Swinging help please

[Foxyanne]

Im new to steelhead fishing and swinging for fish. Should I be using floating line with split shot or should I be using a sink tip line to swing for steelhead? Thanks.

[Sammy]

There are lots of options. Personally, I don't use sink tip line. I DO buy sinking leaders though. If you're not interested in getting too technical you could just do your regular set up and use some split shot, however that makes your gear more prone for snagging, tangles, etc... And of course in super clear water it doesn't help to have anything extra hanging near your fly.

[thepeacockspecial]

go with a sink tip.. toss something like a bugger or egg pattern.. cast 11 oclock, walk 3-4 steps down, and just let it swing across. when you use a sink tip.. at least for me.. i see no use in mending after the cast.. wont affect it as much compared to taking a few steps down right after the cast... mending is better for just a float line though.

as for the hookset on a sinktip, i dont wait for the loop to get dragged.. i set right away when i feel the tug.. for a float line... ill wait for my loop to get pulled before setting hook though. gl on steelheading.

[Rherrjr]

I would say you could go either way, however it would depend on your casting skill, where you plan to fish, also available income Fishing a sink tip would be far easier to cast than a floating line with a leaded tippet. I personally have been struck in the back of the head several times attempting to cast flies and lead well over 30 ft, because the presentation I was attempting required a cast of that length. However, with many lines going for well over 75 dollars, and extra spools being almost half the price of the reel, getting into a high performance sinktip setup might be pricy for some. My advise. . . if you are going to do it "right" and have unlimited funds , get three spools (unless you are cool with reloading the line every time the conditions change, and you are good with nail knots), have an intermediate sink, a type II sink, and a type IV sinktip lines, but personally going with a shooting head setup and a floating or intermediate running line is the most economical, and will preform well enough for us mortals who can't take out a second mortgage for flyline, or tie nail knots that matter. ..

[NCL]

It also depends if you are using a single hand rod or a spey/switch rod. For a single hand rod then all the previously mentioned information. For a spey rod then you can get away with one spool, backing, a running line and then a scandi or skagit shooting head with the appropriate leaders or tips.