Nymphing for steelhead

[bigtj]

The upper trinity lends itself to indicator fishing because it's tight and narrow. The middle & lower river (N. Fork down esp. around Hoopa) has a combination of water that eventually lends itself more to swinging. Herb Burton's shop doesn't even guide indicator trips and they do just fine. I will say this...the trinity was fished with the swing over 100 years before the first indicator set-up was tried and in that time plenty of fish were caught. That being said, my best all-time day #'s wise of steelhead fishing was on the Trinity indicator fishing, from shore. It was obscene, almost too easy. So anyway it is deadly effective.

Indicator fishing for steelhead is a blast. Not much different from trout fishing really. In fact the best steelhead fishermen I know learned the craft fishing for trout. Fishing from shore it's essential to pick your water carefully. If you can't get a good drift in it, you're wasting your time. It's all about getting a perfect drift. Getting the right drift at the right depth is much more important than the type of fly you are using.

Jay the only caveat I would make to your statement is that some races of fish are more aggressive than others. For example, in BC the steelhead can be really aggressive at 45 degrees because they are used to colder temps. Last year I fished there the last week in October and I got chases to a dry as well as caught fish on the swing with a floating line and unweighted fly even though the water temp never got above 45 degrees. That would never happen with hatchery fish on the coast in the winter in Oregon when water temps are 40-45. There isn't ever a reason to nymph up in BC because the fish are aggressive to the swing. I guess what I'm saying is you have to know the relationship between temps and aggressiveness for the river you're fishing.

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

jbird & bigtj,

You guys are right on it.

Fall is near.

[bigtj]

Bill,

I am starting to get antsy...only a few more weeks! I can hardly stand it right now...

-John

[jbird]

John
excellent points! as always. I will take it back to the motabolism theory tho. It is a relative factor. Fish in different systems have different "ideals". A great example is winter steelhead. Those fish have different requirements than summers. They will take a swung fly in 'warmer' winter water...which is equivelant to 'colder' summer steelhead conditions...when swinging rarely produces.
As fall progresses and the temps drop. It has always served me well to look to new water types. I know the rogue doesnt represent every river, but it is my stomping grounds, so it will serve as my subject. I have definite spots that produce at different times of year and especially when the frigid fog of december decsends on us, I know where to find willing fish in 39 degree water. It has taken alot of trial and error but I feel pretty confident in finding fish in all seasons. It is an endless puzzle with sweet rewards and tons of humble pie.

I think another reason the BC rivers are good swing rivers is because their low gradient profile. They are classic swing water without many pockets to isolate fish.

Having a good grasp of the ins and outs of both swinging and nymphing will serve you well wherever steelhead swim...and trout for that matter.

Jay

[bigtj]

As usual very good points Jay. Especially the water types! The fish really move around as the water temps drop, no matter where you are talking about. When it's hot they're in the riffles and heads, when it gets cold they drop down into slow-moving structure, just like clockwork.

[WinterrunRon]

Sounds right to me fellas, excellent observation and advice.

Only thing I can add, from a personal standpoint is: On the American, my "home water" when not on our costal rivers, I hook most (and last year ALL) of my fish on a swung fly... and I didn't care what the temperature was, because the American temperature is fairly constant in winter and rarely gets that cold. And every fish last year on a swung fly for me was big, big, big!

What made the difference for me last year was that I developed a high level of confidence in what I was doing, knowing that I was going to hook a fish. Of course it didn't happen every outing, but I felt like it could have and came back the next day to try again!

[aaron]

I've got strong feelings about the subject so I'll bite...

To me swinging is the only way to go 100% of the time. It is about giving the fish a choice about whether or not to move towards the fly crossing in the overhead currents. Why drop a nymph on a fish? Sure you will still find the active fish but you are also prone to catch fish that are stressed due to any number of conditions. Forcing stressed fish to battle for their lives is ethically questionable IMHO. I'd much rather target the active fish. As long as there are fresh steelhead in a system they will move for a fly no matter how cold the water is. Lee Spencer has brought a number of fish to the surface on the North Umpqua when the water has been in the 30's!

Maybe swinging won't catch quite as many fish, but it will bring fresh active fish to the fly. If you nymph because you are concerned about numbers of fish then maybe you should reconsider the reasons you go fishing.

[jbird]

In light of your recent trip to the umpqua, as I read this post, I knew that Lee Spencer had an influence on this oppinion before I even read far enough to see his name. Yes, I am very familiar with Lees wrightings. It is one mans OPINION based on his observation. It is an extremely biased opinion..much like yours. There is no conclusive evidence for this view on nymphing...none. We here in southern oregon, along with you guys in nor cal, fish many rivers that are absolutely hammered by nymphers. I have been fishing the rogue for a long time, and I have never, not once, seen a single dead steelhead laying in the river aside from a filet victim.

Now, if you dont like nymphing, that is fine and it is your perogative to swing only. But to warn people that it is dangerous to the fishery is just wrong.

I have kept my mouth shut about this for a long time. I am really sick of the traditional, swing only guys (who are the self proclaimed "Holier then thou") looking down their noses at their fellow flyfishermen because they are fishing in a way that is totally UNJUSTIFIABLY unethical.

Every time someone comes home after a visit with Lee, they are all on their high horse about this. I personally believe it is hooey!

I am a fisherman who likes to be versitile in my aproach and am just as apt to swing as to nymph. I like them both equally. And I look on my fellow flyfisherman with equality no matter which way he chooses to fish.

I know Bill Kiene is a big advocate for swinging with a dry fly. Take a look at his posts and how he presents the reason he does it. He does it cause he likes to do it that way..period. He doesnt play the unethical card to add guilt to the equation.

I better stop

J

PS

Winterrun

What made the difference for me last year was that I developed a high level of confidence in what I was doing, knowing that I was going to hook a fish

You just unlocked THE code to catching steelhead anywhere!

[aaron]

Well my apologies for ruffling some feathers but I am apt to side with a man with a background in science who has spent more time observing and angling for steelhead than just about anyone else on earth. His opinion may be biased, but only in the best interest of the fish. I can hardly see how this is a bad thing. If you're more interested in the numbers of fish you catch than the health of your fisheries so be it, but don't get down on me for promoting his love for conserving and ethically angling for wild steelhead.

[jbird]

ethically angling for wild steelhead.

The technique being promoted is hardly a bad thing, I never said that. The problem is planting the seed that every other way of fishing is unethical. Lee loves his fish, no doubt. If I were Lee and lived in that station for that long and saw what he saw, I would probably view it the same as he. That wouldnt automatically make me right. My views would be overbiased by my love for MY fish. And if i lectured my views to the flyfishing community, I would certainly expect controversy.

Lee has a personal relationship with those fish, He loves them, I repect that.

The guy fishes for them hookless...not barbless..hookless. Thats fine and wonderful, I respect him for having that much self control. I really do!

The real issue is telling people what is ethical and unethical in the techniques of this sport with no justification whatsoever.

The only reason I can see nymphing as being harder on the fishery is because it catches more fish. Swinging is harder on the sport because of the tension and controversy the traditional swingers bring to the sport.

Again, I have no beef with swinging at all..I absolutely, positively love it..I really do. But its the guys who think that nymphing is a sin are the ones who ruin the freedom of this sport and limit the possibilties of a friendship with any fly angler.

Time to dawn my flack jacket

Jay