as well in two different weights. They're almost a must when fishing any diver pattern to get the nose down.

I'd say they're effective for rivers, but if you're looking to fish still water the intermediate lines would be better.

Good point, intermediate is what I use on still water.

[Guest Jim S]

I've been using these for years http://www.rioproducts.com/fishing-leaders/versileader/freshwater-versileaders/

I don't even bother with complete sink tip lines, carry a couple densities and your all set.

Thanks for the link, will be picking up some to try.

 

I've used the Rio product as well in two different weights. They're almost a must when fishing any diver pattern to get the nose down.

 

I'd say they're effective for rivers, but if you're looking to fish still water the intermediate lines would be better.

Don't hit still water much, but good to know.

[Ryan Kral]

This an old post of mine, love 'em. Its Scientific anglers custom cut express. Ryan

http://illinoissmallmouthalliance.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=10453

[Jonn Graham]

Ryan:

 

After your recommendation last time, I went ahead and bought the SA sink tip..............very nice. It is the one I use for muskie.

[Mike G]

Ryan,

Thanks for the old link. The link that was added later was especially good.

 

 

I started doing this a few years ago after reading about it in one of Lefty's books. He sez it is important to loop the thread around the leg of the bobbin a few times so it digs into the line finish when you spin it. Both plain nylon and unithread worked for me. I have used both Sally's and UV cure to finish it off. It is easier than it looks.

[asherman]

I've been using the RIO sinking leaders for years in a variety of lengths and sink rates. They work very well with a minimum of hinging. The five foot leaders are great for for fishing in shallow Illinois rivers.

 

The downside is that the mono-filament tip where you tie the can break or get messed up to the point that you can't use it. When that happens, I just tie the loop in black part of the leader.

 

The heavier weight leaders made for bass or steelhead will last longer than the trout weight leaders if you can find them.

[maineman]

I've been using the RIO sinking leaders for years in a variety of lengths and sink rates. They work very well with a minimum of hinging. The five foot leaders are great for for fishing in shallow Illinois rivers.

 

The downside is that the mono-filament tip where you tie the can break or get messed up to the point that you can't use it. When that happens, I just tie the loop in black part of the leader.

 

The heavier weight leaders made for bass or steelhead will last longer than the trout weight leaders if you can find them.

Thanks, Alan, I actually just ordered the Rio Saltwater Versileader (5.6 ips) from Fishwest. It's for my trip to Hawaii.

[Tom L]

I actually just ordered the Rio Saltwater Versileader (5.6 ips) from Fishwest. It's for my trip to Hawaii.

Ron - Good luck and have fun in Hawaii. If you can, bring along a type V sink tip line and a full sinking line in case you need to go deeper. The add-on versi tips would not effectively fish below 10-12 feet.

[Tim A]

I use loop-to-loop systems to add sink tips to floaters and intermediates all the time. An intermediate running line with sink tip gives you the best connection to the fly (less steep angle between line portions) but floating running line is easier to manage (e.g. mending). In either case, you sill have to roll cast the sinking portion to the surface before aerializing the backcast.

 

I wanted to add that there is a performance difference between buying premade tips and custom making your own (as Ryan explained): The ones packaged by Rio, Orvis (we call them Polyleaders), et al. are tapered, while the custom ones are completely level. When you get beyond 5' sink tips, a tapered one will transfer energy noticeably better than the custom ones. But you can only get the tapered ones in the prepackaged lengths...unless you trim them down...

 

And where someone mentioned that they don't sink a big fly very well, that is a seriously oversimplified statement. 1) It's not the bigness of the fly but the buoyancy that makes it difficult to sink, and many musky flies that push water have buoyant spun deerhair or flared bucktail heads. These can be trimmed down or avoided all-together in favor of a fly using different materials but of equal dimensions (EP, for example). 2) Not all sink-tips have the same sink rate. In general, all else equal, a faster sink rate will obviously sink your fly faster, which is not only useful for getting deeper, but getting to the same depth as quickly in faster water. (3) The length of the sink tip matters, because the whole tip is sinking cumulatively. So, sink rate being equal, a 4' sink tip will have more difficulty sinking a buoyant fly than will a 10' or 15' or 20' and so on of the same sink rate. Finally, (4) leader/tippet length from sink tip to fly matters. Shorter tippets will allow the sink tip to act more directly on the fly. Typical lengths are 18"-6'. If you use a standard 9' leader after a sink tip, the sink tip is only affecting the butt section of the leader, not the fly.

[maineman]

Ron - Good luck and have fun in Hawaii. If you can, bring along a type V sink tip line and a full sinking line in case you need to go deeper. The add-on versi tips would not effectively fish below 10-12 feet.

Thanks, Tom, any recommendations for spots to fish? I'll probably be fishing from shore on Kauai and Maui.

[Tom L]

Thanks, Tom, any recommendations for spots to fish? I'll probably be fishing from shore on Kauai and Maui.

Sorry Ron. I've never been to Hawaii yet, but it is on the bucket list.