What is the fastest sinking line there is?

[Jimmy]

I was thinking about trying to catch a Lake Trout ( Mackinaw ) on a fly this fall. I would have to get below 50 feet and 80-100 feet would be better. No need to cast. I could wind drift. Any idea's?

Thanks,

Jimmy

[Klamanite]

I was thinking about trying to catch a Lake Trout ( Mackinaw ) on a fly this fall. I would have to get below 50 feet and 80-100 feet would be better. No need to cast. I could wind drift. Any idea's?

Thanks,

Jimmy

Put your leadcore on the fly reel. It's about the same diameter anyway :twocents:

[OutdoorBum]

Put your leadcore on the fly reel. It's about the same diameter anyway :twocents:


Whats the sink rate on that?

[Klamanite]

From the guidebrod site:
"An innovative trolling line for deep lake and ocean fishing. Lead Core line requires less sinker weight due to the continuous strand of lead wire running throughout the line. Approximate sink rate is 2 yards out equals one foot of depth. After 25 feet of depth the thermocline and temperature can affect the sink rate. The outer color of the line changes color every ten yards."

Not sure what that equates to in inches per second for the flyfishermen. It looks like some experimentation would be required.

[OutdoorBum]

From the guidebrod site:
"An innovative trolling line for deep lake and ocean fishing. Lead Core line requires less sinker weight due to the continuous strand of lead wire running throughout the line. Approximate sink rate is 2 yards out equals one foot of depth. After 25 feet of depth the thermocline and temperature can affect the sink rate. The outer color of the line changes color every ten yards."

Not sure what that equates to in inches per second for the flyfishermen. It looks like some experimentation would be required.


Good info. Thanks!

[Stonedfish]

You can also use a shooting head set up and just dump the line. As an example, say you are going to use an 8 wt. Get 30' of Rio T-14 or Cortland LC-13 and put it on a SA intermediate running line (.030 diameter).
Rather then casting, strip out some running line and simply dump the line over the side of the boat. You'll be suprised how quickly your line will sink. If there isn't a lot of wind, you'll get almost a straight up and down retrieve. Strip it up and do it again.
I've used this technique many times in Mexico for multiple ocean species. I have a friend who does great up at Sekiu and Neah Bay on silvers using this technique.
You could also easily do this with leadcore line as well.
Good luck

[Loneangler]

I was thinking about trying to catch a Lake Trout ( Mackinaw ) on a fly this fall. I would have to get below 50 feet and 80-100 feet would be better. No need to cast. I could wind drift. Any idea's?

Thanks,

Jimmy

For those depths, even leadcore will sink too slowly to do you much good. I would use a downrigger or homemade one to reach those depths with 20 or 30 feet of leadcore attached to a mono running line. I would clip the leader to the downrigger ball, drop it to the desired depth (will take 10-20 seconds max) and then pop the line off the clip, retrieve the downrigger ball and proceed to fish the depth selected but even then, I am sure the line will rise in the water column with any drift.
If you try for macks the appropriate time of year, they will be feeding in water 30 feet deep or less and under those conditions they take small lures/flies pretty readily.

[Jimmy]

Thanks for the ideas guys. :applause: I do have a extra spool of lead core. I also like the idea about using a running line and using a short shooting head such as T-14. I sent a email yesterday asking Cortland what the sink rate was for lead core. Inches per second. If its faster than 8 or 9 ips then I will just use the lead core. I do have a scotty downrigger that I can use. Thanks Loneangler. I may have to use it if the line it self wont sink fast enough. I also have a drift sock, so I hope by just wind drifting with the sock that the line will sink deep enough. It should be fun trying.

Wish me luck,

Jimmy

[graig]

Using the formula developed by Jim Havstad, I calculate the sink rate of lead core to be about 6.5 ips.

[Jimmy]

Using the formula developed by Jim Havstad, I calculate the sink rate of lead core to be about 6.5 ips.


Graig,

Thanks for your help. Then I will go with the Rio line.

[gthfish]

Better yet--go to Yellowstone in late October, right when the weather is nastiest and fish the channel between Lewis and Shoshone Lakes! Fish are shallower and readily accessible with a fly. Big Lakers and Browns. Don't know about other lakes, but lakers may cycle fall to spring in depth in your fave lakes too. PPs--I sometimes loop a 2 or 3 ft section of lead core between leader and sink tip on my versatip for steelhead too. "CHUCK AND DUCK"

[sothereiwas]

If you want to get down fast skip the traditional intermediate running line and use mono. 20lb Amnesia is easy to cast and wont slow the heads sink rate as badly as the poly running line.

[GS1]

I like this geek stuff with lines...............Here is a good link, with lots of info........http://flyfishingresearch.net/calcemyourself.html


What I have found to be the fastest sinking, Yes, I weighed and mic'd this line.........is teeny's chuck and duck super heavy (have not tried the super magnum) at 40 plus grains per foot and I do not remember the diameter. It came in at a 4.4 rule number. That is figuring a 3mph current(would wind drift in a lake be the same)
I would cutoff the head, only 12' long and attach it to 50# gelspun...That, I believe to be the fastest...

Lots of Ideas out there..........

GS1