Full sink vs multi density for boat salmon

[speedbird]

Picking up my first sinking line for throwing clousers deep for coho and pinks. Gentleman at the shop recommended the Sonar Titan 3D in 3/5/7. I'd like to be able to get down to at least 30 feet within a reasonable amount of time, but if bait balls down at 80ft are accessible with a fly line I'll try it by all means. Is there any advantage to taking a full single density sink line? Only one I can think of is faster sink rates like the Cortland Compact Type 9 are available.

 

[Pink Nighty]

If you're actually looking to fish at 80ft, I think your best shot would be to use a heavy T material head (like t17 or 20) on a running line. Position upcurrent, cast out and feed line and stack mend as you drift over the school. Then jig that clouser up through them

 

[Mossback]

If you want to fish at 80' successfully, use a baitcaster and braid.
Lot of work, and time to get a fly to 80', keep it there, and manipulate the line well enough to consistently catch fish.
Can it be done, well sure...meanwhile the guy with baitcaster and a jig is on his way home with a limit, while you're still stack mending...wondering if you're at 80', or at 55' with a bunch of running line floating in giant esses in the water column.

 

[jasmillo]

I probably would not spend a ton of time targeting those fish on a bait ball at 80 ft with a fly rod. Unless I was just screwing around seeing what’s possible. Plenty of nice coho a bit higher in the water column you can target with that 3/5/7 though.

One of my goals over the next few years is to be more consistent targeting open water coho with a fly rod. I’ve had some success but often just revert back to spots I’d fish from shore when using my boat, like points. I know I am missing some great opportunities though.

 

[speedbird]

If you want to fish at 80' successfully, use a baitcaster and braid.
Lot of work, and time to get a fly to 80', keep it there, and manipulate the line well enough to consistently catch fish.
Can it be done, well sure...meanwhile the guy with baitcaster and a jig is on his way home with a limit, while you're still stack mending...wondering if you're at 80', or at 55' with a bunch of running line floating in giant esses in the water column.

Point taken! I'll pick up that SONAR 3D and try fishing points like folks are suggesting, will be fun to try to learn new tactics for finding coho from a boat vs what I do when trolling. Belongs in a dirtbag subforum thread but what sort of jigs do people like for deep water coho? The heavy stuff that we use for Kings just looks too big to me, but I may be wrong

 

[ffb]

I had decent luck this summer with the Compact Type 9 in open water basically targeting the same areas I do when I'm mooching, but specifically looking for the bait balls in the upper 20-30 ft of the water column. I think the 3/5/7 will work just fine for that upper water column work.

 

[clarkman]

Sonar 3/5/7 gets down QUICK....it doesn't hurt that it's a fantastic casting line too. I've found that it gets down a little quicker than just a 30' type 9 shooting head plus int running line like most other fast sinking shooting heads....

 

[G_Smolt]

I prefer single density lines for depth work over 20'. Once you dial in fly sink speeds and mark your running line, it's pretty easy to know just how deep yer fishin'.

 

[Kfish]

Sonar 3/5/7 gets down QUICK....it doesn't hurt that it's a fantastic casting line too. I've found that it gets down a little quicker than just a 30' type 9 shooting head plus int running line like most other fast sinking shooting heads....

I have the Cortland Compact type 9, while the head gets down fast and deep it’s the intermediate running line that’s limiting the depth. Wish the running line is a type 7 transition to 5 that would be much more effective at what it’s designed to do.