Rick.....
A good question, especially in view of the evidence that the, "density compensated" label has been debated quite a bit, at least by salt water fly fishermen.
I have looked at a DENSITY COMPENSATED fly line as one which has been designed so that the forward taper sinks at a rate close to or the same as that of the remainder of the line. This is a departure from the conventional sinking lines which had a mid-belly which would sink a lot faster than the forward taper. That was simply because the mass profile of the tip section was less than that of the thicker mid sections.
The conventional sinking lines would result in a retrieve during which the forward taper, leader, and fly would spend less time in a deep strike zone, whereas the density compensated line gets the end of the fly line and leader/fly down almost as quickly as the belly of the line resulting in a more straight retrieve with the fly in that deep strike zone for a greater length of time.
I think this is what Bruce Richards (3M) meant when he described these lines as fishing, "very straight compared to more conventional sinking lines." (p 109, MODERN FLY LINES.) (Also, pp 55-56). Bruce also points out that a conventional sinking line forms a U shaped curve in the water. This makes strike detection more difficult.
We had a dramatic increase in strikes while fishing these lines at Montauk for deep running large striped bass feeding near the bottom in 20 - 30' depth. Fishing 2 men in the same boat....one with a conventional sinking line and the other with a density compensated line, erased any doubt of the effectiveness of these lines for this particular situation. Most of the guides, there, were using sink tip lines which were even worse for having the fly in the strike zone long enough. At first they didn't believe us when we pointed this out......until we grossly outfished them.
Some questions I would have for the manufacturers :
1.) Is this accomplished by increasing the concentration oflead/tungsten or other high specific gravity material in the forward tapered section in inverse proportion to the line diameter ?
2.) Do the terms, "density compensated" and "graduated density" and, "uniform sink" have the same meaning to all the manufacturers ?
3.) Do most of the major manufacturers of fly lines offer these ?
4.) Are any of these lines designed so that the forward taper is MORE dense than the remainder of the line ? (Not talking about specific sinking heads either seperate or combined with floating lines as in the Teeny lines.)
5.) Is lead still being used at all by any manufacturer ?
6.) I've heard that uranium is sometimes used. Is this true ?
Note that I'm sending a copy of this to Bruce Richards to see if he'll help us with our questions.
Gordy
From: "Rick Whorwood" <whorwood@xxxxxxxxx>
To: "Gordon Hill" <hillshead@xxxxxxx>
Subject: Re: flycasting and instructors' school
Date: Thu, 5 Jan 2006 16:31:20 -0600
HI GordyI have a question for you (and or the group) pleaseExplain in detail what it means, when the manufactures say that their sink tips are density compensated.ThanksRick----- Original Message -----From: Gordon HillTo: flysoup@xxxxxxxxxx ; sobbobfish@xxxxxxx ; rtab@xxxxxxx ; CAPTPERMIT@xxxxxxx ; creangler@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx ; dwright@xxxxxxxxxxxx ; daver@xxxxxxxxxx ; dennisg@xxxxxxxxxxxx ; captdoug@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx ; dsprague01@xxxxxxxxxxx ; ephemera@xxxxxxx ; brushycreekfc@xxxxxxxxx ; keysjake@xxxxxxx ; barefootj@xxxxxxx ; bradyir@xxxxxxxxxxxxx ; flyfishar@xxxxxxxxxxx ; ken.cole@xxxxxxxxxxxxx ; captkirk@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx ; glbaggett@xxxxxxxxx ; mkreider1@xxxxxxx ; martyt@xxxxxxxxxx ; niallogan@xxxxxxxxxx ; pminnick@xxxxxxxxxxxxx ; bigfly@xxxxxxxxx ; whorwood@xxxxxxxxx ; flycasts@xxxxxxxxxxxxx ; sheila@xxxxxxxxxx ; scjacobs@xxxxxxxxxxxx ; cooper@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx ; tharper@xxxxxxxxxxx ; tomwhite@xxxxxxxxxxxxCc: mildbill@xxxxxxxxxxxx ; caddis@xxxxxxx ; Brydnlnims@xxxxxxxxxxx ; cezannealexander@xxxxxxxxxxx ; crazycharlie@xxxxxxx ; croberts@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx ; blacksalmon@xxxxxxxxxxx ; DermSox@xxxxxxx ; gladesflybum@xxxxxxxxx ; gavin@xxxxxxxxxxx ; hillshead@xxxxxxx ; iverson@xxxxxxxxx ; jfs523@xxxxxxxxxxx ; jerry_puckett2001@xxxxxxxxx ; kathleen@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx ; thedamselfly@xxxxxxxxxxx ; plami@xxxxxxxxxxx ; ray@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx ; kerrrc@xxxxxxxxx ; simbirsw@xxxxxxx ; bobbeanblossomFFF@xxxxxxxxxxx ; hillcathy@xxxxxxx ; dnewpher@xxxxxxxxxxxx ; donjack@xxxxxxxxxxx ; douglas.swift@xxxxxxxxxxxx ; erniemaynard@xxxxxxxxxxx ; flyfsfrank@xxxxxxx ; hlpc@xxxxxxx ; jeff@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx ; jhara.carter@xxxxxxxxxxx ; harveyjl@xxxxxxxxxxxxx ; t.maltese@xxxxxxxxx ; skifishvail@xxxxxxxx ; jfv@xxxxxxxxxxxx ; trallag@xxxxxxx ; captflyrod@xxxxxxx ; mollysemenik@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx ; paul@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx ; fraudflies@xxxxxxx ; shane@xxxxxxxxx ; snowmonkey29@xxxxxxxSent: Monday, January 02, 2006 6:45 PMSubject: FW: flycasting and instructors' schoolHi, Group.....
I'm forwarding this advance notice to all of you who are CCI's and MCI's.
This course is sure to provide some fabulous instruction which can't help but contribute greatly to the ongoing efforts of Master Candidates, and also serve as up to the minute advanced continued education for those of you who are already MCI's !!!
My only personal regret is that for those dates, I'm heavily committed to my tarpon fishing guests, since that is right at the height of our yearly migration.
; Gordy
From: "Charles Easterling" <ceasterling@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: "'Gordon Hill'" <hillshead@xxxxxxx>
Subject: flycasting and instructors' school
Date: Mon, 2 Jan 2006 12:36:04 -0600
Good Morning Gordy,
There is going to be what I think is a rather unique flycasting and instructors? school held June 9-10, 2006 in Mountain Home, AR. The hosts for the school will be Bruce Richards, Paul Arden, Al Kyte and myself. The attendance is limited to CI?s and MA?s and the attendance will be limited to 20 participants. If you know of anyone who would be interested let me know and I will send them some additional information.
&nbs p; Chuck