Christopher Bassano says the master of the sinking line will
catch the most lake trout.
Flyfishing is a very traditional pastime. Some anglers will only fish with a dry fly, or only fish to sighted fish or only fish a certain hatch. For others, this is too limiting and one dimensional. While it is easy to argue that there is no better sight than watching a fish rise to a dry fly, it is also easy to make a case that fishing a fly subsurface is far more complex and multi-dimensional. Sinking flies, along with fluorocarbon leaders, account for untold numbers of fish throughout the season. However it is the master of the sinking line that will ultimately catch the most fish. First, you have to be prepared to use them and then, learn to use them properly.
A floating line fished in very shallow water with a streamer or team of traditional wet flies can work very well throughout the fishing season, particularly during inclement weather. Nymphs fished dead drift or tweaked slowly on a floating line are another deadly way to fish during mayfly hatches or when the trout are hard to fool. Fishing this way is not just the domain of the shore-based angler but also those who like to fish from boats.
The use of lead or tungsten in a fly adds considerable weight and makes fishing at greater depth possible, but it still has limitations. A sinking fly fished on a floating line will rise with every pull. This is due to the tow point of the line being the rod tip. When fishing with floating lines, this point is often a few inches above the water and the amount of rise will be determined by the length of the pull, weight of the fly and distance the fly is off the rod tip among other things. This rising and falling of the fly is not always desirable as it can pull the fly up out of the feeding zone. A slower retrieve can go some way to preventing this from happening but sometimes the trout simply don’t want the fly fished slowly. When fishing from a drifting boat, the boat could easily drift over the top of the fly before it gets to the desired depth, giving the flies no time at all in the feeding zone. The only way to get around this is to use sinking fly lines.
Sink Rate
As flyfishing has ancient roots, sinking lines are classified by their sink rate measured in inches per second. All sinking lines have a Density Index (DI) rating which refers to the number of inches per second the line will sink at. Generally, sinking lines can be classified as follows:
• Up to 1.5 inches per second = Slow intermediate
• 1.5 up to 3 inches per second = Fast intermediate
• DI 3 – 5 = Medium sink rate
• DI 5 – 8 = Fast sink rate
Sinking lines are made from different materials to floating lines, and their diameter also has a lot to do with their sink rate. The thinner the line, the faster it sinks, although the more it tangles! Note that most sinking lines are colour coded according to sink rate, enabling the angler on the water to choose the right line quickly. (However there is no standard here and so the line colour coding can vary between different brands.)
Intermediate Lines
Intermediate lines have many applications and are probably the most versatile of the sinking line family. Not only are they very effective when pulling streamers quickly a metre or less below the surface, they are also an excellent line when used for traditional loch-style fishing. When it’s windy or choppy, intermediate lines enable the angler to stay in close touch with their flies. Rather than having the line blow around on the surface and lose contact, it just sits under the waves and remains straight at all times. Over recent years, intermediates have also been used to fish dry flies ‘damp’. A team of dries can be tied to the leader and fished on the surface for a few seconds before being pulled under and slowly retrieved. This is a deadly method at the start of a mayfly hatch, and when wind is making fly and line control difficult.
If we were to break down a single cast/presentation into three stages – the drop, the retrieve and the hang – the intermediate would be an excellent choice if the trout were eating the fly on the drop. An intermediate enables the angler to stay in direct contact with the flies as they are slowly sinking. As long as it is not too windy, the ‘drop’ can be fished with control and success.
For those who do not like bright line colours and prefer stealth, the intermediate is also the only sinking line that can be purchased in a ‘clear’ colour; although note that many manufacturers claim that their lines are clear when they still contain a coloured hue. Scientific Anglers’ Stillwater line has been a favourite of mine for many years.
Another intermediate line technique used more in the Northern Hemisphere than in Australasia, is to tie a foam fly onto the point of a three fly setup, with nymphs on the droppers. The dropper flies are then fished in a controlled manner just below the surface while the point fly holds them up and acts as an attractor.
Overall, in Tasmania the intermediate line is indispensable and it’s pretty handy elsewhere too.
Medium Sink Rate Lines
Over the course of a season, medium sink rate lines are the most commonly used in Australia by those who fish sinking lines regularly. Generally when fishing sinking lines, most trout targeted are at a depth of twelve feet or less. Sinking at a rate of three to five inches per second, these lines are able to be fished slowly or quickly and cover almost every scenario. As with all sinking lines, the weight of your flies will affect the way the line will fish. If the flies sink slower than the line, they will be being pulled down with each retrieve. If they sink more quickly than the line, they will have an up/down motion and the extent of this will be determined by the exact line density and fly weight. Indeed, when fishing multiple flies, fine tuning can take place. For example, it is possible to fish a weighted fly on the top dropper and an unweighted fly on the point. This would make the point fly fish much higher in the water than the top dropper and this difference can be amplified by lengthening the distance between the two flies. A greater distance will keep the point fly higher in the water as it is under less influence from the line and top dropper. Be warned though: having your heaviest fly on the top dropper does make casting much more difficult.
As there is a limit to the amount of weight you can effectively cast, there will come a point when a DI 5 line or faster will sink more quickly than any fly. Therefore, if your sinking line becomes the primary influence on the depth you’re fishing (that is, the line sinks deeper and faster than the flies) you would expect to catch most of your trout on the top dropper. This is because the top dropper will get into the feeding zone first and with the correct retrieve it will fish in this zone the longest.
When fishing at a brisk pace, a DI 3 is a good choice if you want to get your flies down to the bottom in around three feet of water. It can be used in much less water if you retrieve more quickly, and deeper if you retrieve more slowly or count the flies down before retrieving. If fish are eating the flies as they are falling through the water before you start the retrieve (on the drop), it is a good idea to fish lighter flies and perhaps go to a slower sinking line. These changes will prolong this effective phase of the presentation.
If the fish are close to the bottom in around five to eight feet of water, a DI 5 is a common choice. Heavily weighted flies will help to get down to the depths while lighter flies may be the best choice to keep the flies slightly higher. The DI 5 is often viewed as the most versatile sinking line and those fishing on mainland Australia often find this line indispensable.
Fast Sink Rate Lines
DI 7s and 8s are the fastest of the freshwater sinking line family. Their thin diameter enables them to cut through the water quickly but as touched on earlier, this can bring tangles and frustration. Many European anglers regard these lines as the most valuable. By retrieving extremely quickly, they can fish high in the water. Then as the retrieve speed is slowed, the line will sink deeper. Although not the most enjoyable lines to fish with, when great depth is needed these are the first choice. At the start of the season in Tasmania, a DI 7 is excellent for getting down to most of the fish which are feeding at around fifteen feet. And it is not just cold water temperatures that drive the fish to go deep. Bright sunshine can have the same effect, with some trout choosing to get out of the strong light and feed at depth.
Wind
There are many other factors which will influence the choice of line. When fishing from a boat, the speed of the wind must be taken into account. Once a cast has been made and the line is being counted down to the required depth, the boat will have already drifted some way towards the flies. This distance changes depending on the speed of the wind. If the boat is drifting very quickly, there may not be enough time to effectively fish the flies at the desired depth. A change to a faster sinking line will get the flies down more quickly and into the zone for longer. The wind can sometimes become so extreme that casting a normal length while staying in control of the line is very difficult. By reducing the length of the cast and using a line that sinks more quickly, it is possible to fish the same depth as before while remaining in control. Without control, the chances of catching a fish are slim.
The reverse can be said for light winds. By using a line that sinks more slowly, the flies can be held in the zone for longer and more water covered. It is important to remember that the line continues to sink while you are retrieving it and especially during any pauses. The sink rate will be influenced by the line density, the speed of the retrieve, weight of the flies, and distance between the end of the line and the rod tip.
Sink Tip Lines
The fact that the line is sinking throughout the cast makes it harder for the bank angler to use full sinking lines. The sinking lines will submerge at your feet while retrieved, making shooting difficult (unless you have a stripping basket). And if you try to get your flies deep for most of the retrieve, they will more than likely snag on the bottom in front of you.
As an alternative, bank anglers often find the use of sink tip lines to their advantage. A sinking front end of the line joining a floating running line will fish differently to a full sinker. The floating section is easier to manage around your feet and makes casting easier. Meanwhile, the tow point of the line becomes the end of the floating section. This means that the line does not fish quite as deep for the same rating of line: a full sinking DI 5 line will fish deeper than a sink tip line with a DI 5 tip. The amount of sink can be further influenced by the length of the sinking tip, which can be anywhere from a metre or so to several metres long.
Other Considerations
Over recent years, manufacturers have invested a lot of time and effort into the design of sinking lines. Some lines now come with a non-stretch core, the theory being that takes are easier to detect, and to distinguish from, say, hooking weed. However, some anglers find they break off more fish with these lines so it comes down to angler preference.
Most sinking lines are density-compensating. This means the entire line will sink at the same rate. Non density-compensating lines sink belly first with the tip slower to catch up, so they fish roughly in a U shape. They are designed to be fished with unweighted flies to emphasise this retrieve path – heavy flies would tend to negate the desired effect. These days, non density-compensating lines are being used more and more. They let the angler fish the fly through various depths during a single retrieve, quickly locating the depth at which the fish are holding. Once this has been identified, the line is changed to a density compensating line which best suits the depth of the fish and the fun begins!
Summary
Obviously, sinking lines have many and varied applications and
I’ve provided only a brief overview of their main uses. There are umpteen scenarios and situations where variations of the above can and should be used. The range of techniques that may be applied to fishing sinking lines can be as broad and versatile as your mind can dream up.
Remember, while floating lines are owned by 100% of freshwater flyfishers, their application is comparatively strict and limited. A reasonably competent angler with a sinking line will almost certainly catch fish when others are not, and from the start of the season to the end. Sinking lines may not be everyone’s cup of tea but if I ever had to fish for my life, I would not choose a line that floats.
