Steelhead Tips: 101
If you’re relatively new to steelhead fishing, the world of two-handed rods, Skagit vs. Scandi lines, and all the various corresponding sink tips might feel a little foreign. It’s hard to learn on your own when you’re not even sure what the lingo means. So let’s start from scratch with a brief introductory overview of the sink tips we use most often on our local steelhead rivers, and when and why.
T-Series Sink Tips
A T-series sink tip is a tungsten-coated tip that is level, with no taper. These will not cast on a Scandi line and are specifically built for fishing in cold weather months on a Skagit line. T-series lines are measured with a corresponding number — T8, for example, signifies a tungsten tip with a weight of eight grains per foot.
In terms of casting, that number isn’t particularly important in this day and age. Rods and lines have become so efficient that pretty much any two-handed rod will throw any tip if the angler has enough skill. The window between T8 and T14 is typically achievable for most anglers. Where this number comes into play more prominently is the sink rate. Different sink rates give you different presentations depending on the water level or speed. The higher the corresponding number, the faster the sink rate and the harder the tip will be to cast.
T8 will be the easiest to cast, sink slowest, and snag least often. This is the sink tip you want to use in high water, as fish are generally closer to shore in slower current. T11 is your workhorse tip, the one you should be able to fish under almost any condition with either a weighted or unweighted fly. T14 is built to get deep and stay deep. It is tougher to cast, and if you’re not super aware or skilled at keeping your fly under tension, you’ll be in the rocks all day screaming obscenities!
Multi-Density Tips
Multi-density tips are exactly what they sound like — a single, integrated tip that tapers from a slow sinking line to a faster one. The idea here is for the tip to sink with the fly at the deepest point, hovering above structures like rocks. They start with a lighter tip — S1, for example, which stands for sink one — then gradually move down to sink three, then sink five. These tips are generally easier to cast, which gives anglers an advantage. These tips don’t necessarily get your fly deeper faster, but may allow you to cast your fly 10-15 feet further. This gives you more time and space to mend, create slack, and feed your fly into the right bucket or seam more accurately.
Polyleaders
Polyleaders or Versileaders are built to cast on a Scandi line and are always tapered. Typically, we use these in the fall when we want to get our flies just a little deeper than a dry line. If you want to get your fly deep, a poly leader is not the answer! I prefer throwing an intermediate tip, which usually comes in clear and keeps my traditional-style wet flies in that 6-10 inch range below the water’s surface. They will also help an angler with less experience turn their fly over in windy conditions.
If you’re interested in learning more about sink tips, stop by the shop to chat with one of our expert steelhead guides or check out the selection of tips we have on hand.
MOW Tips
MOW tips are most often a hybrid tip that typically integrates some combination of the three materials above – for example, five feet of floating line followed by five feet of T8, T11 or T14. They are also commonly built with 2.5 feet of floating or intermediate line followed by 7.5 feet of T8, T11 or T14. These are great for fishing smaller slots and pockets that require a bit more precision, like those we often find on coastal rivers in the PNW. However, MOW is simply an acronym for McCune, O’Donnel and Ward, the three Grande Ronde anglers who invented and popularized these tips. You’ll also find tips marketed as MOW tips that are simply 10 feet of T8, T11 or T14 – and that’s how you’ll find traditional T-tips and integrated tips in our online store.
About Eric Leininger
Eric Leininger is a guide for Northwest Fly Fishing Outfitters and ambassador to brands like Simms, Scientific Anglers, and Riversmith, specializing in guiding fly anglers targeting steelhead, tiger musky, carp, and bass in the Pacific Northwest.
Be sure to listen to Eric's Podcast "The Struggle is Reel" where fellow guides Zach Carothers and Matt Thornton cover the life of guides in the Pacific Northwest.