Cortland Streamer Sink Tip 10 Fly Line - Black/Olive 100ft WF5S/F Review (2026)

How the sink tip design works

This line combines a short, aggressively tapered head with a 10 foot Type 6 sinking tip built into the front, while the rest of the line floats. Cortland states the sinking portion drops at 5 to 6 inches per second and uses Tungsten Tip Technology to hold the fly at a fairly consistent depth during the retrieve rather than continuing to sink deeper the way a full sinking line would. The head is listed at about 26 feet with roughly 64 feet of floating running line to make up the 100 foot total, and the WF5S/F on this listing sizes it for a 5 weight rod, with Cortland listing this size at around 160 grains.

Why the sink tip format helps

Because only the front section sinks while the running line floats, this style of line is easier to mend on the water than a full sinking line, since anglers can lift and reposition the floating portion without dragging the whole line through the current. The black and olive two-tone coloring marks the visual break between the sinking head and the floating running line, which also gives a rough depth reference while stripping or swinging a streamer through a run or pool. This combination of sink and float sections is a common design choice among anglers who want depth control without giving up easy line management on moving water.

Built for a 5 weight rod

This particular listing is sized WF5S/F, meaning it is built and weighted to load a 5 weight rod. That places it as a lighter option in the Streamer Sink Tip 10 lineup, which also comes in 6, 7 and 8 weight versions at heavier grain weights of 185, 210 and 240 grains for bigger flies and rods. The line is built a full size heavy relative to standard floating tapers so it loads fast, modern action rods with fewer false casts, which helps anglers turn over weighted streamers on a lighter rod than they might otherwise need for the same fly size.

Intended species and conditions

Cortland lists this line for trout, steelhead, salmon and bass, and describes it as designed to present unweighted and weighted streamers in the middle to lower part of the water column rather than right along the bottom. The manufacturer notes an ST coating intended to reduce friction through the guides for a smoother, quieter cast. A recommended water temperature range of 30 to 70 degrees Fahrenheit is listed, covering most streamer seasons on trout and steelhead water, and the line is priced at roughly one hundred dollars, reflecting its more specialized sink tip construction and the tungsten tip technology built into the front section.

Limits and how it compares

Because the sinking section is only 10 feet long, this line cannot reach the depths a full sinking line like Cortland's Type 6 Full Sinking series can manage in deep lakes or heavy current, so anglers fishing genuinely deep water are better served by a full sinker instead. The 5 weight size also limits fly size and casting distance compared with the 7 and 8 weight versions of the same line, making this version best suited to moderate trout streamers rather than large articulated patterns fished on heavier rods built for bigger water and stronger fish.

Frequently asked questions