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Apr 14 2009

10 Tips – Swinging Flies for Kings

Tip #10, executed to perfection.
Photo: Cameron Miller

Planning on swinging flies for king salmon this summer, maybe on the Kanektok or the Dean? Here are some tips that may help.

  1. Cast across and slightly downstream. You certainly need to read the water you’re fishing and adjust accordingly, but in general if you’re fishing a broad, gradual gravel bar, the most effective presentation is across and maybe 20 degrees downstream from perpendicular to the flow.
  2. Mend big. No delicate mends here. In your typical king swinging water, a big upstream mend immediately after the fly lands will result in the best presentation. Mend big – use the whole rod. Move the whole fly line.
  3. Mend slack. If you shoot all your line on the cast and then make that big mend, you’ll be pulling the fly back towards you, rather than taking advantage of the beautiful long cast you just made (right?). Hang on to that last 5 feet or so of running line when you make your cast, so that when you mend you can let go and mend slack– positioning the line and the fly properly, not pulling the fly back towards you.
  4. Maintain a straight line to the fly. Kings want a long, slow, steady swing. In most water this is best achieved by keeping your line as straight to the fly as possible. Don’t worry about perfection – make a few big mends to keep the line straight, and then just let ‘er swing.
  5. Don’t set until you’ve got a steady pull. The classic king take goes like this – Yank…yank…pause…deep pull. Wait for the deep pull to set the hook. We’re not always sure what going on underwater during a take, but we know you need to wait for the deep pull. Of course, if line just suddenly starts screaming off you reel, you don’t need to wait for much of anything.
  6. Set low, hard, and towards the bank. A lazy rise of the rod tip will not get the job done here. After you get the deep pull, give a hard, quick jab downstream and toward the bank with the butt of your rod. If your knots are tied well you’re not going to break him off– set hard.
  7. Don’t try to stop them. Particularly on the first couple of strong runs, let them run. If they’re headed downriver and you clamp down to try to halt the run– here’s where you are going to break them off. Unless you’re staring at your arbor knot and you’ve got no choice, let them run and work hard to retrieve line once they stop. Besides, this is the fun part!
  8. Put the heat to ’em. Once you’ve got the hook set, and after the mayhem of the first couple of runs, fight them hard. These are big, strong fish, and if you’re not working hard, they’re resting. The longer the fight lasts, the longer the hook has to work itself free, and the more time the fish has to be come dangerously exhausted. Fight them hard! You should be breathing hard after landing a hot king – really.
  9. Walk backwards to land them. When the fight is nearly over and the fish is ready to be landed, the easiest way to end the fight is often to keep a tight line to the fish and slowly walk backwards until the fish is in shallow water. If you’re not in a spot where you can walk backwards (like up against a brushy bank), you may just have to get creative.
  10. If you’re going to take a picture, leave the fish close to the water. If not in the water, that is. It’s much easier on the fish and it just looks better!

What did we miss? Leave a comment and let us know what works for you.

More On Fishing On The Swing
All About Spey Fishing
Steelhead In Low Water – 5 Tips
The Honorable Foot

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. reg fogarty says

    March 3, 2010 at 12:24 pm

    I don’t think you missed anything .only ,you did ‘nt say ,was it was the best fishing time you ever had. the muddler man .I live in whitehorse now ,but will be fishing my way across canada this summer .ending up in nfld to live. there 5 salmon rivers in that aera ….have fun/

  2. shawn mcdaniel says

    December 12, 2011 at 9:00 pm

    do everything right and these fish will still kick your butt. it is what keeps us going back or at least wanting too

  3. Scott Owens says

    February 12, 2012 at 4:57 am

    Your right the fight should leave your inner forearms cramped and feel the burn for a few minutes afterwards….nothing like it but you know it was worth it.

  4. beau purvis says

    May 14, 2013 at 8:03 am

    In my humble opinion, all your points are perfect.. which means…that’s the way I do it too!

  5. Dake Traphagen says

    March 21, 2014 at 7:36 am

    All great points!! However, be ready for some crazy unthinkable stunts when you get them in close. These beasts can and will use any trick in the book to leave you scratching your head. Did they really just do that!?

  6. Mike Bowman says

    November 13, 2015 at 5:11 am

    In the Mid West, Lake Michigan, it is believed by a few that once the Kings are close to spawn that they do not eat….. that even though your fly is hooked the mouth it just drifted in there….. In my experience while fishing for Browns & Steelhead behind the “reds” I’ve watched kings aggressively follow and grab the fly… What are you’re thoughts on this. Are our Mid West Kings any different than in your area?

  7. Kyle Shea says

    November 16, 2015 at 8:14 am

    Hey Mike,

    It is pretty accepted that upon entering fresh water to spawn, all (or at least the vast majority) Pacific Salmon including Kings stop ‘feeding.’ In other words if you were to check the stomach contents of most Pacific salmon during this time, there would be nothing to speak of. However, that’s not to say they will not actively strike a fly. Kings, Chums, Pinks, and Coho (Sockeye are a bit of an exception) will all chase a fly down. The motivation behind why they do this is a subject of great debate, whether it’s instinctual, territorial, aggression, or plain curiosity, but they most certainly do ‘hit’ flies. With that said, while on their spawning beds they can become a bit sluggish, and there is the possibility of fish being ‘snagged’ in the mouth, but out of respect for the fish, we generally don’t fish for them when they’re at this stage on our river. Hope that answers your question. Thanks for reaching out to us and best of luck out there!

  8. chuck french says

    December 3, 2015 at 3:48 am

    This is just great. … the best Thanksgiving post EVER!
    You guys/gals ROCK!

  9. Martin Bowers says

    December 3, 2015 at 6:35 am

    Great article for sure. As far as salmon feeding in freshwater, what about this article? 🙂

    https://deneki.wpengine.com/2012/09/pacific-salmon-feeding-in-fresh-water/

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