Modern Sink Tips Demystified: Sink Tips for Skagit Heads
With so many lengths, weights, and densities available, it can be tough to know exactly what you need to get the job done on the water. Let this page serve as a practical, general guide to choosing sink tips for Skagit lines.
Topics Covered
- Sink Tips and Skagit Heads: why this is critical to both casting and fishing
- Sink Tip Weight vs. Sink Tip Density: what those numbers actually mean
- Choosing the Right Sink Tip Length
- Multi-Density Sink Tips: why they work
What’s the Purpose of a Sink Tip on a Skagit Head?
The answer seems simple, but it is a two-part deal.
1) Depth Control
You use a sink tip to get your fly down to a certain depth. When you need to fish deeper, you generally use a heavier or faster-sinking tip.
2) Casting Mechanics (The Sustained Anchor)
Traditional Skagit casting revolves around a sustained anchor: a fixed point where your sink tip and fly are held in or just under the surface of the water. Skagit casts load a Spey rod by pivoting the line around that anchor point. Tip choice and tip “stick” matter for repeatable casts.
Sink Tip Weight vs. Sink Tip Density
Let’s add a little science without getting lost in it. Weight is a measure of gravitational pull on an object’s mass. Density is a measure of how much mass is packed into a given volume.
With sink tips, a good way to understand this is with T-Series materials (common across brands). The “T” stands for tungsten, the material used in the coating to make the tip sink.
- T-8 weighs about 8 grains per foot
- T-11 weighs about 11 grains per foot
- Higher “T” number generally means more tungsten per foot, more weight, and a faster sink rate
Where things get confusing is when tips have the same total grain weight but sink at different rates because they have different densities.
Example: OPST Commando Tips (Same Weight, Different Sink Rates)
OPST’s 10’ 80-grain Commando tips are a great example. They are the same length and total grain weight, but come in different sink rates (often described as “Riffle,” “Run,” and “Bucket”).
- Riffle: ~2 inches/second
- Run: ~4 inches/second
- Bucket: ~6 inches/second
The sink-rate difference comes down to density: the proportion of tungsten powder per foot versus lighter filler material. Higher tungsten density per foot means faster sink, even when total grains on the scale are identical.
Choosing Sink Tip Length
Another widely debated topic: how long should your sink tip be? One thing that can be said with a fair degree of certainty is that as Spey rods have gotten shorter, 10’ tips have become the go-to for most anglers.
Why 10’ Tips Work So Well
- They come in densities that cover most fishing situations
- On rods roughly 11’ to 13’6”, they are easy to lift and manage when setting the anchor
- Sticking to a set of 10’ tips reduces the casting adjustments needed between densities
When you move to lighter tips, ease off the power to avoid blowing your anchor. When you move heavier, expect more stick and deeper tracking.
So Why Use Longer Tips?
This is also a two-part answer: casting stability and presentation.
1) Casting Stability on Longer Rods
On longer rods (around 14’), shorter tips can make it easier to blow your anchor. Longer rods are elevated higher while forming the D-loop, which can draw the anchor higher in the water (or pull it out altogether). A longer tip gives you more “stick,” helping maintain the sustained anchor needed for the cast.
In shallow runs, a longer, lower-density tip can also provide the right amount of anchor stick without forcing you into an overly heavy tip.
2) Presentation and Snag Management
Longer tips tend to hold the fly on a flatter angle at depth through the swing, which can be a big positive on larger rivers with relatively uniform depth.
However, longer tips can become a liability in uneven runs with rocks and ledges. Many snags start when the sink tip contacts a rock and then pulls the fly tight to it. Shorter tips fish on a steeper angle and can reduce tip-first snagging in broken water.
Multi-Density Sink Tips: In Praise of RIO’s MOW Tip System
RIO’s MOW system solved a real problem: how do you carry a selection of tips that fish well through a variety of water types without dramatically changing your casting stroke every time you change tips?
The answer was multi-density tips - tips that are all the same overall length (commonly 10’) but combine floating or intermediate sections with T-material.
Example: MOW Medium (T-11 Based)
- 7.5’ Floating + 2.5’ T-11
- 5’ Floating + 5’ T-11
- 2.5’ Floating + 7.5’ T-11
- 10’ of T-11
This system helps anglers keep the fly at the right depth across shallow to deeper water with limited casting adjustment and fewer snag issues than a one-size-fits-all approach.
Final Thoughts
It is incredibly difficult to write a short, concise article that answers every sink tip question. The goal here is to cut through the overload and help anglers make informed, simple choices regarding sink tip selection.
If you are having a hard time choosing tips, pick up the phone and give us a call at Gorge Fly Shop. We are happy to walk you through the details and get you dialed in for your particular rod and fishing scenario.
Archived Notes (Pre-2025)
Skagit heads combined with Spey rods changed our approach to sink-tip fishing for steelhead. We gained the ability to fish heavier tips and bigger flies than ever. With that change came confusion: which sink-tip is right for your fishery, your rod, and your casting style?
If you have old shooting head wallets stuffed with tips from past eras, you are not alone. We are often asked whether older tips can be used with modern Skagit lines, and how tip length and grain weight should be matched to a Spey rod.
Sink-Tip Grain Weight (Basics)
Fly lines and sink tips are measured in grains. Most sink-tip packages list a grain value so you can understand what you are working with.
For example, T-14 material weighs 14 grains per foot. A 10’ section of T-14 weighs 140 grains (14 x 10 = 140). Understanding this matters because grain weight affects both sink-rate (density) and what your Spey rod can comfortably cast.
The key takeaway: your rod, head, and tip need to be balanced. Too heavy of a tip can collapse your cast (or worse), while too light of a tip can hinge and fail to turn over.
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