sinking line

[Jake Bannon]

I have floating weight forward on on my fly rod now and when I need to get my clouser minnow or what ever Im using down when Im fishing for res coho I add a splitshot which is ok except the fact I cant cast nearly as far, would sinking line be a better way to go and improve my casting:confused: Any info will be much appreciated, thanks.

[Preston]

I can't imagine that you would need anything to help you get deeper if you're fishing a Clouser Minnow. For coho and sea-run cutthroat you don't need to get very deep. I fish either a floater or, at the most, an intermediate line, and the most heavily-weighted flies I use have bead chain eyes. The only situation I can think of that would require a fast-sinking line would be when boat fishing really deep water for chinook/blackmouth or bottom fish.

[ibn]

I agree with Preston, I have a friend who is convinced he needs to add split to his clouers to "get down", I chuckle and give him crap every time he does this, I think it's more of a mental/confidence thing for him now. I rarely catch resident coho in places were I can not see the bottom. If you can see the bottom you can bet the fish can see your fly from a ways away.

As for a lines, a clear intermediate sink line or floating line works great for fishing from our beaches.

[Jake Bannon]

I can get the clouser about 5-8in down without splitshot is that deep enough for the coho

[Anil]

Your flies are probably deep enough. There are many people who enjoy fishing for these same fish with surface ‘Sliders’ and ‘Gurglars’ such as the ‘Miawaki Popper.’
VERY rarely, I have found that retrieving my fly close to the bottom has been more productive than near the surface.
A clear intermediate line may help you in other ways. All things being equal it will be slightly thinner than your floating line, which will make it a little easier in the wind. More importantly, when it is windy, surface chop can disrupt the straight connection between you and your fly. An intermediate will sink below this chop and provide a nice straight connection between you and the fly. The added bonus is that you can wait for several seconds before beginning your retrieve, and present your fly deeper when needed.
Anil

[hendersonbaylocal]

I have a clear intermediate that I am using almost exclusively now on the salt because it casts really nice and I like to get the fly down a bit further.

I also have a type 3 sinking line that I bought for the lake, but have used to catch coho in deeper water.

I think that all you really need to fish the salt around here is a floating line, but its fun to try out others if you have them. As Anil said, sometimes that extra depth might be the key to catching spooky fish.

[Les Johnson]

Now this is a question very concisely and correctly answered by all respondents. "Getting down" has become the mantra for a rather significant number of fly fishers. I once had an experienced fly upon having his first look at a Reverse Spider ask, "do you ever tie it with lead eyes?" When I asked, "Why?" He answered, "to get it down". I explained that in fishing ,as in certain other enjoyable activiites, it is often better to "get it up."
Good Fishing,
Les Jonnson

[salt dog]

Hehe....that's good Les.

Beach fishing I mostly use the floating line, probably 65% of the time. Going deeper I just add longer tippet and give it a few counts to let a weighted fly sink; that seems to pretty well cover the top 1/2 of the water column for most of the beaches. There aren't many situations were I need more than an intermediate fly line to get deeper in the water column, although on the rare occasion I will use a type III sink tip to bounce lightly weighted shrimp imitations in the current over a bar.

I do not enjoy casting clousers with dumbbell eyes; I'd rather use bead chain eyes and go with an intermediate or sink tip line. Pac Steel, I can appreciate that you’re not having fun casting split shot, and probably get a few tangles to boot.

[gigharborflyfisher]

I find that a floating line with do a good job of taking both silvers and cutthroat at most beaches as the fish are usually up toward the surface. With clousers the fly fish going to sink pretty fast anyways so you should be fine with a floater. I also have a clear intermediate which I use when ever I am not thinking about fishing the surface, I also think that the fly rides a little more natural with this type of line as it isn't effected by the waves really and isn't pulling the fly toward the surface as much. This line will keep my lighter flies below the surface where I want them. I really haven't seen the need to use a full sinking/ faster sink tip line because the fish tend to be higher in the water column.