Heavy Sink Line Advise

Wetswinger

Wetswinger

Beneath the surface of the mud, there’s more mud.
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I'm a bit confused and could use some help about heavy sink line. Cortland sells a lead core line it says is built at 13 grains per foot. How does that relate to the standard sink rate scale of say, Type 12 sinking line.? I understand grain weight as it relates to rod strength but not sink type.
I'm after some sinking line for fishing the bottom of lakes flat on the bottom. Are heavy shooting heads available.? I know you spey guys are famous for making your own lines. Any advise is welcome.
 
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I'm probably gonna screw something up here, but here's how I understand it:
Sinking lines sink rate can be measured in grains or inches per second (IPS). The inches per second are the more common type 3, type 5, type 7, in which the sink rate (IPS) is the number, e.g. type 3 is about 3 inches per second, type 5 is 5 inches per second, etc.
With grains, that's the T nomenclature. So 8 grains is T-8, 11 grains is T-11, and in your case 13 grains is T-13. The thing I don't understand is why the T nomenclature doesn't sink relative to the number. T-8 is about 7 inches per second. T-11 about 8 inches per second. T-14 about 9 inches per second and T-17 about 10 inches per second.

That cortland line is essentially T-13 and should sink a little less than 9 inches per second.
 
Long_Rod_Silvers said:
I'm probably gonna screw something up here, but here's how I understand it:
Sinking lines sink rate can be measured in grains or inches per second (IPS). The inches per second are the more common type 3, type 5, type 7, in which the sink rate (IPS) is the number, e.g. type 3 is about 3 inches per second, type 5 is 5 inches per second, etc.
With grains, that's the T nomenclature. So 8 grains is T-8, 11 grains is T-11, and in your case 13 grains is T-13. The thing I don't understand is why the T nomenclature doesn't sink relative to the number. T-8 is about 7 inches per second. T-11 about 8 inches per second. T-14 about 9 inches per second and T-17 about 10 inches per second.

That cortland line is essentially T-13 and should sink a little less than 9 inches per second.
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Thanks. I want to try building a head to help pull my type 6 line down faster.
 
Long_Rod_Silvers said:
The thing I don't understand is why the T nomenclature doesn't sink relative to the number. T-8 is about 7 inches per second. T-11 about 8 inches per second. T-14 about 9 inches per second and T-17 about 10 inches per second.

That cortland line is essentially T-13 and should sink a little less than 9 inches per second.
Click to expand...
My admittedly limited understanding has been that it's a density thing and the namers were more focused on communicating the grain per foot than the sink rate.
 
Wetswinger said:
Thanks. I want to try building a head to help pull my type 6 line down faster.
Click to expand...
One thing I've been playing with is a parabolic tapered frankenline. In a river the belly sinks fast and the lighter tip section gets pushed deep fast by the current. You adjust fly depth with rod angle. Works especially well on the Duc.
 
I went to 3D lines from NextCast and Gailforce last year, I just add 10' of T7 or T11 and done.
Super easy and simple!
 
Long_Rod_Silvers said:
I'm probably gonna screw something up here, but here's how I understand it:
Sinking lines sink rate can be measured in grains or inches per second (IPS). The inches per second are the more common type 3, type 5, type 7, in which the sink rate (IPS) is the number, e.g. type 3 is about 3 inches per second, type 5 is 5 inches per second, etc.
With grains, that's the T nomenclature. So 8 grains is T-8, 11 grains is T-11, and in your case 13 grains is T-13. The thing I don't understand is why the T nomenclature doesn't sink relative to the number. T-8 is about 7 inches per second. T-11 about 8 inches per second. T-14 about 9 inches per second and T-17 about 10 inches per second.

That cortland line is essentially T-13 and should sink a little less than 9 inches per second.
Click to expand...

The T-whatever name has nothing to do with sink rate or density. It’s just the weight in grains per foot of a line with tungsten in the coating. I think it’s an offshoot of the lead core line naming convention where they were designated LC-something, with LC13 being the most common.

LC13 sinks faster than a tungsten line of similar weight per foot. It’s horrible stuff to cast though.
 
Wetswinger said:
I came here because of the known ability of spey dudes to make custom lines. Kind of the line experts, eh?
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Understood. But it was easy to miss your intended use, I don’t think elicited too many great recommendations, and I don’t think you need to create a custom Franken-line to dredge a lake bottom. Maybe cross ref over in lakes, since they are kind of the lake fly fishing experts. Just a suggestion.
 
For practical purposes, LC13 cast and sinks a lot like T-14. LC13 is not used much anymore because it holds it’s shape somewhat (bends and kinks) whereas T-14 is fully flexible. I fish 24’ shooting heads of T-14 for salmon in deep tidewater that at times is nearly stillwater. 9 wt rod. These straight T-14 heads are a blunt instrument as far as fly lines go, but I’ve found that trying to nice it up with transitions / tapers isn’t worth the hassle for the marginal improvement that occurs. Lake anglers almost certainly have a better solution for lighter tackle.
 
Get a full sinking line in whatever rate you want and whatever weight you want. With enough line out they will all eventually lie on the bottom - down where the snags are.
 
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