Two Questions - Sinking Line And Streamers

[Nick Williams]

What's up,

I have recently been trying out a sinking line, or sinking tip rather, and it feels a lot more awkward to cast. I guess just because it is heavier than the WFF8 I have on there? I don't know. Any advice that will help me out with that?? It also seemed to pile up in the water more often than laying out like my floating line does, what can I do to fix that?

Also, when I was stripping in one of my streamers yesterday, I was more or less trying to get used to throwing the sinking line so I wasn't as focused on the actual fishing part of it, but I noticed my streamer was kind of spinning on the strip. It wasn't a weighted streamer, just an EP Baitfish style streamer, so did that mean that my leader was just twisted up? I usually don't have problems with twisted leader unless I am throwing a hopper dropper rig.

Thanks guys!

[Jason R.]

Sink tips suck to cast. They take some getting used to. Full sinks are much easier in my opinion, but harder to deal with because they sink around your feet. The spinning is probably not line related- probably a ganked up fly. Sinking line is the way to go with streamers- in most water you will straight catch more fish.

[Wayne SW/MO]

Sink tips can be more difficult to cast, but it's in the timing IMO. They have to be on top and getting a routine down to achieve that is the learning curve. The best for me is to roll cast when I'm ready to recast and pick it up when it straightens out. They do generally roll cast well because the taper doesn't differ all that much from a DT. I believe a leader on a sinking line should be around 4'.

I agree the fly is the problem. You might be able to trim the spin out of it.

[Gavin]

Sinking lines and shooting heads...work best from a boat IMO....fewer line managment issues....when wading...a sink tip can be OK...but a sinker or a shooting head can be a PIA if your wading up to your belly button...

Figure out how much line that your rod can handle on the back cast..usually 25-30'...Roll cast to get to the surface..better know how to generate some line speed after that...good setup for your backcast and a well timed haul...good stop....some drift and shoot some line on your back cast...good forward cast and haul...good stop and let it fly. Have fun.

[Brian Wise]

Sinking lines and shooting heads...work best from a boat IMO

AGREED!

You have to tweak your cast quite a bit when you go from a floating line to a sink tip. With floating line you can throw laser tight loops....with a sink tip you will battle the weight of the tip if you try to throw really tight loops. Keep your loop open and let the weight of the head help you cast. Ideally, I like to see more of a pendulum cast with sink tips. Nothing pretty about sink tip casting--grip it and rip it.

[Nick Williams]

So what I am understanding is that throwing a sink tip is just better to man handle it? Give or take at least.

[Nortrad]

Just slow down on your strokes, feel the weight of the sink tip pull on your back cast, then push it forward. Also, like mentioned, a short leader with loop knot for your streamer.