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when weighted flies are not heavy enough... fly rod sinkers

3K views 10 replies 6 participants last post by  mayflyman 
#1 ·
What I do to get the fly down quickly without the aid of a sinking tip fly-line is this...
I made a sinker for my leader.

It's made like this:
1. Put a needle or a strong hook (without the eye) in your vise.
2. Coil a heavy gauge copper wire {never lead} along the hook/needle length.
3. Pull wire off needle/hook and trim tag at both ends flush. (you can coat the copper with an non-toxic epoxy resin if you wish)
4. Thread heavy monofilament (.021 or .019) through the copper coil.
5. Tie your favorite loop knot at each end of mono as close to the copper coil as you can get it.

To use this sinker system, I have a loop-to-loop connection at both butt and tippet section of my leader. (This makes tippet changing a breeze) I just use the interconnecting loops to splice in the sinker section between tippet and leader. It only adds three or four inches to your starting leaders length.

mayflyman
 
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#3 ·
mayflyman said:
What I do to get the fly down quickly without the aid of a sinking tip fly-line is this...
I made a sinker for my leader.

It's made like this:
1. Put a needle or a strong hook (without the eye) in your vise.
2. Coil a heavy gauge copper wire {never lead} along the hook/needle length.
3. Pull wire off needle/hook and trim tag at both ends flush. (you can coat the copper with an non-toxic epoxy resin if you wish)
4. Thread heavy monofilament (.021 or .019) through the copper coil.
5. Tie your favorite loop knot at each end of mono as close to the copper coil as you can get it.

To use this sinker system, I have a loop-to-loop connection at both butt and tippet section of my leader. (This makes tippet changing a breeze) I just use the interconnecting loops to splice in the sinker section between tippet and leader. It only adds three or four inches to your starting leaders length.

mayflyman
You might check out your fishing regulations in the area where you are fishing as adding weights to your line in some fly fishing only areas is classed as an inditable offence saltRon
 
#5 ·
reply to saltRon

We have no fly fishing only areas in N. E. Ohio that I know of.
But, thanks for the tip. I'll keep that in mind. The only fly fishing only area I visited to date was Shaver's fork in West Virginia, The upper Greenbreir around spruce knob. ;)
I love it there, great fishing with a view of the Shenandoah valley to boot.
I "met" my first black bear there, it wanted to fish the same hole as I did. :p
 
#6 · (Edited)
juro said:
If used together with an indicator... :rolleyes:
Dear sirs
Quoting from the current washington state fishing regulations and British columbia Regs. [ Qote from Wash. state] FLY FISHING ONLY Anglers may not use fixed spool reels,bait,WEIGHT ATTACHED TO THE LEADER OR LINE or leaders longer than15 FT. or with a breaking weight of more than 12LBs.

Respectfully submited SIR

saltRon
 
#7 ·
WARNING: Philosophical late night waxing!

Now pls don't take this wrong, you know I appreciate everybody's contributions and no one should judge anyone else who is acting within the regulations, but my personal opinion on indicators and weights on the leader is that they halt my learning curve at the level of drift fishing or bobber fishing (minus the cast itself) and I won't have that, no sir.

And heres why:

I once read an ad that challenged 300 fishing days left in life... make them all count with "some brand". Made me really think.

Now by my quick math and a wishful ripe old age prediction I am prone to get 650 or more in before I move on to the happy dry fly river in the sky, but that still ain't much!

I guess my philosophy is that with the days I have left, I'd like to reach the highest level of proficiency possible with the fly rod. The number of fish I catch is only a measurement along the way, not the goal itself. I don't expect anyone to agree or disagree with this philosophy, afterall it is a personal philosophy. But that's why I won't put a weight on my leader or a float on my line, I won't scent a fly or revert to spinning gear or bait or whatever for a species I can catch on a fly because when I do I squander that day to move ahead on my lifelong journey toward flyfishing nirvana.

649... 648... 647...
 
#8 ·
Quoting from the current washington state fishing regulations and British columbia Regs. [ Qote from Wash. state] FLY FISHING ONLY Anglers may not use fixed spool reels,bait,WEIGHT ATTACHED TO THE LEADER OR LINE or leaders longer than15 FT. or with a breaking weight of more than 12LBs.

Respectfully submited SIR

The above is facinating! The no extra weight to the line, leader, etc., is fairly normal stuff but leader length and max. test is new news. Do any other locations have this kind of restriction?
Fred
 
#9 ·
leader weights

I did not mean to open a nasty can of worms, so to speak. :(
I just needed to get the fly down a little deeper and I came up with something within my local regulations.
At least I'm not using lead! ;)
Sorry if I offended the "purity" of fly fishing.
 
#10 ·
I read a few words from each post in this thread, so don't shoot at me if I missed this idea from one or more of you.

Mayfly - why don't you just supplement the fly you're fishing with the copper wire, like we'd make a weighted nymph? by winding the shank of the hook and then tying over the copper?
 
#11 ·
leader weights

I was not saying this is right for ALL places, I do tie weighted nymphs too.
This is just a way to add a little more weight when needed. (deep water; fast current, ect.)
Ohio laws must be more relaxed than other states because I am well within my regulations.
Bottom line, if you don't like the idea, don't do it...
No one is keeping score.
 
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