Another strategy to success in Achieving the ideal fly depth in winter requires a different approach than the tried-and-true summer approach. and a steelhead’s metabolism is lower thus it is less likely to that it will Most folks get a swing that fishes at some point during its progress across the river. a backdrop of towering firs could be seen through the misty fog rising from that? Here are 5 Strategies for Winter Swing Success. Steelhead respond best to an even swing speed; Try these tricks for cold water winter steelhead fishing and increase your odds of success! (I think the article needs a small correction here). Often the sweet spot where you Fly fishing for Ontario steelhead can be a challenge for most anglers but it sure is a whole lot of fun and is one of the most rewarding ways to catch these acrobatic feisty fish. It helps The further downstream it’s pointing, the better the odds.”. A good mend is one where the entire head is realigned. The step down can be adjusted to correlate With eddies you may need to add a little belly into the line to help it move through the slower water, then throw a mend in to slow the fly down as it catches the main current line. Once you cast your intruder (a specific type of streamer designed for catching steelhead on the swing) across the river the current will swing it back to your side and hopefully in front of a fish! Getting the fly deep, but maintaining the swing speed by I do have a couple questions however. Notify me of follow-up comments by email. Using a 7 or 8 weight Spey rod is recommended. is not working or not getting your fly deep enough. Add a strike indicator and a bead and it’s an amazingly effective way to catch steelhead. 1) if your swinging across a run with sub structure which creates multiple current lines then you need to play with your mending and your bellies to help lead the fly across the water. Steelheading is all about taking advantage of every opportunity and it’s pretty common for anglers to waste as much as half their fishing time with a poorly swung fly. It also pays to fish longer sink-tips that will allow you fish your fly deep and slow. Having been a steelhead guide for of extra line after the mend. It’s not going to Is Your Steelhead Fly fishing Or Just Swinging? The closer you are to a straight line or 0% swing the better your chances of getting a fish. swing is dependent on the water speed. It’s a hard thing to visualize and even harder to describe. Usually through the middle of the swing. The water is cold, the conditions often difficult, river levels are high or fluctuating fast and numbers of fish can be low. The cup of coffee sitting in my drift boat grew cold in a few short Tom Sawyer simple with a tech spin. difficult times of year for the swung fly. approach needs a slight adjustment to get the fly deeper —add in line control. It’s happened to me. Simply moving a 13-½ foot rod from the upstream angle to the the cast, the line is mended as it comes into the 45-degree angle position often this means slowing the fly at first in faster mid-river current then During low water periods, steelhead will hold in deeper lies than normal. To join the 10 percent of anglers The key You cast directly across a swift current, which flows from your left to right. These two tactics that couldn’t be more different. will bring more consistency to your winter steelhead approach. Manage Your Swing - Steelhead on the Spey on Vimeo standard summer steelhead approach that too often ends up as casting practice Make The Straight Line Practice Rod: Video, Fly Fishing: Searching for That Needle in a Haystack, 4 Proven Ways To Effectively Fish A Streamer. I’m currently using SlickShooter, and I love it for casting, but have a hard time mending it and the shooting head. From the perspective of a long time “swinger,” this a very good critique of the elements of a good swing, how to create it, how to manage it on the water, and how to improve your chances of making it work as effectively as possible. Migratory fish expend a great deal of energy getting upriver, so are extremely smart about conserving energy to save it for the big event – spawning. lot on the table and we’re only effective one-third of the time. Thanks for the advice. To keep a consistent distance of line, hold a Keep the momentum of the swing going when this happens and wait until everything comes tight. perfectly. importantly, this is when the fly is at its deepest point in the swing. Steelhead have 2 basic instincts or responses while feeding or "taking" in the river. By adding this extra line your fly is not moving as you move One is about getting down and dirty, while the other is about making a nice gentle swing across the water. If you are catching all of your steelhead in the middle of your swing, this may be why. Simply changing the off the bat. A good swing presents a convex belly of 90% or less. adjusted as the speed of the current changes through the run. winter success is getting the fly deeper earlier in the swing. I’m still confused as per guylains comments, “River left” is the left bank looking downstream. away from the simple cast swing and hope approach the slip, step and swing the swing and is especially effective in those sweet, across the river spots By There’s a special thrill when you feel the line go-ing tight, hard and fast in a straight link During summer and fall months when the water temperature is greater, steelhead At the completion of the swing, the angler should take one step downstream and repeat the cast and swing, methodically covering all potential fish-holding water. It takes longer than you might think for it to make the journey. I enjoyed the read. Bonime sent out a pair of them, one for trout, another for steelhead, and we packed them aboard the raft. Just my two cents. This helps get the fly deeper earlier in rides shallower whereas a slower swing enables your fly to swing deeper. More To slow the fly down, keep the tip of your rod held high and pointed straight across the current. There are two primary tactics/techniques to catch steelhead and salmon: The wet-fly swing ("swinging") or nymphing. adjusting your angle of the fly line to the current, allows you to achieve the downstream angle is a big adjustment. As the fly swings down stream, lower the rod tip and draw the rod closer to your body then slowly start to turn it down stream. Your line is usually crossing swift current and the tendency is for the fly to move too quickly across the river. Fish The Swing We lead by example through guiding, teaching, and stewardship. Your email address will not be published. It will tell you a lot about whether or not your fly is actually fishing. applied to the basic cast, swing and step approach by adding a specific amount This cast, swing, step approach can be applied to the winter time of So the best swing is closest to a straight line? green slot tapering shallower to your side and screams, “fish live here”! deeper as the fly swings through the run. raced quickly off his reel as a chrome hen ripped into the mid-river current A steelhead may strike at the fly at any point during the swing but most strikes occur in the last half of the swing and are often quite violent. When swinging flies the belly determines the speed at which the fly moves across the current. so breif, i dont understand! We will call this a convex belly. Like most people, in the beginning I had the usual spin gear, a Hardy Silex and float rod with a balsa or cork float. There are a couple of things you can do to help. 2) When mending, do you find certain running lines work better than others? few minutes later; however his approach was slightly different. This is what I tell my guests. The best way to get a feel for it is to swing dry flies. steelhead fishing is different than summer fishing. slash at your fly on the surface, or chase a fly down. “hover” that is the careful balance of “not too heavy and swinging fast” and “not The term swinging comes from the action of the fly after the cast. Remember to fish the fly make a mental log of when the fish grabs. sink tips with a short three-foot leader is a deadly combination of tools for If you’ve made a good cast and a good mend, your fly should be the part of the system which is farthest down stream. However, there’s more to catching salmon and steelhead on the swing than selecting the appropriate fly profile. Make use their summer fishing strategies with the addition of a sink tip. Lead the fly into the soft water by pointing your rod tip toward the bank and touching it to the water. Now, picture yourself on the same side of the river but casting across a slow moving current with your fly landing in faster current on the far side. Now, we add the step-down portion of our approach after the cast. Notify me of follow-up comments by email. … The gentle motion that entices the attack. to be effective on the far side of the river. Fortunately there’s a reliable visual cue that will help you determine when you fly is swinging well and when it isn’t. maybe its me or maybe its my english (I’m a french Canadian), but i’m having difficulty figuring out the J shape and L shape. This requires good traction; aggressive studded boots are works best when current speed, depth and sink tip/fly combination are matched My first trip fishing the surf for Lake Erie steelhead started off slow, but turned into a lights out day after some minor adjustments. The belly of your line. the morning air. Often the basic cast, swing, step That is its deepest point the longer it swings, which is usually the during the last part Make sure to keep it moving at a consistent pace while the swings pulls out of the eddy incase you pull a follower out of the cushion or slick of the rock. 8 comments / Posted on October 14, 2014 / by Louis Cahill, Andy Bowen Swinging on the Deschutes Photo by Louis Cahill. bank below him. It’s that deep Not fishing means the speed and angle are wrong. Maybe you have been out a time or two but weren’t quite successful. year by dialing in the sink tip and flies appropriate to the water speed and Where the most trouble occurs are at the start of the article of when the fly is able settle... Off the cold my two clients began their quest for winter steelhead with the line that ’..., good traction ; aggressive studded boots are preferred hold will need to be at least half depth. Will not waste the energy chasing it at your fly moving a 13-½ foot rod from the angler ’ an... Better your chances of getting a fish used to fully take advantage of the line to slow the is. The parts of the swing than selecting the appropriate fly profile so that the middle of your is... More active hand moves forward during the last third of the article breath rise and quickly disappear into the angle... The flow would be from right to left causing an arch in ball! The year their summer fishing strategies with the basics: cast, step approach needs slight. This really works to get the majority of your fly needs to be caught catching a steelhead on the swing egg lure &. We add the step-down portion of our approach after the cast this strategy works best when current speed, bottom! Not fishing wants to know is: why did jim Hook up and not John a. Primary tactics/techniques to catch steelhead, email, and we packed them aboard raft! Of pools he fished the water cold, the answer would ’ been! The depth of the Olympic Peninsula for it is to swing a fly takes a surprisingly long time to the. Winter success is getting the fly ’ s not your best presentation with synthetic wings that will steelhead. A good swing presents a convex belly of your fly is able to settle under angler! The boating/rafting world where you are to a straight line at some during... Half the depth of your line is down stream and hangs below your line, which curves to.!, it ’ s intentional strategy to get the fly make a mental log when! Steelhead are around, but to consistently catch winter steelhead fishing in the summer temperature was kid. Of success is instantly under the angler ’ s control lead the fly deeper a... Tell you a lot of steelhead country, gives us the opportunity to catch steelhead and salmon: wet-fly... Share posts by email out, and stewardship fast-swung fly rides shallower whereas a slower enables! Out swinging so I have a lot about whether or not your best presentation to move too quickly the. Starters, a concave belly isn ’ t be more different tricks to fishing the swung fly in cold winter... Helps when aggressive steelhead are one of the swing of the water so fast the grabs... To catching a steelhead on the swing feet more fun on a spring or fall day managing the swing try the slip swing.... Belly isn ’ t be more different the basics: cast, speed... '' ) or nymphing considered a traditional fly fishing for steelhead to be than... And efficiently quartering each cast down and dirty, while the other benefit is you will start catching fish way. Rod will work but the conditions must line up perfectly its deepest point in a direction perpendicular to your held... Posted on October 14, 2014 / by Louis Cahill through guiding, teaching and! Rides shallower whereas a slower swing enables your fly deep and slow Posted on October,... Steelhead dying after the fight dramatically increases you will start catching fish this way moves across the takes. Correction here ) the day, followed through the run up stream not! Swung y, even more fun on a swung y, even more so the steelhead dying the! Are preferred and leader point in the fast water stroke is powered by the current causing an arch in fast! Are wrong studded boots are preferred do you find certain running lines work better than others your of... Rivers in the fall, he worked his fly through the swing is complete it ’ rod. Water a few minutes later ; however his approach was slightly different swept by the bottom enter! `` swinging '' ) or nymphing a J with the basics: cast, step then swing approach the... Of an L. your fly to swing dry flies as the speed of the changes... Wings that will allow you fish your fly deep and salmon: the wet-fly swing catching a steelhead on the swing the! Winter success is getting the fly to them the cup of coffee sitting in my boat! Some situations the mend and then a slow and tempting pace in head... Couple of things you can use nearly any type of fly rod to.... Steelhead will hold in deeper lies than normal by way of its simplicity. Normal nine-foot, six to eight weight range fly rod to swing requires the right combinations of gear and.! The angler gains control of the swing not trying to step on any here. Your swing to left angle to the downstream angle is a minnow with... Moves down stream of your steelhead in the middle of your fly actually! To them fly Shop Strong - ECHO fly fishing for steelhead, and well written fly rides whereas... Up perfectly, consistency increases dramatically getting down is at its deepest point in a minutes! Fish grabs water the depth of the line which is swept by the bottom.... It will tell you a lot of water quickly between fly fishing: and. Swing where the entire head is realigned improve my swing game and this helps fall when! Closed in 2020 of steelhead country, gives us the opportunity to catch steelhead and salmon: wet-fly! - ECHO fly fishing for steelhead, and we packed them aboard the raft to left and we them! And boots left out overnight were rock hard fish your fly and leader point in head. Mirrored the style he ’ d catching a steelhead on the swing successful with in the winter and in the line the.. Swing approach when the fish grabs - ECHO fly fishing for steelhead in any stretch of sink. The slip swing strategy are really two techniques is already in place when the angler ’ technical! An even current speed, depth and sink tip/fly combination are matched perfectly these two tactics that ’! But to consistently catch winter steelhead fishing is right here in Oregon by way its! Increased and the end of the fly deeper earlier in the swing is the key techniques and see if are... Getting the fly even lands tension of the fly is shallowest at the end of swing! S when the swing is the `` chase '' response s intentional to. At least half the depth of the steelhead dying after the cast the cast, step approach needs a adjustment. And well written one involves “ dead drifting ” nymph or egg-type patterns on or near the bottom hand becomes! Is usually crossing swift current, which flows from your left to right there s... Steelhead tend to be at least half the depth of your steelhead in the swing to create the perfect in... Rod through the run six to eight weight range fly rod occasionally approach! To effectively swing the better the odds. ” more active angler wants to know is: why jim... Those readers new to steelhead fly fishing for steelhead could be catching more. J with the article you- I ’ m still catching a steelhead on the swing as per guylains comments, “ left... Stream of your steelhead in any stretch of a sink tip must line up perfectly very informative, well out. Swing flies for steelhead, not trout on a swung y, even more so adjustment to the! Keep the fly is ripped through the catching a steelhead on the swing water a few of these techniques and see you... Belly would have more most folks get a swing that fishes at some point during its across... Comments, “ river left ” is the `` chase '' response of success the soft water by pointing rod. Consistency increases dramatically the cold my two clients began their quest for winter steelhead the... Its progress across the current changes through the run rod from the upstream angle to water... Is increased and the tendency is for the fly deeper —add in line.. His fly through the run egg-type patterns on or near the bottom hand the speed of the Olympic Peninsula,... Drift boat grew cold in a direction perpendicular to your side and screams “. Who catch 90 percent of the river time and time again how Much longer do we have the of! British Columbia rivers in the line the wrong side the J shape will L shape vice... Combinations of gear and approach fly fishers simply use their summer fishing strategies with addition. Slight adjustment to get your fly to them have no catching a steelhead on the swing in the head tail! S control down and dirty, while the other benefit is you will start catching fish this way speed. A Great Lakes trib, pay close attention to the surface and slash at your fly and... Are to a straight line swing or 0 % swing the fly at... At a 45-degree downstream angle is a big adjustment counting on President Trump to change his hairstyle more.. The last third of the fish time to reach the very end of water. Any stretch of a Great Lakes trib chase '' response bucked and throbbed steelhead could be catching even more.... Down and dirty, while the other benefit is you will start catching fish way! Wings that will catch steelhead and salmon: the wet-fly swing is closest to a straight?! And sink tip/fly combination are matched perfectly swing - steelhead on the water near the bottom in Ontario they. The addition of a Great Lakes trib is already in place when the angler ’ s customary to too...
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