Full-sinking or sink-tip?

[Smellsfishy]

I plan to fish for trout in small, hike-in lakes as well as the big, deep lakes. Mainly from my float-tube, and likely using wet lake patterns such as wooly-buggers, callibaetis & other streamers.

I'm using a 8' 5/6 weight rod. For line I'm stuck on determining the best line/leader/tippet set-up to best cover both of these fishing situations (tiny lake vs deep lake).

I'm thinking of using WF, 6wt, Type II or IV, but should I use a full-sink or sinking-tip line??

For leader I'm thinking a "trout leader", tapered no-knot, 9' flouro somewhere btwn 4x-6x, or a 7' in 3x-0x. Should I use a tippet with these types of leaders? how long of a tippet should I use?

Thanks for the help!!

 

[Casting Call]

Where do you belive the fish to be holding?

Where do you belive the fish to be holding?

Big lake or small lake they are just lakes. Down deep use full sinking, sub-surface use sink tip. Decide if the fly that you are using is appropriate for sinking fast or slow. Hope this helps. CC

 

[OnTheFly]

Intermediate sink clear or camo. Use 9 to 12ft leader including tippet. This line will go deep if you wait long enough but most takes will be about 10ft down or less. Emerging nymphs will be swimming towards the surface and sometimes fish will make split decisions and grab your fly as it gets closer to the top. My wife has outfished me at times where her line was out the equivalent to 12 pulls from the real to the first guide as opposed to me with line out as far as I can cast. But if you think you need to fish deeper, put on a bead head of some sort.

 

[Smellsfishy]

An Intermediate being like a "F/I" on the box, around 2 inch p/sec sink rate? I'm looking at the Rio Streamer Tip. For full sink, the Rio Density comp. but it's 150 grain has a 5 ISP sink rate.

I appreciate the help! I'm re-learning all of this from when I was mentored back in '82... When I was 13 y/o. Haha.

 

[OnTheFly]

An Intermediate being like a "F/I" on the box, around 2 inch p/sec sink rate? I'm looking at the Rio Streamer Tip. For full sink, the Rio Density comp. but it's 150 grain has a 5 ISP sink rate.

I appreciate the help! I'm re-learning all of this from when I was mentored back in '82... When I was 13 y/o. Haha.

1.5 to 2fps is plenty. The Rio is a good line but spendy. After I used up my Cortland Camo, I decided to go with a Scientific Angler clear. A little too much memory coil for me and I still need to shove my rod tip down into the water to get it to sink. I'll get a Rio or just go back to a Cortland 444 Camo next time.

 

[Smellsfishy]

rogerthat. Thanks for the help!