Sink tip weighted get down quick no no no:). I promise it's weird but man does it work. I'm a fisherman I catch fish period. I fish bass tourneys I use any means neccisary. But in the last 8-10 years I have picked up a fly rod I am convinced the only way to fish the sandie run is with the long rod. I use full float all the time. And no extra weight. When fishing for temperate bass in the winter there is a technique called dead sticking where you impart no motion on the bait more particular in the early part of the run the fish are just totally susceptible to this. I fish an indicator 99.9 percent of the run. If I'm not hitting bottom I need to add tippet not weight. I match the distance from the indicator with depth and current. Once the fly reaches the bottom I use very subtle 1 inch twitches and they just can't take it for the most part it is just sitting still when they attack. The slower the current the better this works especially in deep pools or fish are staging before they move up further. So I just encourage you to give it a try and see what you think especially in the early season when it's cold and Hits are very subtle you can see even the most subtle of strikes I hope this helps. Heck on the Nolan a guy used to call me bobber boy but sure didnt say I didn't catch fish lol. Don't forget to think outside the box. Good luck and right lines.

Thanks for sharing, Robert - I respect the continual success I have seen you have on these forums, and will definitely not pass up a pro tip to help me catch my first sand bass!

Mac

Thanks for the tip

This makes sense, most of the sandies I have caught have been in water 6 ft deep or less. My best spot is probaly right at 4 feet. I think you are right, the strikes seem to happen just off the bottom. I had already bought some more indicators and was curious on how to best use them on Sandies. Thanks for the tip! Now I'll just have to bring sink tip and and floating and do a comparison! Thanks for the tip. Any reccomendation on leader/tippet? I was thinking a 3X (7.4LB) down to a 6X (3.2 lb) flourocarbon tippet.

I use an 8 lb. mono leader 9ft cut a foot off of it then add a little over two feet of 8lb invisix fluorocarbon(fir the hybrids in te 8wt i use 15lb) I really feel its the best floro on the market for 8-25 lb strength 200 yards for 20 bucks vs 16.95 for 30 yard of rio. Under 8 lb floro flex is the way to go but sandies teeth tend to wear line quickly. If your favorite spot is 4fow I think you will really like that indicator almost every fish will hit on the pause when Ida dead still hope this helps. There are a few of my friends on here that have seen this in action.