billfish fly line?

[jemche]

i have read articles of people using sinking line? when i caught my sailfish it was on floting line? any opinions on sinking line for billfish?

[Dave Sikorski]

Jake-

I've never caught one or attempted to...but have read a lot on the subject.

It's my understanding that sink tip and floating lines can both be used with success. The floating lines are generally used for poppers, and a sink tip can be used with streamers and poppers.

It also depends on the attitudes of the billfish you're going after. Pacifics sails are generally more aggressive from Atlantics, and therefore attack a popper on any line more readily. Atlantics are going to be more gentle with their bite and are more likely to take a streamer on a sink tip.

A number of bluewater anglers use simple shooting heads with maybe a 30' head with enough grains to cast, and a length of mono before the backing. I believe the thought is the mono has less drag to strength ratio than a flyline, putting less pressure on the tippet as the fish runs.

Just like any fishing different things work better for different folks in varying conditions on different days...that's the best part!!! you never know what you're gonna get.

[Fishwagon]

Sinking tips/shooting heads allow you to throw a half-chicken-sized fly out, load a stiffer rod, and leave room for more backing on a reel.

As Dave said: a regular sized running line would but too much stress on the tippet as the fish zips across the water with 250 yards of line out

A 13-14 wt floating line takes up much more space on a reel(its very thick), as apposed to a 6-700 grain sinker, so you would sacrifice an extra hundred yards or so of backing. Some of the first (and maybe still) homemade bluewater shooting heads were just leadcore spliced to 30 foot of running line (or just right to the backing)

im guessing floating lines may be chosen cause the sails are mostly 65-120 pounds, less likely to go deep, and backing isnt as critical, plus it would allow a quick mend if necessary. the 13 wt floater would allow you to catch a tarpon at a mangrove on the way in, also-very economical for a Guatemalan guide.
http://solutions.3m.com/wps/portal/3...ewaterExpress/