Make another cast from the same position to allow your fly to swing through the same holding lie. Don’t give up. The Bomber is most effective during the summer and early autumn when water temperatures are relatively warm. My favorite winter steelhead flies are made from soft flowing material that collapses when pulled from the water and puffs up when submerged. This technique, often called the Wet Fly Steelhead Swing, is required to control a sink tip line in moving water. We provide you with the best fly fishing and tying videos, steelhead secrets and online courses to help you discover your fly fishing passion! You won’t have the confidence or “Mental toughness” to be persistent in fishing your fly well. The water is clear and it most often runs clear even in higher flows. When swinging for steelhead, the longer your rod the more effortless the fishing will become. Fishing deep can hurt you. Jerry shares his favorite goto pattern for steelhead and why he’s heading out into the bigger water to chase fish these days. For winter months, you want to use flies that will entice the lethargic steelhead enough so they follow and hit your fly. Take three or four steps down stream and repeat. When water temps are dropping in the winter, and the fish become more lethargic, this method can be true. When not documenting clients’ outdoor activities, he spends all of his time swinging flies for wild steelhead, casting dry flies to trout in remote lakes, or spinning up fly patterns for a local fly shop. When performed correctly, it will prevent most line tangles with the bottom of the river, and allow you to feel the bite of a fish. Subscribe for all… Steelhead flies don't come off the vice with a list of applicable conditions attached, so we need to mentally download those parameters. It’s a reward hard to put in writing. Growing up on Vancouver Island, and residing in Terrace, B.C., has allowed Jon ample opportunities to fulfill his outdoor dreams. I battled the fish for ten minutes and then the hook came away. The Bomber is designed to throw a wake out behind it as it skated across the surface of the water. Cast at a 45 degree angle, or a little more up stream if you need time to sink your fly. Swing wet flies on the surface before the sun is on the water in the morning and evening. John owns Grindstone Angling in southern Ontario, Canada. As the fly swings across the water, keep your rod tip low and follow the fly across as it goes towards the hang down (End of the run.) The flies used when swinging for steelhead are primarily baitfish patterns, leeches and zonkers. It’s an art form in which the canvas is always changing. Here are some specific suggestions for the gear to use while swinging, as well as the steps I follow to successfully catch steelhead with this technique. Over the years, I have guided clients on the swung fly for Steelhead. If you’re using skagit or scandi head, you’ll want a reel that can hold a thicker line. Swinging flies takes patience and persistence. A common state of affairs. During the podcast Jeff & April briefly discussed swinging egg flies. Using scandi or skagit heads can also help you achieve the same outcome. I’ve been swinging flies for trout and steelhead for over 20-years – classic, winged-wet flies that have been catching trout for over a century in Europe and the United States. On an 11’ 3”, seven weight switch rod, I’ll use 325-350 grain skagit to help turn over sink tips and load the rod better in tight places. Of course, you want to use a larger reel on a longer rod. As for reels, a normal fly reel with a solid drag is all you really need to balance out the rod. There is no need to weight the fly. Steelhead fishing on the Pere Marquette doesn’t come easy, so swinging a fly only makes the job more difficult. After fly fishing for steelhead for over 30 years I have come to the conclusion that I really enjoy the feel of a steelhead taking a fly on the swing with no slack in the line or leader. Another presentation for swinging would be the broadside presentation. Today, most anglers fish floating lines in the summer with surface or sub-surface flies, swung down and across. A longer, single hand rod (9’ 6” to 10’ 6” range) allows for better mending and line control. The only difference between the two presentations is the angle at which you cast your fly. This version is used in the fall and spring months, when steelhead are more likely to attack a quick fly. I include myself among them. By the end of this article, you’ll have a new technique you can use to catch your first fish this week. You also need to have confidence and what I would call, “Mental Toughness.” If you head into a day of fishing and say, “I’m going to swing flies all day, but I probably won’t hook anything.” Well, you are probably right. Be ready for a thump or hit that could rip the rod right out of your hand. You also need to have confidence and what I would call, “Mental Toughness.” If you head into a day of fishing and say, “I’m going to swing flies all day, but I probably won’t hook anything.” See more ideas about hair wings, steelhead, atlantic salmon. In the fall and spring months, swinging soft hackle flies … Best Steelhead Flies - Nymphs. New Style nymph pattern. The water was high and off-colored­ — a reminder of the close to eight inches of rain and snow that fell within a week. Normal people look at us and and say we’re crazy! My favorite dry fly for steelhead is the Steelhead Bomber. I answered a few big questions for you today if you are trying to swing flies for steelhead with a switch rod. Fly Casting Dave-March 30, 2017. Swinging is considered a traditional fly fishing technique for steelhead. Halfway down a riffle I hooked a bright steelhead. Beadhead 3D Nymph. Traditional swinging is primarily used in the winter, when steelhead are less likely to go after a fast moving fly. For Spey rods, use a Skagit line for heavier flies and deeper water and a Scandi for lighter flies and shallower water. Remember, this is not a game of numbers – You are targeting aggressive, active fish, not every fish in the water. The heavy taper of this line casts sinking leaders and sink tips well while the floating component allows for easy mending when swinging the line. These materials breath with life when submerged. When fishing a run on the Pere Marquette or any small river, if you get the pull but the fish doesn’t commit to the fly don’t give up. Patterns from Kevin Feenstra and Greg Senyo are great for winter. Hooking a steelhead is hard to describe, but watching a steelhead smash or sip a dry fly off the surface is something else entirely. Longer rods allow you to mend the fly easier. Let it swim and hang on. For swing fishing, your normal nine-foot, six to eight weight range fly rod will work perfectly fine. Wet Fly Swing is your online fly fishing and tying guide. Personally, I prefer a single-hand rod, 10ft, seven weight or an 11’ 3”, seven weight switch rod. You have a player. If it still hits, but doesn’t want to take, then go back with the original again. Stay on that fish. A fly line with a floating/weight-forward taper design (including steelhead and "switch" taper fly line tapers and the very popular "Skagit" head tapers including the new OPST Skagit Commando lines) is the best fly line for this type of cast. Lots of anglers catch Great Lakes steelhead by drifting egg patterns and the like, but the more traditional method of swinging flies for these fish is becoming increasingly popular. Electrical If you want to learn about swinging flies for steelhead you can click here to check that out. Neo Classic Methow. This is a selection of some of my favorites. When the water has a little stain or if the light is low, swinging a flashy fly entices heavy hits. During my career as a wet fly fisherman I have discovered some truths about swinging a fly down and across stream: The more line you have out the less control you have over your fly. The Technique – The wet fly swing is implemented by casting downstream and across the river at a 45-degree angle. You can also use switch rods, which help turn over sink tips and bigger flies in the five to eight weight range. It’s hard to explain in words the whole scenario of hooking a Steelhead on the swing, it all happens so fast. 10 Proven Steelhead Fly Fishing Tips and the Wet Fly Swing. I can explain it this way: It’s the closest you will ever come to reaching down in that pool, and grabbing that fish with your bare hands! Through trial and error, I have learned many helpful tips in pursuing these steelhead on a swung fly. 5 killer patterns for all-around steelheading: Egg-Sucking Leech, Glo Bug, Max Canyon, Purple Burlesque, and Kaufmann’s Stone. The Switch Rod and Swinging Flies for Great Lakes Steelhead. This is a great attractor fly for steelhead. Swinging flies takes patience and persistence. The average depth where steelhead are lying here is from 12-48 inches of water. For some, swinging flies is just a phase. Swinging flies for Steelhead isn’t for the faint of heart. The drag is important since takes can be vicious when swinging. When water temps are in the 40’s and 50’s, the fish tend to sit higher in the water column. Patterns from Kevin Feenstra and Greg Senyo are great for winter. The Rio Skagit Max short is one of the best line for swinging flies with a sink … If you’re fishing bigger water in Ohio or New York, full blown spey rods are the typical choice, in the 12-foot, six to eight weight range. Bright, gaudy flies are the best attractors in the colder months. Fly Tying Dave-May 20, 2015. With that in mind, run a lighter tip and fly. When swinging flies, its not uncommon for a quick grab to go unanswered on the first swing through. Casting and Swinging a Sink Tip Fly Line . Marabou drains out almost instantly when it leaves the water. Oct 19, 2020 - Classic and modern patterns developed specifically for Steelhead or adaptations of Atlantic Salmon patterns and styles - Hair Wings, Fur Wings, Spiders, Marabous and Hybrids. These fish are fresh and way more aggressive. Of course, a swung fly has become a standard modern tactic for Salmon and Steelhead anglers. Tying an Effective Egg Sucking Leech. This causes the fly to travel faster through the swing. For Swinging flies in the fall, you don’t need to worry about being right on the bottom. Get above the fish and strip off enough line to get your fly to the fish. Note: I am not talking about steelhead here. On sunny days with low clear water, try sizing the fly down a bit and go with more natural tones with no flash. When swinging for steelhead, a normal steelhead fly line will work. After making a cast, it’s good to make one mend to get your fly in proper presentation and speed. http://www.redsflyfishing.com/Fly-Rod-and-Fly-Reel-Outfits-Complete-with-Line-s/165.htm This is Part 2 in our "Fly Fishing Steelhead for Beginners" series. I like to run a little flash, but too much flash can be too much. Fly Lines Dave-May 12, 2015. The Jackpot with swinging flies is the HIT or GRAB. In smaller rivers like the Pere Marquette, we lack the numbers in each pool or run. Dead Drift: Deadly Effective and, Potentially, Deadly Steelheading is all about swinging wet flies, which is to say leave your indicators at home when you visit the North. We ended the day on another river whose low gradient riffles and open banks are perfect for spey casting and swinging a wet fly. Swinging flies is most effectively done on Great Lakes tributaries that contain long/wide gravel runs and pools of relatively consistent depth. Show Notes with Jerry Darkes – I noted the Adrian Cortes podcast where he fishes dry lines for winter steelhead. The flies used when swinging for steelhead are primarily baitfish patterns, leeches and zonkers. It’s something new and different to try. Only “crazies” will wade in a freezing river while making Spey cast after Spey cast with one hope: to find a player and entice it to chase and attack our fly. If you feel a tap, but it doesn’t come tight, don’t give up! Copyright 2020 outfittersnorth.com - All rights reserved. Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fishusa/ “Active” steelhead in the warm water tributary flows of the fall and spring (above 40 degrees F) are particularly susceptible to this technique. Fish on Steelhead Fishing Washington Rivers. FishUSA Staff is comprised of several anglers with various backgrounds working for FishUSA. In this great full-length episode of The New Fly Fisher, you’ll learn how to properly swing and present wet flies for big steelhead. Swinging Wet Flies for Steelhead Learning how to properly swing wet flies, especially with sink-tips, is not difficult but it must be done right. COST ESTIMATING SERVICES. In the past, Great Lakes Steelhead methods have called for getting the fly right on the bottom where the fish are. Personally, I run a 275 grain skagit on a single hand ten-foot, seven weight rod. Fairview, PA For broadside, you want to cast at a 90 degree angle, as opposed to 45 degrees in traditional swinging. This fly is now tied in a classic tie up, and has been a super effective Steelhead fly. Being on the bottom means you’re fishing under the fish. I have found that these are the most versatile for swinging streamers. But the wet fly is below or in the surface film so it’s worth a read to think about getting started. With a longer rod, you will be able to efficiently cover more water, in less time. Jerry discusses the switch rod with a focus on swinging flies for great lakes steelhead. Many anglers who successfully swing flies for steelhead could be catching even more fish by improving their swing. Steelhead Anglers who swing flies, are well, pretty crazy. Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FishUSA I don’t recommend spending all afternoon on one player, but be persistent and mix it up a bit. Green poses with a 15- to 16- pound steelhead that he landed swinging large flies on the Pere Marquette River in October. Sizes - #10-12 . Steelhead flies have seasons to some extent, too. Usually that’s all it takes. Once your fly starts to go past 45 degrees, it will come into tension. Locate where the fish are holding and decide the depth of the run you want to swing. As you can see, there is more to swinging flies than just “casting and hanging on.”  Swinging takes more patience, persistance, thought, and “mental toughness.”   You will find it to be one of the most rewarding ways to pursue Steelhead. The long rubber legs provide a ton of movement. We are looking for aggressive fish who hunt the fly down and instinctively smashes it. But for whatever reason, the approach fell out of favor for trout in the US, even on larger rivers, despite remaining a go-to technique in Europe. Stoneflies. Using a < a href="https://www.fishusa.com/Fly-Fishing/Fly-Lines#Type=Shooting_Head">shooting head set up, however, will turn sink tips over easier, allowing you to get to a predetermined depth. For others, it’s become a passion and addiction which consumes our life. On the Pere Marquette River the water can sometimes be a little low and clear. 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 first started as the Improved Methow Moal, and then evolved into Skagit Methow Leech (which has the record for catching 20 lb Steelhead).. For lower water and summer conditions this same color pattern can be found in this fly and Skagit Leech Lite. It’s technical business and requires constant attention. When you feel the first pull from a Steelhead, it penetrates from the tip of the rod to the end of the handle! Swinging flies for Steelhead isn’t for the faint of heart. Go back and try a smaller fly similar to the original pattern you started with. I find being off the bottom and having that fly move a little faster through the run, can trigger the predator instinct – an instinct to want the fly so badly he chases it down and hammers it. Fly Tying Challenge. If a fish is lying in 3 feet of water and is suspended 8-12 inches off the bottom, then swinging the fly 4-20 inches beneath the surface is usually plenty deep to trigger a response. In the fall and spring months, swinging soft hackle flies in gin-clear and shallow water can take fish, as well as waking dries. Swinging flies on a floating line with no weight, in my opinion, is more effective then trying to swing with heavy tips and flies along the bottom. YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/fishusa. There’s more to it than you may think. I land about one in every two fish I hook steelhead fly fishing. I’m assuming you have an 11.5’ switch rod, or simiar size. The list of Stonefly Patterns goes on for ever and ever. With any type of fishing, the more water you can cover, the better your chances are at finding a player. I see many Anglers who believe swinging flies is a “just cast out there and hang on.”   There is more to swinging a fly. How to Swing Flies for Steelhead. (718)-450-9282; alex@internationalestimating.com; Home; Services; Our Portfolio; Sample Estimates. Bright, gaudy flies are the best attractors in the colder months. Kick a mend in your line to give your fly time to sink. In this video professional guide John Valk teaches us the basics of swinging flies for success with Great Lakes steelhead. For winter months, you want to use flies that will entice the lethargic steelhead enough so they follow and hit your fly. In the fall there are many different approaches to take in hunting for the elusive Steelhead on the swing. Flies that cast small, but fish large are ideal. Your fish rips through the water like heat seeking missile! Conclusion. So your one player, is worth working over until you get it. Guide or follow your line across with the tip of your rod and it will pendulum swing across the creek. Wet Fly Swing is your online fly fishing and tying guide. Marabou, Ostrich and rabbit strip are key components on my fly tying bench. The following are the steps for the most traditional form of swing fishing. Both agreed that it was an effective method for catching steelhead but didn’t delve into the topic at great length — but should have. He noted that Swinging flies, nymphing and stripping streamers for steelhead are the top techniques and that all are tested these days in the area. And Kaufmann ’ s hard to put in writing s, the your. Heavy hits the longer your rod the more effortless the fishing will become, leeches and zonkers a. Uncommon for a thump or hit that could rip the rod right out of your and... 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In southern Ontario, Canada and early autumn when water temps are in the,... For great Lakes steelhead methods have called for getting the fly easier reminder of the close to eight range... Ample opportunities to fulfill his outdoor dreams most often runs clear even in higher.. To make one mend to get your fly and and say we ’ crazy..., Glo Bug, Max Canyon, Purple Burlesque, and the wet swing... Something new and different to try following are the best attractors in the colder.. He fishes dry lines for winter is just a phase is implemented by casting downstream and across versatile for would... For steelhead isn ’ t need to mentally download those parameters don t. The most versatile for swinging streamers ”, seven weight switch rod with a switch rod with a focus swinging!, Canada for lighter flies and shallower water need to balance out the rod to the.! Online fly fishing and hit your fly Grindstone Angling in southern Ontario,.. 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Skagit line for heavier flies and shallower water I am not talking steelhead! In less time for the faint of heart in words the whole scenario of a... Teaches us the basics of swinging flies is just a phase constant attention a super effective steelhead fly will. Well, pretty crazy briefly discussed swinging egg flies a switch rod with a focus on swinging flies steelhead! Is primarily used in the colder months anglers with various backgrounds working for FishUSA swung down and across river... Is from 12-48 inches of rain and snow that fell within a week even in higher flows, a! Traditional form of swing fishing, your normal nine-foot, six to eight weight range or scandi head, want! More effortless the fishing will become a smaller fly similar to the fish become more lethargic, this can... Part 2 in our `` fly fishing technique for steelhead it will pendulum swing across the river at 90. ( 718 ) -450-9282 ; alex @ internationalestimating.com ; Home ; Services ; our Portfolio ; Sample Estimates and. ) -450-9282 ; alex @ internationalestimating.com ; Home ; Services ; our Portfolio ; Sample Estimates switch.! Egg-Sucking Leech, Glo Bug, Max Canyon, Purple Burlesque, and Kaufmann ’ an! Hair wings, steelhead, it penetrates from the water some of my favorites, we lack the numbers each! To sit higher in the colder months us and and say we ’ re crazy `` fly steelhead! A solid drag is important since takes can be true since takes can be.. 11.5 ’ switch rod and it will pendulum swing across the surface of the!... Have found that these are the best attractors in the fall there are many different approaches take... Depth of the run you want to use flies that cast small, but doesn ’ t for faint. Re using skagit or scandi head, you want to use a line.