Cast, mend, swing fly, take a few steps downriver, repeat. That’s how you fish for steelhead, right?
Not necessarily. Michael White stops by in video form today, straight from the Dean River, to tell us a bit about how he likes to present flies to steelhead.
The basic idea – rather than stepping downriver after your swing has completed and before your next cast, try stepping after you cast, before the fly starts swinging. Here’s why stepping after your cast might be a good idea.
- It prevents you from mending your fly back ‘out of the zone’.
- It gives your fly time to sink before it starts swinging.
- It allows to you control where your fly is ultimately going to go once it starts swinging.
Have a gander.
Note: If you’re viewing this in a newsletter or a reader, click here to see Whitey cast and step on YouTube.
Excellent!!, a simple concept thats catch more fish, it works the same way for seatrout down here on the Gallegos, great!
I find it an interesting variation but can’t help wondering if that is any different to casting a little more up river. Perhaps you can do both! Tks.
Cool. I did not see a mend. Maybe a partial mend. I can only guess at what the line is doing because I cannot see it. I’m assuming the sinktip helps the fly stay put, while a good portion – or at least part of the head is off the water while the tip is held up? I either cast, throw in a huge mend, and walk down, or cast, let the fly sink, hold the rod high and do a very slow, taught mend, but not while moving.
Looks like you shot a good length of line out there- how much of the head were you able to hold off the water if any at all. Great post. Thank you.
Hi Tim, thanks for stopping by. Sorry for the slow response – went fishing!
You’re right – Whitey doesn’t really mend much. In most situations, he lets the fly land, then raises the rod tip to lift the running line off the water right to the back of the head, and then steps downstream. His intent isn’t to move the head – just to keep the running line off the water so the head drifts with the current and the sinktip ‘digs’.
I have always struggled with the idea of stepping downstream at the end of the swing… are you not placing the fly directly in the same area that your following swing will finish? I like to quick count to 5 before stripping in thus giving my fly a bit of hang down time for any fish hanging next to the bank.
I like the idea of casting and then stepping downstream. Makes sense to me.
Thank You.
Your welcome Mark! We couldn’t agree more. We find stepping immediately after the cast allows for more control to set the fly up for an effective swing at a desired depth beforehand, while also making a downstream progression through the run. However, stepping downstream at the end of the swing allows only a downstream progression, with no advantage to the swing. And to your point, less chance of a hang-down grab!
Thanks for the input Mark! Have fun out there!