HI Have any of you guys made up your own sink tip out of short sections of sinking line and regular floating line? Instead of spending $50-$100 on sink tip ,I thought I could cut a section of sinking line ,maybe 10-15 feet and nail knot to regular 3 wt float and use with my 3wt Sage 6' 6" ? Don't have to throw it too far 30-40 feet. But the rivers are real quick after a lot of rain. Thanks,Chet
Making your own sink tip line
- Thread starter jujim
- Start date
Rip Tide
Well-known member
Cortland LC-13. with a whipped loop on each end
I have 'em from 6 inches to 18 feet
You just loop them between your line and leader. You can even use more than one at a time, if that's what you need.
Not pleasant to cast though
The 6" I actually loop between the leader and tippet as an alternative to split shot
... I have a couple of "store-bought" ones too.
I have 'em from 6 inches to 18 feet
You just loop them between your line and leader. You can even use more than one at a time, if that's what you need.
Not pleasant to cast though
The 6" I actually loop between the leader and tippet as an alternative to split shot
... I have a couple of "store-bought" ones too.
Hi Chet,
I'll watch the thread to see what you come up with, if you run into any difficulties drop me a PM. Like Rip Tide I've been making my own for a while.
I'll watch the thread to see what you come up with, if you run into any difficulties drop me a PM. Like Rip Tide I've been making my own for a while.
I've used this https://www.rioproducts.com/products/spey-accessories/intouch-level-t on two-handers.
Attached to the front of a running line you can get about any sink rate you want.
I haven't made a one-hander line with it, but don't see why it wouldn't work.
Attached to the front of a running line you can get about any sink rate you want.
I haven't made a one-hander line with it, but don't see why it wouldn't work.
silver creek
Well-known member
Instructions for making your own Sink tips with LC 13 is here:
https://www.theflyfishingforum.com/...348177-cortland-mini-head-kit.html#post655006
https://www.theflyfishingforum.com/...348177-cortland-mini-head-kit.html#post655006
JoJer
Well-known member
I have a 6' and a 10 foot that I cut from the back end of an 8wt full sink line. I whipped loops and glued them. They've been in my vest for a very long time, I don't think I've ever fished them.
silver creek
Well-known member
Flav is right. I missed the fact that the OP wanted to use a 3 wt. The LC 13 is too heavy to put on a 3 wt line.
An easy solution is the light trout poly leaders from airflo. They come in 5 and 8 foot lengths and various sink rates. They don't cast effortlessly and take a bit of adjustment to cast well, but they're not too bad, and all you have to do is add a couple feet of tippet and loop one on. I've used them many times on a 8.5 foot 4 weight and they get a swung or stripped fly down pretty well without needing to buy a whole new line. I like them for swinging soft hackles, you can get your fly down a bit even in pretty swift flows.
knotjoe
Well-known member
Chet, I have done this and found simple loop-to-loop connections to be the best way as they are removable. If you are fishing with a short rod, keep the sink tips short so they don't have to go through the guides.
Need more weight than say 6' of sinking line will get you? Wrap a bit of weighting wire around the line near one end and cement it. Most of these ideas cast like cr@p, but they get the job done. Realistically, you are probably better with a sinking leader and weighted fly. The problem with tips is they are fat! Good sink rate, but it comes at the expense of drag and surface area in current.
Another problem is with bottom structure, once the heavy sink tip sinks and swings along the bottom, they tend to thread themselves under very heavy boulders and obstructions. It's one of those things that has to be dialed in very accurately or it becomes an exercise in frustration. Weighted fly and fluoro leaders are much more versatile and have a "sink angle" conducive to avoiding line snags.