I know this probably depends on the depth at which you want the fly to work, but for rivers and still water to approx 12ft, would you recommend a floating, intermediate or sinking line for pike?

I imagine, depending on the length of the leader etc, a floating line will pull the fly up in the water, which with a pause in the retrieve, will see the fly rise and fall enticingly. Whereas a sinking line will aid a flat, steady retrieve at a fairly constant depth.

Thanks in advance.

Depends more on temperature and tim eof year.

All three on different occassions. On big waters I have caught more pike on sinkng lines than anything else. You can fish a sinking line shallow, but it takes for ever to fish a floating line deep, even with a weighted fly, counting it down for 30 seconds is just wasting time when a sinking line would have you down to the same depth in 5 or 6 seconds. Cast and retrieve immediately with a sinker and you can fish the top couple of feet. In shallow water i would change the density and very shallow water use a floater - floater with a sink tip if you only want to go down 3 or 4 feet.

just like fishing with overgrown trout gear, really. On a reservoir, what line would you use for trout? same question....would probably get much the same answer. If the trout are deep, a sinker, not too deep an intermediate, and topping a floater.

I'm a firm believer in my Di7 (its an Airflow 40 plus expert.. Be sure you don't get the old model as it falls apart after 2-5 hrs at the joint between the running line and the sinking line . I've seen this happen 4 times with 4 lines!!)

This will get the fly down more than 12ft on a normal retrieve (with a decent 25 metre cast)..

I find this is critical at certain times of the year where the pike won't come up after flies... Even the intermediate won't get you the results, but the Di7 will. I would go so far as to say if i didn;t have the Di7 i'd stay at home, especially early spring...

That said for 12ft of water a Di5 may suffice.

Cheers
JJ