Best type of line for lake trout fishing from boat or pontoon

[Digger38]

Just curious what would be the best type of line to use if your fishing lakes from a boat, tube or pontoon boat? Right now I have been using a 6wt rod with a 6wt sink tip line. Would it be better to use some other type line and line and or line and rod weight?

[Scott V]

When fishing shallow, like 1 - 5 feet I prefer an intermediate line on a 5 weight rod. When I want to go deeper I use a type 3 line on a 5 weight rod. I fish out of both a float tube and a pontoon.

[DFrink]

What's everyone's preference between a sink tip, and full sink line? I got a new spool for Christmas and want to put one of the two on it for lake fishing, but I'm having a hard time deciding which way to go.

Dan

[bigfly]

I reccomend a bimini knot on the new spool. I have more lines than spools (4 to 1).
I use every thing from a clear tip midge line, 60 ft casts, retrieved and still only a foot down. My favorite line for a few years is a 300gr Rio Density compensated sinker. 8wt.
I fish it shallow and fast, or super slow and deep. Don't tell anyone, but you can jig under the boat to 24 ft. Discovered this while sorting line at my feet. Generally, big guys don't sip at the surface.

[Bryan Morgan]

Another option is to use a 30 ft. shooting head in different sink rates. It will usually plane down to 15 ft. if you are kicking in a float tube. That technique is killer on lakes like Fuller.

[DFrink]

Can I run a shooting head on a 5wt? I thought it was too heavy? I should have mentioned that i used a 5wt earlier.

[Scott V]

Can I run a shooting head on a 5wt? I thought it was too heavy? I should have mentioned that i used a 5wt earlier.

You can use a shooting hed on any size rod, t is just a matter of cutting to the correct length. I have used T-14 on my 5 weight for getting real deep.

[Digger38]

I have a teeny ts-250 that I use on my 8wt out at Pyramid from the shore. I cut it down from 30' head to a 27' head and I cast that out pretty good. Do you think that would be ok to use from a toon or tube as well?

[DFrink]

Okay so I've read up on making my own shooting head, found a great article listed below. I have a Cortland 444 8wt type III full sink line, any opinions on wether or not I can trim this down to make a shooting head for my 5wt? Anyone feel I should just purchase a sink tip? Any opinions on a good running line if I do trim down the 8wt line?

http://globalflyfisher.com/fishbetter/shootingheads/

[bigfly]

It all depends on how you fish. To me a shooting head is for shooting line a long ways. I don't enjoy slicing my fingers while striping it back in either (the dreaded strip finger). Lake fishing a heavier line I can't cast as far, is OK, because I just row or fin away from it anyway. I often fish about 60-70 ft out. Casting 40 is plenty if you troll out the rest. Depth it sinks is a function of speed, strip/drift/troll. I had my Pyramid set up at a local lake by accident (the first time) it worked fine......
Love my sink tips for dam faces and calibaetis emergers. A sink tip does have limitations, a big belly in the line at depth leads to missed takes, a full sink or DS line is better for deep. The teeny 250 will work to maybe 12-15 ft.
The Rio has an integrated running line in 150,250,etc.. If you have a stiff 5wt, the 150 is very workable, the 250 is less so.
I can feel the Rio in cold weather too. Good luck in the search.

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

Our most popular lake lines are the weight forward clear slow sinking full lines.

The Cortland "Clear Camo" is very popular.


After that you could get a faster full sinking line.


I don't like stripping in those loops on the shooting heads in through the guides on lakes.

[DFrink]

I think I'll just come by the shop and have someone help me out. I would like to get a sink tip or full sink that is versatile enough so I don't need multiple lines (if possible). The shooting tips sound pretty cool because they can be interchangable, but with the amount of lake fishing I do (not a lot) maybe they are a bit excesive.

[Troutstalker55B]

It comes down to personal preference and how you want to fish. At Lake
Davis and Eagle I prefer to wade the shallows and stalk trout with a dry line.
By shallow I mean 1-3 feet of water and sight fishing. This line also allows
me to fish damsel adults and floating scuds to some very large trout. When
fish go deeper or are holding on the first ledge I really like the clear camo int.
line when fishing out of the boat. This line is So effective on Fall river as
well! I C&R a 4 pound rainbow on a Jay Fair olive leech last year, my
personal best on that river.

What ever you choose, learn that line well and have confidence with it!

[DFrink]

It's funny how something that seems so simple can be so complex. For now (probably will change my mind by lunch!) I think I'm going to go with the slow sink line as most of my lake fishing will be from a kayak, or float tube. Maybe after a few months of fishing that way I'll try other options. I find it overwelming to try to many new techniques at once. Thanks for all the great info guys/gals.

Dan

[Reno Flytyer]

That'll work find Dan. It is simple...the slow sink will allow you to fish from near the top to 10' or so, & most of the lakes like Davis and Frenchman are structured to accept that line. If the fish are feeding in the top 3' you won't have to count down much, 3'-6', count it down & start stripping...6' & lower, you just have to wait a little longer before you start your retrieve, or slow troll. You'll figure it out quickly. I have 5 different lines/spools for my 5 weight & use the type I the most, the camo less, & floating about the same as the camo. The other lines go much deeper, but the lakes I fish don't require their use. You'll be happy with that slow sink.
RFT

[Scott V]

If I were to use only one line and I usually do I would go with a Clear Camo intermediate line. But I would get a length of T-14 and make a little shooting head incase I need to get down deeper. 99% of the time I use my intermediate line. I love my intermediate line and would never change to anything else, and I do alot of stillwater fishing now. As a matter of fact I will be stillwater fishing tomorrow "Friday" if anyone wants to join me.

Trust me you will use an intermediate line more than any other line when fishing for trout in a lake.

[Mrs.Finsallaround]

If I were to use only one line and I usually do I would go with a Clear Camo intermediate line. But I would get a length of T-14 and make a little shooting head incase I need to get down deeper. 99% of the time I use my intermediate line. I love my intermediate line and would never change to anything else, and I do alot of stillwater fishing now. As a matter of fact I will be stillwater fishing tomorrow "Friday" if anyone wants to join me.

Trust me you will use an intermediate line more than any other line when fishing for trout in a lake.

Hey Digger! I'd listen to this guy.... He's the GBF champ on Fuller Lake! :lol:

I think I'm taking his advice this year at our annual picnic/fish-out in June! :unibrow:

[Digger38]

I have fished with Scott before and I have even caught a few fish with some of his advice. I appreciate all the help, after winter I plan n using my toon a lot more in some of the Sierra lakes.

[Jack Brassington]

For covering the top five to ten feet you cannot go wrong with Bill's suggestion on the Cortland Intermediate Camo line, reasonably priced and casts well once you give it a good stretch.

On a cold fall day last year my son and I fished Davis, both using wiggle tails, me with the Cortland and he with a new Rio Midge Tip. It was a great example of depth control and finding the level fish were holding as he cleaned my clock until I switched to a floating line to get higher in the water column. Even after adjusting lines the Midge Tip seemed to cover the sweet spot with greater consistency as indicated by the near constant bend in his fly rod.

Truth be told be is better caster and overall fisherman but I still give the Midge Tip high marks when the fish are near the top.

[RenoLipRipper]

Got it on a 5wt and like it for most situations. Does take a bit getting used to though due to the slow sink rate. But because of that as Cortland states below the fly stays in the feeding zone longer. Patience is needed. But a GREAT line to have in your quiver. And casting it is not like casting heavier full sink lines also doesn't have the same feel as the heavier lines where you can feel the weight of the line. Get it, you will love it.



444 Classic - Clear Camo
The 444 Clear Camo is the top choice for Stillwater anglers all over the world. The super stealthy "clear camo" blends into any sub-surface environment to virtually disappear in the water and will not distort the water surface. The slowest full sinking line on the market with a sink rate of 1.5 - 2 IPS. This allows the fly to stay in the feeding zone longer than any other line. The 444 Clear Camo is ideal for the shallow water conditions and spooky fish. This super supple line will remain supple in the coldest conditions.

Sizes: WF 3 - 10
Type: Intermediate Type 1 (1.5 - 2 IPS)
Taper: WF
Color: Clear Camo
Core: Mono

[Digger38]

I may have to pick some of it up for my 6wt sometime this winter so I will be set for fishing season up here.

[DFrink]

I think I'm going to have to pick some up before spring. I'm looking forward to doing some lake fishing this summer, it's more family friendly then hiking through back woods and up canyons to get to the small streams I usually fish.8-)

[Mario]

Does anyone remember a lake line that was called "the fishermen"? My father in law always compares every lake line that we have ever fished with to "the fishermen"....as if it was the best lake line ever made? Has anyone else had experience with this line?

[lee s.]

Susan ALWAYS outfishes me with her clear camo line! Hell...o, she ALWAYS out fishes me anyway!!!
I am going to pick up a clear camo line of my own....but I WILL upsize one or two weights for the chosen rod. ;-)
.....lee s.

[Lance Gray]

I like and perfer full length lines just because of one thing. Angle! The angle of the line and the retrieve is key for me. I like the full camo lines. I fish both 5wts and 6wts. Great line.

Lance

http://www.lancegrayandcompany.com

[1flyfisher]

On lakes I use 4wt and 6wt rods. 8wt on Pyramid, well 6wt too with the floater and beadhead weighted bugs for jigging pyramid, I don't indicator fish pyramid.

WF Floater for skinny water and dry fly. I fish the floater and a type 2 uniform sink the most on your avg rainbow lake.\

Airflow .8 sinker, I don't know if they still make it. If they don't they should. I LOVE this line. I have two, one for 4wt one for 6wt. It was the slowest sinking line made about 15 years ago. Half as slow as the clear SA. Worked great and was deadly on Eagle when the water was on the inside of the Tules from Spaulding down to Pelica Pt. It WAS 4 ft avg depth in there and around 7-8 at the tules. That's dry land now. This line just dips below the surface but will get to maybe 4 feet deep if you let it. I fish it subsurface 6" to 4 feet deep. Works great when there is wind that blows around a floater and moves my bug too fast, so I put this on and it doesn't get blown around like a floater. Works when I want my bug slow or stationary and there is too much wind. I have 2 of these airflows like 15 years old, they are still in great shape. I treat my lines with 303 Protectant(the greatest shit ever made for plastic, vinyl etc), makes em last forever.

Type 1 Like a clear SA or Cortland are nice. I don't use this line much. I have a SA clear one. It is a Good line to kick slowly along in a float tube and hit 4-6 foot depths. I use the airflow more but this is popular with friends that float tube and kick along slowly trolling.

Type 2 Uniform Sink with beadhead weighted bugs gets me scraping 8-12 foot depths.

Type 4 Uniform Sink, gets me deep, 12 foot plus with weighted bugs.

Just put loops on the back end of your lines and you can change them relatively quickly and you won't need more than 2 spools. I have 2 spools for my 4wt's and 6wt's. If I need something different (like say the type 4 or the type 1, I just pop off a line and change up for a while.



Just curious what would be the best type of line to use if your fishing lakes from a boat, tube or pontoon boat? Right now I have been using a 6wt rod with a 6wt sink tip line. Would it be better to use some other type line and line and or line and rod weight?