Chesapeake Fly Line

[Gregg DiSalvo]

Howdy.  I've been fishing some saltier water lately with moderate success. I take my 7 and 9 weights out on a kayak and fish the mouths of rivers and creeks mainly in 5-15' of water.  I usually run with full sink on the 9 and floating on the 7, but feel like I need that in between.  Do you all recommend a sink tip on the bay? OR should I stick with what I've been using with the adage "if it ain't broke, don't fix it"?

Im typically throwing smaller clousers/ bay anchovies, sand eels, medium half and halfs, bunker, gurglers, chuggers, Large deceivers, odd deciever/hooloweye ultrasude tails things

I also run with 3-4' of 20lb test direct to the fly line

Would love to hear what works for you all!

Gregg

[tperkins]

Instead of getting a new line, you can also try lengthening your leader for both of those set ups. It should allow the fly to sink further on the floating, and ride higher on the sinking. You might have to start building leaders. I typically run 40-30-20 of fluoro for salt and that seems to turn the flies over well. On my sinking set up i aim for about 4-6 feet total length and on my float about 8-9 feet. 

[John Smith]

What sink rate is your sinking line? I fish a teeny 350 most often for clousers along with an intermediate sinking line (1.5-2.5 ips) for my bunker, mullet style patterns. Sometimes bring along a rod rigged with a floater for gurglers as you mentioned or for spoon flies if reds are in the shallows.

[Gregg DiSalvo]

Thomas, that's kind of what I was thinking I'd do in the interim.  fairly economical.  

John, I don't know the ips of the line off the top of my head, but it's Orvis depth charge 250 gr. Sinks fairly quickly.  I used to just use the line for shad, but seems to get down nicely to the deeper lying fish in the bay.  I would be interested in an intermediate line that I could use for both the stripes in the bay and smallmouth in the rivers.  I'd use this on the 7 weight most likely, but would consider getting intermediate for the 9 as well if that's ideal in the salt.

[John Smith]

I would stick with that 250 you got for throwing clousers and similar patterns. I have my intermediate line on a 10 wt rod or even my 11 wt. I use it almost exclusively for larger baitfish patterns like those tied with wool, rabbit, or synthetics that are in the 3-4 inch long range. Just seems easier to cast those flies on the 10/11 rods and the intermediate line fishes those patterns more naturally.

[Bill Garrahan]

I was thinking of doing same thing this weekend. Any suggestions of good places to go on the bay?

On Wednesday, October 11, 2017 at 5:27:33 PM UTC-4, Gregg DiSalvo wrote:

[Gregg DiSalvo]

I had good luck fishing the shallow docks down near gloucester point va.  A bit of a drive, but good fishing.  I got into a few speckled trout, puppy drum, and striper, but that was three weeks ago, so the drum may be gone.  I also go out with friends occasionally in maryland out near the mouth of the severn.  We launch on his property, but i'd imagine there are some public launches nearby.  Up there, we paddle around and he marks fish (I don't have a finder) which makes it much easier.  

Gregg

[Nedak]

Original question re flyline.  I am a bigger fan of clear intermediate sinking line.  Combining longer leader and faster retrieve, you can use poppers.  You can also get the fly to drop in the water column if you wait.  I find it very versatile.  My 9 weight is loaded with versitips but I hate the hinge effect on the cast.  JMHO.

On Wednesday, October 11, 2017 at 5:27:33 PM UTC-4, Gregg DiSalvo wrote:

[Gregg DiSalvo]

I had read that versitips tend to do that....for the clear intermediate, have you used any SA sonar series lines? I have been reading up on them lately.

[Trevor]

Gregg,

I have the Sonar Intermediate on my 8wt for stripers just under the surface.  It's a fantastic line and I had a ton of success with it this past summer.  I also have the Sonar sink5/7/9 on my 10 weight to get really deep.  Haven't played with it much, but the times I've had it out were great.  Casting with either of these lines is great.  I would personally stick with a floating and a deeper running line, you can reach the mid-range by adding a longer leader and tying on a heavier fly.  There have been plenty of times I wished I had a floating line to throw surface bugs when I had my intermediate.  You can always add weight, but you can't take it off of an intermediate line.

Hope this helps,

Trevor

[Charlie Church]

I agree with Trevor. Carrying two sticks is the best route IMO. One for a floater (that you can use sink tips if need be) and one for a heavier sink. The YakAttack Blackpack has rod holders that can hold fly rods. 

And honestly, there are so many good flats in the middle to upper bay that it's worth paying attention to that floater. The biggest rockfish (Mid to upper 20s) so far for me this year came on a topwater fly in 3 feet of water. Also almost added a 30 inch red to the mix that day on top too.