Sink rate of sinking lines

[MBM1969]

What sink rate of sinking line do most of you use float tubing lakes? I am currently using a intermediate and a type 3 that I need to replace. Just wondering if I should try a 4 or a 5. Are the faster sink rates useful?

Mark
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[flygoddess]

What I use MOST on Stillwater is an Intermediate, Type III (or a Type II) and a Type VII or Depth Charge. I can cover all depths with these three.
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[gofish435]

If you are replacing your type 3, I would go with a type 7. What FG said about using Intermediate, 2 or 3, and type 7 is the thing to do if you can afford to do three lines. With the type 7 you can fish from 15' on down to 30'-35' if you need to. I actually use my number 7 more than any of the others but there are places that you need the slower sink rates too. I carry four lines in my tube, floating, intermediate, type 3, and type 7. I probably don't need all of them but it's kind of like carrying four boxes full of flies and using the same three or four patterns and colors all the time.[laugh]
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[OldTroller]

I have several lines.
An intermediate for when the fish are near but not at the surface
A Type 3 for when the fish are around 3 to 5' deep but as deep as ten feet
A type 7 for everything deeper than ten feet and for when they are taking emerging flies.
A sink tip with an intermediate tip. Great for when they are taking right at the surface but not on the surface.
A sink tip with a type 5 sink rate that I never use but I carry it around to remind me not to buy stuff I don't need and wont use.
And a Floating line but I have that strung up on a separate rod.

If I only had three lines it would be a floating a type3 and a type 7
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[OldTroller]

I have several lines.
An intermediate for when the fish are near but not at the surface
A Type 3 for when the fish are around 3 to 5' deep but as deep as ten feet
A type 7 for everything deeper than ten feet and for when they are taking emerging flies.
A sink tip with an intermediate tip. Great for when they are taking right at the surface but not on the surface.
A sink tip with a type 5 sink rate that I never use but I carry it around to remind me not to buy stuff I don't need and wont use.
And a Floating line but I have that strung up on a separate rod.

If I only had three lines it would be a floating a type3 and a type 7
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[flygoddess]

To elaborate on this for those that may not know, ALL lines will hit the bottom, just at different speeds.
In the cooler periods like evening, mornings, Ice off, and late fall when fish are shallow (say 5' to 8'), an Intermediate is perfect because it sinks so slow. Your floating line will catch those rising, or sub surface, but the Intermediate gets those underneath and does it quick enough to float past those top water feeders. Same on the other lines.
A Type VII or the Depth Charge are very fast sinkers. Great for hotter days and deep fish (also great for Deep Nymphing) It will sink right past the middle and top fish to the bottom dwellers.

One last thing to remember or consider when buying the sinking line is you have two choices in most cases.
You have Density Compensated which means the line sinks uniformly. No belly in the line.
Then there is Wet Cell. It will form a belly where the middle of the line sinks faster. This is a great choice when fishing weedy waters. Very popular like Henry's.
And the other nice thing about sinking lines is you don't need to weight flies. Let the line put them in the zone. But, you can play with floating foam flies for cool effect. They will rise on the pause and then dive on the strip.
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[flygoddess]

Worth repeating maybe?[laugh]
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[kandersonSLC]

Interesting stuff. I thought you always wanted density compensated line, but the belly-effect makes a lot of sense on Henry's where it was tricky to keep fly just above the weeds (either too high or snags).

Love the idea of a floating wet fly that will travel up and down the water column.
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