Swing Technique

[Tiger]

When swinging flies for metal what is best? Bow in the line, a slight bow or a straight line from rod tip to the fly. I've had more luck with a straight line moving the fly as slow as possible.

[Terry Thomas]

B,
I know you have landed your share over the last few years so that must be working for you. I believe that all three of the M.O.W. guys use the bow in the line method.
T.

[Charlie Gonzales]

For me the more chop on the water the straighter I want my line; flatter water, a slight bow.

[nrthcsteel]

In general I dont think there is a best way to do it. Each person aproaches a piece of water differently and has a plan of attack on how they want to swing it. Each piece of water is different and usually requires a different cast angle, line setup and mends or NO mends prior to or during the swing in order to swing it how you choose. And within a single run these can all change as you work your way down. When I get into the gravy part of a run that I know holds fish and I dont have anyone breathing down my neck I always like to make a couple two or three differing presentations before taking my steps... one slow ..one fast ..one just right,, or one deep.. one more shallow... I guess I like to leave the decision of what swing is best to the steelhead .... They'll let you know...Kevin

[Rick J]

I think Kevin nailed it - it also depends on if you are fishing winter or summer. I often change tactics.

Note that the bow in the line may not always do what you might expect it to do - that is speed things up and keep fly shallower - if you lead the fly slightly depending on water type you may actually be taking tension off the fly, allowing the fly to sink more dead drift and get deeper. Mending upstream, will often cause the fly to rise some in the water column and swing under tension though you can certainly slow the swing down

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

I think that veteran Steelhead guides get to see more than most.

I have been very lucky to get to fish with some really good Steelhead guides who have put many years in on the water.

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I was fishing a couple of days on the Lower Deschutes River in the early fall with a Steelhead jet boat guide who had put 35 years on that river.

This was some years ago before two-handed fly fishing got so popular.

He liked a 10' #6 line rod in the AM with the low winds and a 9' #7 rod in the afternoons when the wind came up.

He mostly used weight forward floating lines, ~9' leader to 8# with a dark winged #6 fly with some flash.

We worked our way down a run with a lot of rocks right on the bank and a seam close to the shore just out from the rocks.

He told me to quarter downstream, with a reach mend during the cast and then just let the first cast go through with no mending. He said the first time through the fish in the fall early in the day can be really ready to "rock-n-roll".

He said today he likes to set up the cast in the air so you don't really need much mending.

On the second cast he recommended that it add a twitch to the drift to get their attention.

After those two casts we moved down 4 to 5 steps and repeat.

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While fishing with Steelhead veteran Al Perryman he always tries to help me get a little better.

He was showing me that some times you need to mend, upstream, and sometimes you don't need to mend much and sometimes you need to mend down stream.

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I also watch people that I fish with, especially the really good Steelheaders.

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Some people are just naturally good at fishing and some are not. That is a God given thing but after that we can all get better if we pay attention.

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Those who think they know more than most have stopped learning. Some of the best fly fishers I have met ask a lot of questions, even to people who are no where as good as they are. The reason is that they know, no matter how much you have learned, there is always more.

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Some of the best fly fishers I know seldom talk about their successes.

[Tiger]

I totally agree about the learning part Bill. You can never improve if you think you know everything. I've been fishing hard for steelhead for the last 10 years and I don't know much...