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[ejeffrey]

Yes, I use a flashy material, either a few strands of flashabou or a cut up anti static bag, for the body instead of the usual chenille. I rib it with thin wire, usually red, before wrapping the hackle.

Thanks. I'm tying up some pink flies right now - just experimenting with a bunch of different patterns. I'll try some CNs based on your specs.

[brandooner]

A little off topic, but what would be an ideal fly line to use for pinks in the vedder?

[HOOK]

dry line with sink tips

[Spawn Sack]

"I just normally use one full 6-8 foot length of 8lb ultragreen."

Hook, how do you attach this 6-8 foot piece of 8lb to your mainline or added sink tip? I use a loop to loop connection. I've found that if I just use a straight piece of mono/flouro that is on the lighter side (say 10lb or under) the thin diameter will often cause the leader to cut into the mainline.

I've remedied this by having a butt of, say, 15lb, then blood knot to whatever my tipppet is. For pinks I would probably use 10lb.

I am a novice fly fisher so feedback/critique would be appreciated.

[whereismyfloat]

Pink/White Clouser;  few strands of krystal flash in the middle and a chartreuse head.
It's been a killer this past week on multiple days.

 

[whereismyfloat]

"I just normally use one full 6-8 foot length of 8lb ultragreen."

Hook, how do you attach this 6-8 foot piece of 8lb to your mainline or added sink tip? I use a loop to loop connection. I've found that if I just use a straight piece of mono/flouro that is on the lighter side (say 10lb or under) the thin diameter will often cause the leader to cut into the mainline.

I've remedied this by having a butt of, say, 15lb, then blood knot to whatever my tipppet is. For pinks I would probably sue 10lb.

I am a novice fly fisher so feedback/critique would be appreciated.

Just tie a perfection loop in one end. Use that as your loop to loop connection and then a standard clinch knot to the fly will be fine.

[Spawn Sack]

That's what I was using. Although the mono loop did not cut throught the sink tip loop, it did cut into the coating. I'm using a different line now for pinks + coho. It's a clear intermediate sinking tip line. Maybe I'll give the straight piece of thin mono another shot...but I'd be peeved if it cut into the welded loop that the line comes with.

Aside from the extra time to connect two pieces of line together, is there any reason why connecting a thicker butt to a lighter tippet would be unadvisable?

IMO a straight piece of mono would have the advantage of breaking strength. In other words, a straight piece of mono unlikely to break at either loop knot. However it would be more likely to break at the (weaker) connecting knot (I'd use a blood knot).

However the thicker butt connected to the lighter tip may have the advantage to turning the fly over better. No? Admittedly I'm talking out of my a** a bit

[brandooner]

sweet thanks!

[Funeral Of Hearts]

I run my fly line to a butt section of heavier mono attached using a nail knot. From there I tie a loop connection to a leader (loop to loop). The leader is lighter mono or flouro which (when used with the thicker butt section) tends to turn the fly over.

If I am using a dry fly I may attach a lighter tippet to the end of the leader to get a better more gentle turn over.

I usually don't have to re-tie the butt section very often and changing the leader is easy because it is loop to loop. I find I am more likely to change the leader due to wind knots or damage if the leader is easy to change.

[HOOK]

sink tip is attached to your dry fly line using loop/loop, then I added a short butt of 25lb to ALL my sink tips, I then just tie a double surgeons into one end of my leader and loop/loop connect it, then tie on your fly using a non slip knot. I have not once had the butt section break on me, I do however replace it every couple years because mono weakens


you shouldn't need to use anything over 8lb with only pinks in the water. on average these fish are not even large enough to break it trying their hardest possible, especially the Squamish pinks which are smaller than the Fraser ones.


Don't make your butt section more than 8" otherwise it doesn't turn over your leader/fly as nicely/easily


Get your local shop to put a loop on the end of your sink tips if they don't have it already. I do it myself which I think I have explained before on this site so feel free to search for it. easiest way is to fold the sink tip line against itself and bind it down with 2 nail knots slightly apart from each other and then coat with a flexible glue (UV knot sense is good)

[Spawn Sack]

Thanks for the tips guys. GREAT thread!

Funeral of hearts: You said you connect your butt section to your mainline with a nail knot. My mainline is an intermediate sinking line that already has a loop in it. Is there any advantage of connecting these two lines with a nail knot vs loop-to-loop? I have heard of some guys cutting the loop off and going to the nail knot...what the heck?

Also double surgeons loop vs. perfection loop? I've tried both and find the DSL a lot easier to tie. I've never had either knot bust on me.

My plan is, like HOOK mentioned, have a short butt of 25lb or so connected to my mainline with a loop to loop. From there I'll probably step it down to a couple feet of 15lb or so, then my tippet. I don't think 25 would blood knot that well to 8-10lb.

I guess I could loop-to-loop the 8-10lb tippet directly to the butt with a loop-to-loop??? Any disadvantage to doing this??? As FOH mentioned it would be a lot quicker/easier to change out a damaged tippet than cutting line and retying.

How about butt section to a small swivel, and tippet to the other end of the swivel like they do in still water fishing? However I imagine it would be hard to get 25lb to tie onto a tiny swivel. Hmm...

I know I could just buy tapered leaders but they are so pricey and I have so much mono kicking around I figure surely I can work out a system to use the mono I already have instead of burning through tapered leaders. I am just getting ino the fly scene so I tend to be pretty hard on my leaders with wind knots, etc.

[zabber]

I know I could just buy tapered leaders but they are so pricey and I have so much mono kicking around I figure surely I can work out a system to use the mono I already have instead of burning through tapered leaders. I am just getting ino the fly scene so I tend to be pretty hard on my leaders with wind knots, etc.

Amundsen 9ft tapered leaders sell for $1.99 and Sedge 9fters sell for $2.49. There are mono but you can always tie on a bit of fluoro tippet if you think it makes a difference... I find that with 6-8 ft of tippet most any wind knots end up there... If you check ur leaders every few casts you'll also find that the knots are loose enough that they can be opened up pretty easily...

I tried fluorocarbon tapered leaders a season or two ago and was sorely disappointed. They frayed like crazy, for whatever reason. I've since gone back to the cheap tapered leaders and couldn't be happier with the quality and savings. I just lengthen the tippet to 10-15 feet if the water is very clear.

Nothing wrong with making your own tapered leaders though; many experienced fly anglers prefer to. I just can't be bothered to tie together 2 foot sections of various lines that I don't own

[zabber]

if your trolling then the loop knot will do nothing special for you. When you strip the fly to create "action" the loop knot allows the fly to get more action.

Managed this porker over the "weekend":

I tied all my bugs using that loop knot. I troll slow in my kickboat, with the occasional pause and/or tug of the rod, so I figured it could only help. No way of knowing for sure, but -- regardless -- I love the knot

[HOOK]

nice fish Zabber !


Spawn Sack - all your questions just confused me............which means I think you may be over thinking things and possibly confusing yourself. Your line is a FULL LINE intermediate sink line ?     if so then yes you only need to add a leader, tie a DSL into one end and loop/loop it together then just tie your fly to the other end. salmon fishing you never need leaders over 6-8feet, what this means is you don't have to bother using tapered leaders because they will turn over being so short.

Now if your line is a DRY line then you will want to add a sink tip. loop/loop  connect the sink tip to your dry line, add a butt section of heavy mono to the opposite end of the sink tip, tie a DSL loop into one end of your leader and loop/loop it to your butt section then just tie on your fly

If your using a full intermediate sink line for river fishing your probably working harder than you need to unless you have a stripping basket that is. I say this because your line laying in the water will sink making it tougher to get it up/out of the water to cast, This will cause you to make more false casts and fatiguing your shoulder. If you use a dry line with a sink tip most guys make 1 or 2 false casts and then "shoot" whats left, if you have a basket then 1 false cast is enough because there is no resistance on the stripped in line meaning it will go like gang busters

If you really want you can try adding a swivel but like you said 25lb test wont knot through a tiny swivel which means you'll need a size10 or larger which WILL add weight to where its tied in and could cause your fly to travel strangely. On lakes we only use swivels when fishing under indicators for 3 reasons, adds weight to get down faster, adds weight to keep your presentation straight up/down, adds weight to keep your presentation "in the zone" when fishing windy days or if you finger roll your fly in


don't cut off the loops on your fly lines, they make life easier. only line I would cut if off would be a CLEAR sink line

[brandooner]

what length and weight of sink tips would you recommend?