In my personal fishing, a sink tip fly line is very important. I rely strongly on one for smallmouth bass fishing in the East and another for trout fishing in the Rockies.
With my 7-weight fly rod, a Scientific Anglers Sonar Titan Sink Tip 3 WF-7-FS works well. It sinks between 2.5 to 3.5 inches per second in the first 12 feet of the line. In the spring when the smallmouth rivers are running higher and faster than normal, this line enables me to punch my streamers through the fast currents and catch many bass I would be unable to catch with my floating line. Then in the Fall when the smallmouth move to the deeper cold water I can easily swim my flies along the river bottom with my sink tip line.
I usually carry a reel loaded with a floating line during mid-season. Then I carry an extra spool loaded with a sink tip line in my pack just to be prepared in case I would possibly need to switch while on the stream.
In the large trout rivers in the Rockies where I’m fishing a 6-weight outfit, I rely on a Sink Tip 3 WF-6-FS in order to swim my streamers deeply through the fast currents. In order to take full advantage of the depth, I fish these lines with a Murray’s Fluorocarbon 6ft 2X leader.
Scientific Angler Sonar Sink Tip Intermediate Fly Line
The Scientific Angler Sonar Sink Tip Intermediate Fly Line definitely has an important roll for smallmouth anglers. It has a sink rate of 1.25ips in the first 12 feet. On a 7-weight fly rod the WF-7-F/I is ideal early in the season when smallmouth are feeding on shiner minnows on shall gravel bars along the banks. Even later in the summer when the shiners move to the aquatic grass beds this line is ideal. I have success fishing shallow swimming streamers in 2-3 feet deep water in the tails of the pools at dusk when the smallmouth move into this area to feed on minnows. I can catch smallmouth along the 2-3 feet deep cobblestone banks on a Murray’s Crayfish size 6 as they feed on the naturals.
On float trips we find many smallmouth feeding along the 3-4 feet deep shady banks. Using this line with a Murray’s Olive Marauder size 6 on a Murray’s Fluorocarbon 6ft 2X leader is ideal.
The WF-6-FI is very effective when the BWO mayflies are starting to become active just prior to their emergence on the large western rivers. Using a 9ft 5X leader, fishing a BWO Nymph size 16 or 18 or a Mr. Rapidan Olive Soft Hackle size 16 down and across stream with a slow pumping action is very effective. Floating these western rivers and fishing a Murray’s Marauder (olive or pearl) size 8 tight against the banks on a 9ft 3X leader with this line will help catch many trout.
