I had some good days at East Lake this week and it was from this experience that I really wanted to discuss the difference of what can be done when longer, better and more accurate fly casting is achieved. 
I had Tim Q and Rich F in the boat 2 days ago, both very good casters and both with a good understanding of how to retrieve a fly to #1- make it swim like a natural, or #2- to make it attractive to the fish to eat it. Sometimes those are the (kind of) the same thing, and other times they need to be considered two different things. In this case, at times a slow hand twist retrieve was often the big winner for bites, but a faster strip also induced takes too. 
Above all, none of this was achievable unless the anglers had the skills to cast farther than what I see on average with clients in the boat. If a client can cast 50 or 60 feet then we can play the game with the sinking lines. If it is under 30 to 40 feet, I think it is usually a better choice to stick with the strike indicators. Why would that be? We need space to allow the fly line to achieve the depth it is designed to go to efficiently. And once to depth, in that space we are able to retrieve a fly far enough for the cast to be effective. The sinking line game is really cool and I appreciate how much different it can make a day by adding something more to what we do. I use a lot of different lines throughout the season, and sometimes in a single day. On Wednesday with Tim and Rich, I had Rich on the shallow side of the boat with a Hover Line and 2 callibaetis nymphs, and Tim out on the deep side of the boat with a Type 3 full sink line and a Flashback PT and callibaetis nymph. Both did well, although the deep side produced more Kokanee and the shallow side was the spot for bigger trout. In that moment. Remember it changes due to available food. Check out the sinking line charts I use for my lake fishing presentations I give to fly clubs and this will give you a sense of the lines that should be most effective for you on Central Oregon Lakes. 
If I was to choose my favorites I would say the Scientific Anglers Emerger Tip (or Cortland Ghost Tip), a Rio Camo Lux Intermediate and an Airflo Type 3 Full Sink (I like the Rio too, but I like the colored sections on the Airflo to track the retrieve and do the hang). 
If I had more spools to fill and the wallet to match, add a Hover, a Type 5 for deeper retrieves and a Type 7 for Deep Dangling chironomids in the summer. 
East Lake is getting one of the more consistent Callibaetis hatches now of all the lakes and somedays are absolutely on fire, and other days the wind knocks them down. The fish usually want to eat the nymphs one way or another each day and you choose the indicator or the sinking line with a retrieve and play how you want to play. 
I was delighted to get our 1st fish of the 2025 summer on Hoppers this week! Also Ants and Beetles did the trick. 
Scuds and Damsels need to be considered, and never go to East Lake without Chironomids this time of year. Hanging with my Chromies, Ice Cream Cones, Blood Worms and Olive Pupa are starting points. Double Down Black/Red is a good searcher on the bottom with a Callibaetis Cate dropper. Do you tie your own nymphs? Do some Cate’s with a Red Ribbing for East Lake.