Questions: Sinking Lines for deeper water Puget Sound Coho from the Boat

[speedbird]

I’m looking to spool up my 6 weight and my 8 weight with a Type 7 sinker, and target Puget Sound coho in the tide rips in deeper water. Puget Sound is always a fishery where we want to cast as far as we can, and having a shooting head line is helping me with that tremendously. That said, shooting heads are expensive, and so are extra spools. I was considering a Cortland seek type 7 two sizes heavy for my six weight, and then spending the extra bucks on a nice AirFlo 40+ or SA Sonar for the 8wt. How would that Cortland set up cast compared to a true shooting head? Alternatively, at the moment I don’t have a beach line for my 8wt, and as I understand, a full sink type 3 can be highly effective on the steeper beaches. The time of the year where I‘d be casting for coho from the beach with an 8wt typically has bigger waves, and to keep from hanging up I can always strip faster. As to why I insist on spooling up the 8wt, whenever I am fishing off a boat I am always with my dad, (The boats real captain, I am just the full time fishing guide) or with friends when I get the opportunity to take it out. It would be nice to keep as second rod on the boat to hand off to keep it fun for everyone on board. This wouldn’t be “true fly fishing” but with how shallow coho run some times, I would be interested to see the results using a fly rod with a full sink as a “shotgun rod” while downrigger trolling, and I imagine I would need a type 7 to get deep enough to be effective.

 

[Matt B]

The cortland type 7 sinks like a stone. Well....Almost. Just get the 6 wt for the 6 wt, especially if you want to cast it. It’s the type 7 that is the sink rate. The 8 will just be heavier, shouldn’t sink faster than the 6.

 

[speedbird]

The cortland type 7 sinks like a stone. Well....Almost. Just get the 6 wt for the 6 wt, especially if you want to cast it. It’s the type 7 that is the sink rate. The 8 will just be heavier, shouldn’t sink faster than the 6.

I am aware the 8 and 6 will sink the same, but wondered if upsizing the line could make it a little easier casting, especially considering we are fishing bigger flies in big winds on the sound. Poor mans shooting head if you will

 

[Matt B]

I am aware the 8 and 6 will sink the same, but wondered if upsizing the line could make it a little easier casting, especially considering we are fishing bigger flies in big winds on the sound. Poor mans shooting head if you will

I think it’ll be too heavy. That’s my opinion and a guess at a lot of variables. All the full sink lines I have cast seem to load up the rod plenty well, especially when you’re pulling it up from the depths.

 

[clarkman]

To echo Matt, with that line, just get the 6. If you're trying to mimic a shooting head, just get a shooting head, like the Compact series (as in the sink 9 of you're really wanting to get down)

 

[Pink Nighty]

In the boat, if you're not using it as a shotgun rod and are casting it, you wont need the long bomb casts you'll need off the beach. Motor up into easy casting range of your rip, then stack mend line while you drift to sink it. Strip it in when you're at the depth you want and repeat.

 

[Wade Rivers]

I like my Airflo 6th sense https://airflousa.com/airflo-sixth-sense-sinking-fly-lines.html

I have the 6/7wt in Type Sink 7. It casts well and seems to have fewer tangles than other skinny black lines I have used in the past. I use a stiff 6 wt rod or a med-fast 7 wt. I'm also curious about the Superflo 40 +. Let us know if you cast one.

Here's the grain weight chart for the 6th Sense.

 

[speedbird]

I imagine this isn’t the most effective way to fly fish, but often when I am meat trolling with family and friends, I will see an explosion of activity closer to the surface and think ”those are perfect fly fish”. Is casting and stripping off a moving boat effective at slower speeds? I imagine it would be impractical at the fast speeds we troll for coho, but I wonder if it could be a good way to try and target coho while working the bottom for Kings

 

[Scudley Do Right]

I have both shooting heads and standard taper sinking lines. From the boat the only real advantage of the shooting head is maybe efficiency. With the longer head you can carry more line so you will actually be able to cast further. If the fish are out of range just move the boat closer. When you hear 2 weights over concerning shooting heads that only applies to the first 30ish feet.

 

[jasmillo]

For coho, I fish intermediate, type 3/5 and type 7 lines dependent on conditions. That said, the type 3/5 gets used 80+% of the time. The intermediate and type 7 on certain tide/beach combos. The type 7 probably gets used 10%-15% of the time from the boat. My advice would be to buy a good quality shooting head and take care of it. I still fish OBS’s even with their horrific durability issues and tangle problems because they are so perfect for the application I use them for. If you go that route, I would have multiple backups for the season. There are some others that are good though. SA Titan series as an example.

I always use shooting heads for coho for the reason @Scudley Do Right mentions above. If you watch guys fishing standard lines versus those fishing shooting heads from beach you’ll see the efficiency. I bet those fishing shooting heads get 20-30% more casts per year in. Don’t get me wrong, there are some very efficient casters using standard head lines. It’s really tough to throw as much line as a shooting head with one back cast though. The sound is a big place with migrating fish so the more time with the fly in the water, the better.

 

[flybill]

Just buy 30 or 40 feet of T11.. do a loop or nail knot it to attach the backing.. short strong leader.. maybe maxima or some floro (overkill in my opinion).. add water and it will sink fast!

 

[_WW_]

but wondered if upsizing the line could make it a little easier casting, especially considering we are fishing bigger flies in big winds on the sound. Poor mans shooting head if you will

Just use the heavier rod setup.

 

[Scott Salzer]

I would expect Nick to chime in. Haven’t seen anything from him lately. Any intel to share?

 

[Lue Taylor]

I would expect Nick to chime in. Haven’t seen anything from him lately. Any intel to share?

Nick last on forum Nov 6 said been busy plus sick with Covit for awhile Scott

 

[Scott Salzer]

Thanks Lue.

 

[Kfish]

Second that, just get a shooting head instead of over lining, it won’t be much fun resulting in less usage. Especially on a conventional trolling boat with the rods out I imagine you don’t want to be false casting too much.
I would go with OBS S5 or 7 if I were you.

 

[speedbird]

Nick last on forum Nov 6 said been busy plus sick with Covit for awhile Scott

Wish him the best, his videos and blog are a goldmine

 

[ffb]

If you're looking for a Type 3, the Cortland Compact is on sale right now for $70. Either the 6/7 for your 6wt or 8/9 for your 8wt.

I will pile on with biting the bullet and running the shooting head lines. I have had a shoulder issue the last few years and the less false casting I have to do the better. I have finally got my reels/lines set up just about how I want them. I have combination of 40+, OBS, and Compact lines that I've purchased over the years in Floater, Intermediate, Type 3, and Type 9. The Type 9 I bought specifically for deeper water rips and it has been perfect for that. The Type 3 is used 90% of the time for SRC and Coho from the boat. Intermediate for shallow beaches and I rarely use the floater. I think another line between the 3 and 9 might work well for some beaches but I can cover just about everything with what I have now.

The last gen Lamson Liquid and Remix 3 packs are on sale everywhere right now and would be a good option for setting up a reel and spare spools for your new lines. I just did the same myself with a Remix 3 pack so I'm no longer spooling and unspooling lines on my 2 reels.

 

[speedbird]

If you're looking for a Type 3, the Cortland Compact is on sale right now for $70. Either the 6/7 for your 6wt or 8/9 for your 8wt.

I will pile on with biting the bullet and running the shooting head lines. I have had a shoulder issue the last few years and the less false casting I have to do the better. I have finally got my reels/lines set up just about how I want them. I have combination of 40+, OBS, and Compact lines that I've purchased over the years in Floater, Intermediate, Type 3, and Type 9. The Type 9 I bought specifically for deeper water rips and it has been perfect for that. The Type 3 is used 90% of the time for SRC and Coho from the boat. Intermediate for shallow beaches and I rarely use the floater. I think another line between the 3 and 9 might work well for some beaches but I can cover just about everything with what I have now.

The last gen Lamson Liquid and Remix 3 packs are on sale everywhere right now and would be a good option for setting up a reel and spare spools for your new lines. I just did the same myself with a Remix 3 pack so I'm no longer spooling and unspooling lines on my 2 reels.

Really good knowledge to have, thank you. If I’m fishing down to around 40ft deep, will a type 3 be enough? I’m not going to be doing very much of the traditional “cast to shoreline” fly fishing that we do for SRC or a lot of coho fisheries, it’ll be mostly the open water game

 

[ffb]

Really good knowledge to have, thank you. If I’m fishing down to around 40ft deep, will a type 3 be enough? I’m not going to be doing very much of the traditional “cast to shoreline” fly fishing that we do for SRC or a lot of coho fisheries, it’ll be mostly the open water game

I think you'd be happier with a Type 7 or Type 9 trying to get down to those depths.