Based on replies to Floatuber post it seems that I'm one of the few who uses full sinking line. Personally I could not imagine going lake fishing without full sink line. Going to Henry's Lake without a full sink, especially after the damel hatch, is a waste of time. Even in some Wyoming lake I fish, it is the only way to catch fish during the day before the caddis or callibaetis hatch starts. Sink tips (or the multi-tip) just do not get deep enough for 'dredging'.

I'm wondering if your Washington lakes have trout that stay in the shallows or if you tailor your fishing to your setup; i.e., concentrate on hatches, fish shallow lakes, etc. I have no intention of changing but I'm always interested in different techniques.

I agree with the importance of having a sinking line for lake fishing. I use a sinker more often than a floater on lakes, it seems. My recommendation in the other thread was specific to someone with some beginner gear, including a reel with only one spool. I usually take 3 spools, even backpacking.

Sincerely,

Salmo g.

Loco, I too also use my full sink line in the lakes I fish. I'm in the market now for a new full sink for my 4wt. At the show this weekend I saw that Rio now offers a type 6 sink line. I probably will pick one up soon. I rarely use my floating line unless there is a hatch happening and that is what the fish are zeroing in on. I also use my sink tip line alot also.

Loco-D,
I'm in your neck of the woods now. Looking forward to Strawberry Res. opening, but haven't been up to Henry's in a long while. Should be an early ice off this year. Also, do you fish Hebgen early on or is it a later show?
Thanks, (actually I've been wanting to get to the South Fork of the Boise for awhile now).

Hey ChucknDuck, I have a friend who grew up there around Eden. I haven't fished Hebgen. In good water years Island Park is hard to beat, and I prefer the rainbows to Henry's cutts. However, with this drought, lake fishing is going to be tough. Most of my favorite lakes had salvage fishing last year. S. Fort of Boise will be the best bet. Of course Henry's will be the same, I'm trying to figure out when I'm going to go. It opens on Memorial day weekend and I have heard good reports that early.

Yup, things will be pretty skinny water-wise in this neck of the woods also. Might help if the big industrial complexes and govt. installations would quit watering the lawns three X daily until mid-Nov. Guess water use here is publically subsideized and the big-boys don't care about use. That'll have to change this year.
Give me a shout when you are heading that way. I'll need a weekend off 'bout that time and I don't think the Brown Drakes will be going off yet on Silver Creek (if its even open by then). Be fun to put the new Scadden Escalade to use in Henry's lake.

Don't think you're the only one. I don't normally post on this page... but I use full sinking lines. I use an intermediate, a type 2 and a type 4 sinking line. Can't say I prefer one over the other as they all have their specific uses.

The line that gets the least use is my sink tip.

The intermediate is a different one to use as it's like a floater, and one application is with flies near or in the surface film when it's windy and you don't like a belly in the line. The intermediate sinks and rides about 3-4 inches deep on the retrieve. It stays straight as the wind doesn't push at it.

Double hauling with the type 4 is nice for those times the flyfisher has a hankering for burying a hook point in the back of his head. (been there, done that, have the bandaid)

I use whatever line catches fish. In lakes especially, lines catch fish more so than flies. Once at Henrys on the 4th of July weekend, it was full sink, or no fish. 90% of the time I use an intermediate. Clear if its warm, blue works better in the cold. I never use a floater in lakes... Not much of a chronimid guy.