Published Feb 27. 2009 - 15 years ago
Updated or edited Jun 25. 2019

Unbelievably fast-sinking lines???

Does anybody know where I can find "extra super-duper ultra fast-sinking fly lines"=) , preferrably lines for warm water fishing? The object is to reach down to 50-60 meters depth in a norwegian fiord, to catch saithe (Pollachius virens) on fly equipment. I have done this with a Rio 1150 grains, but that line is too soft and doubles up while sinking resulting in hangups, so I need something stiffer (warm water lines are stiffer in cold water) and, if possible, heavier. A super-fast sinking shooting line would also be helpful.

/Bosse

Do we still talk about fly...

Do we still talk about fly casting or just fly fishing?In case of the first, take a guideline shooting head in sinkrate 7/8 and the highest line class. In case of the second, just take a drain cover.

Regards, Frank

Hi Frank...

Hi Frank
:evil:
Since the idea of fishing with a drain-cover is as absurd to me as I know it is to You, i would be grateful if you would refrain from that kind of smart-ass comments. They are no help to me and needing help is the reason I posted this question in the first place.

I want to fish a fly, on a fly line or similar, at 50 meters of depth in the sea. That is, as I see it, a bigger challenge to achieve than casting a fly line, something that I frequently do when fishing for other species of fish. Basing the fishing technique on casting the line is contraproductive, since the 40 top meters of the water doesn't hold fish.

Consequently, I fish the fly up some 10-20 meters from the 50-meter level and let it sink again. As I am catching the fish with fly fishing gear - fly rod, line, leader and fly - this way of fishing the fly should be considered just a flyfishing technique as any technique based on casting the line. The innovativeness in finding a way to even reach the fish with this type of gear sould even account for more.

Furthermore, I catch these saithe up to 10-12 kg's on relatively light fly rods, line class 7 or eight, something that makes the challenge even greater.

So please, don't recommend any drain-pipes or post any similar comments that are stemming from a one-track purist mind way of thinking, but help me instead to find the lines I need, if possible.

/Bosse

Hey Bosse, you could try 10m...

Hey Bosse, you could try 10m of lead trolling line, splice this to some super braid shooting line and you will have the fastest sinking rig possible. It will however be a dog to cast.
All the best.
Mike.

Thanks Mike, that's an...

Thanks Mike, that's an idea. Since I don't need to cast at all, it will work provided the line sinks fast enough. I have also been thinking about using that kind of line as shooting line. Cortland Kerplunk would work if it wasn't cloth-coated, wears the line guides too much when going out and in while fishing. A plastic-coated leadcore line would be better, You know where to find one?

/Bosse

You are right, I'm wrong....

You are right, I'm wrong.

Frank

Hi Bose, here in NZ every fly...

Hi Bose, here in NZ every fly shop also sells lead core trolling line, they come in 100m spools and they change colour every 10m so they are easy to cut down to whatever length you need. these guys http://www.sportinglife-turangi.co.nz/pages/booking.htm are one of the best shops in the North Island and I am sure that if you email them they will ship to you. I am not sure that this line will get you down as deep as 50m but you do not know unless you try.
Hope this helps.
Mike.

Tobias Herrmann's picture

Hi Bosse,...

Hi Bosse, how about using...

Hi Bosse, how about using some kind of down rigger or paravane setup with a fast sinking flyline - just a thought..

Deep tropical fishing...

We use the SA Striped Bass fast sinking IV line in Florida to fish down 20-30 feet in a lot of current (The Gulfstream). The line is preferred because it is 120 feet long. Airflo has an integrated shooting head that is 150 feet long but I haven't tried it yet. You could add a long piece of Rio T-17 in front of those to make a 60+m long setup. Since I'm guessing there is not much current in a fjord, you can hopefully get the line straight down. Otherwise some 50lb braid that you very carefully strip into an excellent stripping basket would probably work too but nothing tangles as easily as braid.

You could also buy the 500 foot spool of T-17 to make a $250 dollar flyline, but it would be long enough for you. :)

Do you heavily weight the flies? I would think if the fly is very heavy, it would pull down on the line and help to keep it from doubling up.

You can solve this issue...

You can solve this issue easily by using two full-sinking fly lines, connected end-to-end. To prevent tangling, you will want to have the boat drifting or moving slightly after the first line is casted and paid out, then when you have the line straightened out, you feed out the second line, sinking portion first, then running line. Both lines will hang down in the water, if they are each 100ft lines, and there is no current, the fly will get to 200ft depth, eventually. More likely, there is some current, and the extra line will allow you to control how deep the fly gets and the angle of presentation. Secondarily, the running line sinks slower and responds to current more than the sinking sections - this may pose a risk of tangles if you pay out too much line all at once, but it also provides for a unique motion to the fly, because the fly will follow the pattern of the line though the water if the line is slack and not straightened out - it will follow a curve, or even an s-curve, if that is the shape of the line in the water. There is no water too deep to fish with a fly line, unless there is wind and current. In high winds and current, you may find that a double sinking line of 200ft length only gets the fly 30-40ft down on a fast drift. A double line set-up also allows for normal casting, as the second line acts as backing when not in use. Using gel-spun backing under the second line is advisable as it uses up less space on the reel. This type of set-up can be used in any line weight for any deep water fish.

fast sink...

Beach casters use a small cloth bag with a draw string as a weight. Fill it with sand. Use 2 to 6 lb test tippet to attach it to leader. When it reaches depth, a sharp strip can break it off. This is not cast, just feed it over off the boat. I use a coated lead core 30 ft head, heavy flies, and a non-stretch running line. The bags are cheap,sand is free, and it is non-polluting.

.

Log in or register to pre-fill name on comments, add videos, user pictures and more.
Read more about why you should register.