Sink Tip Recommendations?

[Jake Watrous]

So, I’ve a new-to-me rod that I haven’t setup yet (Burkie 7134-4) and with the return of the rain I find myself looking forward to fall and winter. I am looking for recommendations on what tips to get.

On my other rods (7127 and 8134) I’ve always just cut sections of T-Whatever myself, but I see a plethora of different “new” tip systems (RIO MOW, etc.) since the last time I looked at changing rigging setups/styles.

Should I just cut my own, or is there a stand-out system I should try instead?

 

[Pink Nighty]

So, I’ve a new-to-me rod that I haven’t setup yet (Burkie 7134-4) and with the return of the rain I find myself looking forward to fall and winter. I am looking for recommendations on what tips to get.

On my other rods (7127 and 8134) I’ve always just cut sections of T-Whatever myself, but I see a plethora of different “new” tip systems (RIO MOW, etc.) since the last time I looked at changing rigging setups/styles.

Should I just cut my own, or is there a stand-out system I should try instead?

The MOW tips are cool, and they're built to fish buckets that are too far out to effectively swing. You make a 90° cast and high stick til just before the bucket, then give her slack. Go through the bucket, pick your tip back up and either hit a new bucket or turn the corner on your swing. The 5flt 5t14 has caught me a lot of fish. It doesn't swing very deep under tension and doesnt hold its depth like 10-15ft of t14 will, but they are effective tools when used right.

 

[DerekWhipple]

10 or 12 feet of T-whatever you want, and a 5/5 MOW tip will cover most situations. A couple of years back I asked someone at the Gorge Flyshop about MOW tips, and he actually kind of discouraged me from buying them, save for a 5/5, saying that varying tension/slack and angle of your cast will take care of your depth variables.

 

[Divad]

Mike @ Lost Creek Fly Shop has bulk tungsten line you can cut to length. Works great.

I have a couple MOW tips too that I like. Since I use a shorter Scout head mostly I tend to go with 10ft tips. Personally I don’t think you can feel the taper of a tip on spey/Skagit casts, turnover is dominated by the head and stroke. The 5ft float 5ft sink 6-10 are nice MOW tips (use more in summer and fall), in winter I mostly use straight tungsten offerings and an intermediate head if needed.

 

[Pink Nighty]

This video from OPST shows what the MOW is for and why it has advantages over a longer sinking section

 

[Jake Watrous]

The MOW tips are cool, and they're built to fish buckets that are too far out to effectively swing. You make a 90° cast and high stick til just before the bucket, then give her slack. Go through the bucket, pick your tip back up and either hit a new bucket or turn the corner on your swing. The 5flt 5t14 has caught me a lot of fish. It doesn't swing very deep under tension and doesnt hold its depth like 10-15ft of t14 will, but they are effective tools when used right.

Thank you!

In the past I’ve used a super heavy section above a lighter section, making a parabolic sinking line that grabs the current and hauls the lighter end and fly down or up depending on how I give or take line.

These MOW tips seem an awesome, if situational, solution.

 

[Jake Watrous]

This video from OPST shows what the MOW is for and why it has advantages over a longer sinking section

Thank you for sharing that.

 

[Jake Watrous]

Mike @ Lost Creek Fly Shop has bulk tungsten line you can cut to length. Works great.

I have a couple MOW tips too that I like. Since I use a shorter Scout head mostly I tend to go with 10ft tips. Personally I don’t think you can feel the taper of a tip on spey/Skagit casts, turnover is dominated by the head and stroke. The 5ft float 5ft sink 6-10 are nice MOW tips (use more in summer and fall), in winter I mostly use straight tungsten offerings and an intermediate head if needed.

Thank you!

Last time I made a setup I bought 35' sections from RIO and cut 5, 7.5, 10, and 12.5' tips from it.

Looks like I need to add MOW tips to my kit, and maybe keep on with cutting my own.

 

[Jake Watrous]

10 or 12 feet of T-whatever you want, and a 5/5 MOW tip will cover most situations. A couple of years back I asked someone at the Gorge Flyshop about MOW tips, and he actually kind of discouraged me from buying them, save for a 5/5, saying that varying tension/slack and angle of your cast will take care of your depth variables.

Thanks!

 

[Creatch’r]

With skagit heads, I’m really happy with OPST tips. I really like how you can choose the grain weight you want or need and get different sink rates with no BS gimmicky stuff. For example, for winter steelhead and the larger flies I generally like to fish, I have the 168gr tips (t14 grain weight) and can switch between a type 3 (riffle) type 6 (run) and type 8 (bucket). I notice no difference casting either of the 3 tips, same weight same length, different sink rate is all. I really like that a lot. Of all the tips I own, that 168gr type 3 is just money and something I always wished was available. Perfect high water, big fly sink tip. If you aren’t fishing 5” bunny strips, the 132gr series is probably a better match, especially on a 7wt. And if you are thinking more along the lines of a hobo spey for fall steelhead on the Columbia tribs, the lightest set will get it done as well.

IMO, It’s easy to overthink sink tips. I used to have dozens on me in every imaginable configuration and I think having too many options is only a hindrance. I like the simplicity of carrying 3 tips, and to be honest I get by with 1 most of the time. I’ve fished the MOW tips, and besides having uniform grain weights and lengths, I never found them to perform on the river how they do on paper. The OPST tips give me that consistent casting but offer the sink rates I find useful, if that makes sense.

 

[Jake Watrous]

With skagit heads, I’m really happy with OPST tips. I really like how you can choose the grain weight you want or need and get different sink rates with no BS gimmicky stuff. For example, for winter steelhead and the larger flies I generally like to fish, I have the 168gr tips (t14 grain weight) and can switch between a type 3 (riffle) type 6 (run) and type 8 (bucket). I notice no difference casting either of the 3 tips, same weight same length, different sink rate is all. I really like that a lot. Of all the tips I own, that 168gr type 3 is just money and something I always wished was available. Perfect high water, big fly sink tip. If you aren’t fishing 5” bunny strips, the 132gr series is probably a better match, especially on a 7wt. And if you are thinking more along the lines of a hobo spey for fall steelhead on the Columbia tribs, the lightest set will get it done as well.

IMO, It’s easy to overthink sink tips. I used to have dozens on me in every imaginable configuration and I think having too many options is only a hindrance. I like the simplicity of carrying 3 tips, and to be honest I get by with 1 most of the time. I’ve fished the MOW tips, and besides having uniform grain weights and lengths, I never found them to perform on the river how they do on paper. The OPST tips give me that consistent casting but offer the sink rates I find useful, if that makes sense.

Thank you!

 

[O' Clarkii Stomias]

This is a pretty good system for a 7134.

Equalizer EMT Shooting Head Multi Tip

A hugely versatile Shooting head system covering all fishing conditions, kit contains floating body plus 4 x 15ft (4x 10ft tips on EMT 6/7# & 7/8#) easily interchangeable looped tips of various densities including Float,Intermediate,Sink3, & Sink6 overall kit length

gaelforceflyfishing.com

 

[Rob Allen]

So, I’ve a new-to-me rod that I haven’t setup yet (Burkie 7134-4) and with the return of the rain I find myself looking forward to fall and winter. I am looking for recommendations on what tips to get.

On my other rods (7127 and 8134) I’ve always just cut sections of T-Whatever myself, but I see a plethora of different “new” tip systems (RIO MOW, etc.) since the last time I looked at changing rigging setups/styles.

Should I just cut my own, or is there a stand-out system I should try instead?

Just my opinion but the best tips I have ever used are the 15 ft 150 grain tips that came with old Rio multiple tip systems. The type 6 was a do it all workhorse.. not a fan of T materials.

Also your 7134 should be great with a 510 skagit.. I think the 540 boggs it down a little..
Others will disagree.

 

[Jake Watrous]

This is a pretty good system for a 7134.

Equalizer EMT Shooting Head Multi Tip

A hugely versatile Shooting head system covering all fishing conditions, kit contains floating body plus 4 x 15ft (4x 10ft tips on EMT 6/7# & 7/8#) easily interchangeable looped tips of various densities including Float,Intermediate,Sink3, & Sink6 overall kit length

gaelforceflyfishing.com

I’ll check those out too, thanks!

 

[Jake Watrous]

Just my opinion but the best tips I have ever used are the 15 ft 150 grain tips that came with old Rio multiple tip systems. The type 6 was a do it all workhorse.. not a fan of T materials.

Also your 7134 should be great with a 510 skagit.. I think the 540 boggs it down a little..
Others will disagree.

Considering your work at Burkheimer, this is great info to have. Thank you!

 

[Rob Allen]

Considering your work at Burkheimer, this is great info to have. Thank you!

Worked.. I left in 2015ish.
Even some at Burkheimer would disagree and use the 540..

 

[Jake Watrous]

Worked.. I left in 2015ish.
Even some at Burkheimer would disagree and use the 540..

Depends on a person’s cast, the flies they’re throwing, and their goals and needs, I imagine.

I have had rods that I disagreed with folks on too. The Sage Ingitor series, for example, I don't see as underlined with listed-lines at all. Some others over line it as a matter of course.

And yeah, I knew your work was in the past. But I can see how what I wrote was somewhat ambiguous.