[GBSkunk]

I just got the Airflow Delta line with tips in a WF9/10 that I throw on my 9140. I really like the line, I can cast it farther than the Windcutter. It came with two sink tips. One is brown and slightly larger in diameter and the other is dark grey and small diameter. I've only cast the small diameter tip. Does anyone have any idea how many grains the sink tips are? I wonder what sinks faster: Rio 15' 150 grain type 6 or the Delta tip(s).
When I put the small diameter tip on I thought it was the faster sinker but now I'm not so sure. The Rio 15' 150 grain type 6 is quite a bit fatter than the dark grey Delta tip. Any thoughts? I want to get DOWN.

 

[Dana]

Hi GB! I got in touch with Tim Rajeff at Rajeff Sports (Airflo's North American distributor) and he gave us the following info on the Delta Spey Tips:

"The tips for the lines weigh:
7/8 = 90 gr. +/- 10 gr.
8/9 = 100gr. +/- 10 gr.
9/10 = 110 gr. +/- 10 gr.
10/11= 120 gr. +/- 10 gr.
11/12 = 135 gr. +/- 10 gr."

 

[GBSkunk]

WOW! 110 grains is not very much. No wonder I can cast it farther than my Windcutter which, in a 9/10/11 came with a 150 grain tip. I wonder if that 110 grains (9/10) applies to both the Fast Sink (brown?) and the Super Fast Sink (dark grey?)?

Has anyone tried adding sink tips onto sink tips? Airflow has those 5' Super Fast Sinking leaders. Perhaps if I added that onto a tip? The box that the line came in advertises the line as "Perfectly Ballanced Tip Section". I bet adding tips to tips would make it less than perfectly balanced. Maybe I can just buy a 15' tip with more grains. I wonder if Rajeff reads this. I'm rambling now. Back to work...

 

[beau purvis]

heh GB,
I used the 10 ft extra super fast tip on one of my favorite fast flowing sections of a BC river last july. I used to use a WC 166 grain cut to 10 ft. I did better with the airflo and it cast much better. it definitley sinks faster due to its tungsten and its slimmer diameter. this winter i have used the 15ft and the 10 ft hooked fish on both. i use the 10 ft for intruders and the 15 for the tubes like you and your dad use.when i fished the Gold my guide was suprised how the 15 got down.it fished nearly as deep as his 200. he did not hook anything behind me. i nearly hung up as much as he did. i dont feel the need to use anything else. mostly use the 10 ft. if they are not aggressive enough to move to it some, i dont want them. i consider that thin grey extra super fast to fish like something between a 166and a190 wc tip.all the best,
BEAU
PS ARE YOU GOING TO THE SANDY CLAVE? I HAVE THOUGHT I MAY.

 

[beau purvis]

by the way GB,
I use use that same line [9-10 airflo delta spey] on my Dec Hogan 13ft 8 and i really like it.Have not used anything else since i got it.
beau

 

[GBSkunk]

Hello Beau, I have not tried the 9-10 Delta on the Dec Hogan 13' 8 wt. but will soon. Maybe this afternoon.... Last week on the Sandy I fished the 13' 8 wt. I took off the 129 grain 15 foot tip off and put on the Airflow 10 ft. Extra Super Fast Tip. What a difference! I could not cast it well at all. The tip just landed in a big pile. That tip DOES get down, but I can't cast it very well at least with that rod. I went back to the 15 foot 129 grain and it turned over beautifully. Maybe I need to improve my casting....maybe I'll try the 10' Extra Super Fast on the 9140.
When you say you use the 15' for tubes are you talking about a WC or an Airflow tip? When you refer to "that thin grey extra super fast to fish like something between a 166 and a 190 wc tip" do you mean a thin grey 10' or a 15'?

YES, I'M GOING TO THE SPEY CLAVE! That would be great if you could make the trip. You and my dad and I could do the upper river in my raft. Summer fish!
TL's,
Dave

 

[beau purvis]

GB, i mean the 15 ft airflo fishes like the 15 ft wc 1666to 190.also the 10 ft airflo fishes like the 166 choped to 10ft. i fish the 10 in either with intruders . they usually have small leadeyes to act as a keel and to allow them to dip a little better in those little soft seams. i like the way that tip casts better than the wc.
beau

 

[beau purvis]

GB, i also like the the 15 ft vs the 15 ft wc. one potential problem when you first cast them is that the sink rate is enough faster that when you set your anchor the timing may need to be a little different. your anchor can bury itself if you let it.

 

[Dana]

GB, I think you'd do well looping an Airflo 5ft polyleader in whatever sink rate you choose to the front of your Delta Spey sink tip. I've used both Airflo and Loop polyleaders in 9ft and 10ft lengths off the end of Loop's Adapted Sink tips (@13ft intermediate tips) and this has worked very well. I haven't had a chance to try the same on the Delta tapers yet, but I would be very surprised if they didn't combine to give you some serious "get DOWN-ability"...

I've said this elsewhere but I rarely use standard sink tips anymore, preferring to run polyleaders off the end of my full floaters (yep, right off the end where you'd normally attach your standard mono leader). The only polyleader that is challenging to work with is the Extra Superfast sinker--this one has some serious density and sinks like a stone, so it takes a little getting used to. Don't use it off the end of an Accelerator--the power hinge causes the extra super fast polyleader to tail badly, but otherwise I've found every other polyleader to work beautifully.

Try the 5 footers and let us know how they perform off your sink tips, and I'll give the 10 footers a go and report back as well!

 

[GBSkunk]

Sounds good Dana, I'll give them a try. The only polyleader I have tried is that 10' Extra Super Fast Sink and yes I had problems with it. I'll try both the 10' Super Fast Sink and I'll try the 5' Super Fast Sink off of an existing tip. Although, the weather here is supposed to be in the 60's all week. I bet the water will go from 42 degrees to 48 degrees which kind of kills the whole point of dredging bottom. I'll give it a try though.

Beau, I put the 9/10 Delta on the Dec Hogan 1308 and loved it! I was making 100 foot casts with consistancy which for me is unusual. I may just fish this rod and line for the rest of the year.

 

[andre]

GB,

How as the Sandy been fishing? I've had mixed reports.

Where did you buy your poly tips?


I have been busy much of this quarter and haven't wet a line this year. (Other than about fifteen minutes in Jan). I am hoping to find a little time this next couple of weeks to get out. I often walk down below the gauge, what color is your raft?

andre

 

[beau purvis]

GB, you know Dec used that rod when he was working on the design of that line.I used it on the Dechutes quite a bit last fall.
beau

 

[MJC]

Poly Tips

Andre, You can call Rajeff Sports today and probably have them tomorrow. 866-347-4359

 

[GBSkunk]

Andre, I can't remember where i got the tips. Probably from Mark Bachman. My raft is teal green. The Sandy has not been good to me this year. That gauge hole run always has someone in it when I go thru.

Beau, does Dec throw the 9/10 on his 8 wt.? Since he designed both the rod and the line it seems he'd match them up.

 

[beau purvis]

GB,
Yes. you would think that but when it got into production that is the way it worked.H e always used the 9-10 wc also. It just loads it better;makes it jump off the rod!! Heh, why put a 5 ft leader on your 10 ft. You got a 15 ft with the line, why not use it when your method requires more depth.,and so on down thru the 5 ft when you fish shallow aggressive fish.
showed my 19 yr old your statement at the end of your posts; he has a new opion of older steelheaders now!!
beau

 

[wet fly]

Air Flow with tips

I have the Delta long floating line 7/8 for my Sage 7136. It does the job. I have been thinking about the Air Flow with tips. Will this line be the shorter or longer Delta Air Flow line? Or can one get the tips with either the longer or shorter line? Jerry

 

[MJC]

Delta Spey-Tips

Jerry, Shorter. The head on the Delta Spey-Tips is the same as the standard Delta Spey line. 51-56 ft depending on line weight.
According to my catalog the tips only come with the standard Delta Spey line.