Intermediate Type 6 line and clouser minnow in the harbor?

Hey all,

Just curious what you guys prefer to fish with flyfishing the harbor. I brought out my 8wt size 3 reel setup (Echo 3S/Lamson Konic II) loaded with Rio Outbound Short Type 6 intermediate w/ a 4-5' 10lb straight mono and fishing a small red/white clouser minnow. It was nice getting casting practice but I couldn't get a good feel for how fast the fly was actually getting down there or even how to fish it. I figured the best would be to let it sink to the bottom and retrieve but I couldn't even tell when I hit bottom or where the fly really was.

How do you guys typically fly fish the harbors and on what kind of setup, strip/retrieve, etc?

I am clueless here as I mentioned it has been years since I have fly fished, but I will reach out to some people I know and see if I can get some info for you. Meanwhile I am hopeful someone else will have some info for you and me in that case as I am looking to get back into it at least a little.

Met 2 retirees at HH last week kayak fishing with fly rods. I asked them if they were using streamers and they said yes, they tie their own. It was a tough day but they managed a few. They worked the bottom trolling...........GT

I know I have seen people using the streamer patters, but I have also seen people use a crab pattern fly I think they would work great. Spotties love crabs right.
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From Jason Lighthall on FB
It's the same as conventional fishing. Your line should go a little slack when it hits bottom. You should also be able to feel it. I'd guess you either had too much slack line out or not quite enough weight for the line/rod.

From Randy Takeuchi
5 wt with a T-200. if casting I'll wait maybe 5-10 secs and start slow stripping, by the time it's 3/4 of the way in it'll be on the bottom if it's around 10-13 feet deep. If I'm trolling with it, the head is 24 ft, and you only need that out to get 10 ft deep unless your kicking really really hard. Oh short leader, 8 lb fluoro maybe 4 feet.

From Cody Pensis
I use a 7w rod and a 25ft sink tip line with a short floro leader with a olive white clouser.If the current is rilly slow a intermediate line will work. The fly needs to be on the bottom

When I fly fish the Harbor I use a 7 wt rod with a type six sink tip. Most of the time I am just trolling around with a Liberace clouser , a crazy dad or an olive clouser.
Make sure you measure your depth so you know how much line to let out. remember the sink tip is 30 ft long. and I personally don't like it stirring up the bottom. My leaders depend on how many flys I have. If more than one fly is used than I use a tapered leader. If not i use six feet of 8 to 12 lb flouro