Couple of Questions

[Beachlover]

I have to disagree with you on the choice of lines, first and foremost a novice will definately need a floating line (which you have stated). In days gone by (Many years ago) the novice's second line would have been a sinker however with so many small fisheries popping up which most are not that deep then an Intermediate will serve the novice much better than an outright sinker.
And as far as cost goes, he/she has just spent money on tackle to catch fish, for an extra £10 they will use the intermediate to good effect and catch far more fish than they would if they simply owned a floating line.

I can't/won't disagree with you as I have no knowledge of fishing small shallow lakes, I'm used to the likes of the Derwent, Langley, Tunstall, Grassholm, Blackton, Hury, Rutland, never fished little waters, so if you suggest an intermediate is the best second line for small waters I won't argue that one, however fishing from the dam wall at the Derwent on a cold day early in the season and the sinker comes into it's own. So I suppose it all depends on what fisheries people intend to fish as to the lines they should spend their money on. By the sounds of it, if they want to fish everywhere then they are going to need 3 lines (Rutland during the heat of the summer when the fish are deep) make it 4 with a HD. Depends on what you are going to get the most use of I suppose but if you can afford it and you have all 4 then there's no blaming the lines when you blank.

 

[YoursTruly]

Hi Beachlover, i have fished the derwent on many occasions and have done since 1968, i have found an intermediate line worth its weight in gold.
Most of the shoreline around derwent is pretty shallow within casting distance which would mean unless your sinking line had a slow sink rate you would be catching the bottom during the latter part of your retrieve and for this reason i think the intermediate line would perform best.
You mention a whole array of waters, i have fished them all, there would not me many occasions calling for the use of a Hi D line except if fishing from a boat.

This reply is not meant as criticism, simply passing on the benefits of my experience.

 

[Beachlover]

Hi Beachlover, i have fished the derwent on many occasions and have done since 1968, i have found an intermediate line worth its weight in gold.
Most of the shoreline around derwent is pretty shallow within casting distance which would mean unless your sinking line had a slow sink rate you would be catching the bottom during the latter part of your retrieve and for this reason i think the intermediate line would perform best.
You mention a whole array of waters, i have fished them all, there would not me many occasions calling for the use of a Hi D line except if fishing from a boat.

This reply is not meant as criticism, simply passing on the benefits of my experience.

You're right about most of the Derwent being reasonably shallow apart from the stretch in between The Bay Of Plenty and Cronkley Bay, now that is deep, never found it to be very productive though. The dam is obviously deep and I've caught many a fish from there on sinking lines when the weather has been a bit chilly. Because of this I've only ever fished with a slow sinker, you've just got to count it down when fishing off normal banks but don't leave it too long before starting the retrieve (which I'm sure you know) it also comes in handy off the dam wall and sometimes the wait for it to sink is blissfull (rod under arm, hands cupped together, breathing into cupped hands) . I did once try an intermediate but didn't really seem to get any gains from it, perhaps it was helping me but I was too ignorant to realise it.

As far as the Hi D is concerned I was talking about a boat, fishing Rutland when it was red hot and the fish were about 16 mile deep, bought a Hi D when I was down there because it was virtually impossible to catch them any other way, paid about £20 for it by what I remember and still blanked, threw it in the bin when I got back home and promised myself that the next time I went to Rutland and the weather was hot and the fish were deep to find a beer garden and give the Hi D fishing a miss, Oh and another thing if anyone is thinking of getting a Hi D line to try, obviously they are very thin in comparison with other fly lines and they cut through the air easier, because of this I can say from experience that if they slap you in the chops they dam well hurt, can still remember having red lines across my face off it (another reason why it went into the bin) be warned everyone.

YoursTruly, if our paths ever cross maybe you can show me what the advantage is with an intermediate, if they do work you'll find I'll be the first to admit I've been wrong.:red:

 

[BriH]

some great advice on this thread,must get some new line ,saying as i have had the ones i use for over 3 years ,so they owe me nowt ,and i have made it a mission to do more fly fishing this year