Do you know what your sinking line is doing
A "homemade" sink tip system that fits in a leader wallet
When fishing your favorite steelhead run, do you know how deep your fly is working? Is your fly getting down to where you believe the fish to be, or is the current whisking it along above them?
You might know the sink rate of your line (often listed in inches per second or IPS), but this won't tell how deep your fly gets, as sink rates aren't tested in moving water (where you typically swing flies and hook steelhead, trout and salmon). These rates don't take into account line diameter, sinking tip length, and actual line weight in grains. These details are crucial in determining how deep your fly will fish on a given sinking line.
The sheer number and variety of sink tip and sinking lines on the market is mindboggling. Factor in sink tips of numerous lengths, weights, sink rates, along with "density compensated" lines, and you can quickly decide to stick to a trusty floating line and lots of split shot. However, there is a simple and practical way to fish your fly at the depth you want.
Two die hard steelhead anglers, Tom Keelin and Bob Pauli, have researched this issue in exhaustive fashion (under the close supervision of a Portland State University professor). They determined that each uniformly constructed sinking line has its own characteristic "rule number." This number is the number of feet of sinking line required to deliver a small, unweighted fly to a hangdown depth of 1 foot in 3 mph water. Alfonzo Dennard Jersey
For example, ten feet of Type 3 sinking tip line gets the fly a foot deep, making it a Rule 10 line. An intermediate sink tip can be a Rule 16 line, meaning it takes 16 feet of this sink tip to get the fly a foot deep in moving water. 6 feet of line equals 1 foot of fly depth. 12 feet of line puts the fly 2 feet deep, and 30 feet of line equals a fly depth of 5 feet. As such, the rule of six is an easy way to determine how much sinking line is needed to get your fly into the strike zone. Small lengths of LC 13 or T 14 can be precut and fitted with loops for quick depth adjustments while on the water.
Once you understand the rule of six, you can put it to practical use while fishing. Imagine that you want to get your fly 2 feet deep and the current is approximately 3 mph. How many feet of rule 6 line do you need to use? Sink tip length (feet) = 2 x water velocity (mph) x fly depth (feet), or 2x3x2=12. 12 feet of rule 6 line are needed to get your fly to the desired depth. Remember that these numbers can't possibly reflect all dynamics of water and currents that occur instream, but offer a good starting point for estimation.
How can the rule of 6 help lighten your vest? The good news here is that Rio and Cortland sell T 14 and LC 13 by the foot, making it possible to build a complete set of sinking tips for less than some new sinking lines cost. All that's needed are loop connectors, monofilament and a nail knot tool, and a new leader wallet to store them in. These sink tips loop onto your existing floating line, cast easily, and sink quickly due to their small diameter. Come back here next week for pointers on how to build a practical, economical set of sinking tips that will allow you to fish flies deep and cheap. Tight lines!
Detroit Fly Fishing Examiner
Brian Cavasin has been hooked on flyfishing since receiving his first "wand" as a birthday gift. While a University of Michigan degree and gainful employment as an applications engineer for MAHLE Powertrain sometimes interfere, Brian explores numerous Michigan waters with the long rod. His experience has proven that respect for our water resources helps protect the very essence of this sport, in spite of our legislators' efforts to overstock and undervalue this satisfying pastime. Authentic Chris Jones Jersey
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