FLY LINES

[John Pierce]

5 WEIGHT LINES SUMMARY

Range enables you to fish at any depth.

FLOATING LINE
USE: For indicator(?) dry fly fishing.
CONFIGURATION: Backing + Floating Line + Leader 10ft x 10lb butt end + mid-section of 6# cut accordingly to depths being fished + a barrel swivel + 4ft of 4# fluorocarbon. Example Fishing at 20ft depth, then build leader of 10ft butt + 10ft mid-section + 6 or 4ft tippet and attractor fly is set to the precise depth.
EXAMPLES: Jim MacDonald uses Rio Outbound floating line. In my belly boat I generally use my flippers to control movement, but if using a boat then anchor securely using two anchors. Casting!!, wow, difficult, but well wort the effort. It seems big fish are attracted to chironomids. This is also the line I use for Dry Fly Fishing. It is probably much too aggressive for some presentations, but, it works pretty well. For a leader, I use a 4lb monofilament tapered leader. Note: Fluorocarbon will sink, monofilament doesn't.

HOVER LINE
USE: Very similar to floating line, but for when windy as not affected by wind or waves as the whole line goes subsurface.
CONFIGURATION: Sinking line at only 0.5 IPS, use with 4ft leader.
EXAMPLES: Jim MacDonald uses in ocean for Pinks or Cutthroart, ie Adam & Eve River on Vancouver Island.

FLOATING - 1.5 IPS SINKING TIP
USE: Good for trolling top 3 - 4ft from surface. Perfect to cast into surfacing fish, ie targeting surface feeding fish.
CONFIGURATION: Backing + Floating Line with built in normally 9ft 1.5 IPS sinking tip + 4ft leader?
EXAMPLES: Jim MacDonald uses Rio Outbound line with built in clear (camouflage) 1.5 IPS sinking front section changing to coloured "sweet spot" mid section as colour change in line indicates loading point and when to stop retrieve and set up for cast.

FLOATING - 3 IPS SINKING TIP
USE: Good for trolling 4 - 5ft from surface. Easy to cast.
CONFIGURATION: Backing + Floating Line with built in normally 9ft 3 IPS sinking tip + 4ft leader.
EXAMPLES: Jim MacDonald uses Rio Outbound line with built in clear (camouflage) 3 IPS sinking front section changing to coloured "sweet spot" mid section, as colour change in line indicates rod loading point and when to stop retrieve and set up for next cast.

1.5 IPS SINKING LINE
USE: Depths can be varied by lengthening the amount of line in the water. Generally at 10 to 12 pulls sinks to 5 feet. Perfect for trolling a fly on a search pattern. A simple roll cast brings line to surface allowing ease of casting.
CONFIGURATION: Clear fly line.
EXAMPLES: Jim MacDonald uses.

3 IPS SINKING
USE: Trolling, ten pulls allows depths 6 to 7 feet.
CONFIGURATION:
EXAMPLES: Jim MacDonald uses clear 1.5.

DEEP SINKING
USE: Trolling close to or on bottom of lakes. Awful to cast.
CONFIGURATION: Backing + Sinking line at 6 IPS + 4ft leader.
EXAMPLES: Jim MacDonald uses with Chironomids or Boobies from belly boat and not anchored. I find you can catch bigger fish this way.

LEADERS
Jim MacDonald says he does not used tapered leaders as finds they do not hang straight.

SINKING TIPS

• A variety of sinking tips to be attached to floating line can be created by purchasing bulk materials and cut to desired length and affixing loops to each end.
• Care must be taken when using custom cut sinking tips, ie a type 18 sinking tip is 18 grains per foot, meaning a ten foot section would weigh 180 grains (~11gr), that is coming very close to the entire weight of a five weight line. Casting would be very problematic and if not careful, rod breakage could occur.
• Clear sinking tips can only be purchased, as a bulk product is not available.

LINE MAINTENANCE

• Do not touch with sunscreen on fingers.
• Clean after every fishout, especially if used in salt water.
• Store in dark, sun will age them.