As one of the fine folks behind Flywater Travel, Ken Morrish has had the chance to go steelhead fishing in some pretty fantastic places. Ken is also an innovative angler and fly tier, with an extensive line of signature flies by Idylwilde.
If Ken was to step onto any given river in British Columbia to fish for steelhead, chances are he’d be using this rig. It’s based on a switch rod, and Ken has some different approaches than most – be sure to read the commentary!
The Summary
- Sage 7110-4 Z-Axis Switch Rod
- Bauer M5 Reel
- Airlfo Skagit Compact Shooting Head, 420 grain
The Detail
- 30 pound dacron backing, tied to the spool with a single Uni knot
- Rio Powerflex Floating Shooting Line in .024″ diameter, tied to the backing with an Albright knot
- 420 grain Skagit Compact attached to the factory loop in the front of the shooting line with a loop to loop connection
- 10 feet of T-14 as a sinktip, attached to the front of the Skagit Compact with a double nail knot loop and a loop to loop connection
- 1 foot of 30 pound Maxima Ultragreen butt section, attached to the front of the T-14 with an Albright knot
- 4 feet of 12 pound Maxima Ultragreen, attached to the butt section with a perfection loop in the butt section, a non-slip mono loop (Ken ties this knot differently than most; see below) in the back end of the tippet, and a loop to loop connection
- Morrish Medusa #2 in black and pink, tied on with Ken’s version of the non-slip mono loop
The Commentary
- “I’m becoming increasingly fond of using an 11 foot switch rod. I sometimes go into a situation thinking it’s not enough rod, but the more I fish it, the more I’m amazed how much I can get done with it, even on big rivers like the Skeena. With a real compact underhand stroke, you can cast this rod plenty far, and it gives lots of pleasure in fighting fish. I feel like I’m on vacation when I’m fishing it.”
- “I tie the non-slip mono loop differently than most folks. Most people tie an overhand knot, pass the leader through the eye of the hook and back through the overhand knot, then wrap 4 or 5 times and put the tag end back through the overhand knot before they tighten. I just tie the overhand knot, pass the leader through the eye of the hook, skip the first pass through the overhand knot, wrap 5 times, and go back through the overhand knot in either direction. When we test this knot it consistently outperforms the standard non-slip mono loop, and it’s almost impossible to tie incorrectly.”
- “I fish the Morrish Meduda for a couple of reasons. It’s got lead eyes but they’re not too big. For some reason, this fly seems to have more wiggle and life in the water than pretty much any other pattern I fish.”
- “I like flies with lead eyes, both because I want to be able to control the sink rate of the fly and get some drop, and I like that the lead eyes tend to orient the fly with the hook point riding up.”
Curious..Ken when you do the test of your non-slip loop and your idea of the “regular way”,where to you come back thru the overhand knot for the finish in the “regular way” knot?
Beau:
You must think it makes a difference–does it? I’ve seen it done both ways; one in the Kreh/Sosin book and the other in various other places–even Kreh himself has described it differently in this regard (where you come back through the overhand in the end). I’ve used the non-slip mono loop for a long time (using the original Kreh/Sosin yellow book method), and this Morrish variation seems very interesting. I’m going to tie up a few and see how it does.
Wondering if anyone at Deneki, or Morrish himself, has had the chance to cast Airflo’s switch skagit? How does this new switch skagit (18.5′) compare with the skagit compact (22.5′)? Are they necessary? Or are they just a gimmick?
Thanks in advance! Love your posts, insight, and passion for the sport.
Jason
the reason I asked that ? is that it will fail if you come back thru the middle of the overhand and the incoming line prior to the 4-6 wraps.You must come back between the top of overhand and the incoming line.I have never had a failure with the later…have with the first way..which I was originally taught by a well known BC guide . Then did someresearch and discover the important detail…can’t just send that line back any old way!
Beau: I’m not clear about what you mean. Are you advocating the Morrish technique? I believe he advocates that after you form the overhand and pass the line through the hook eye, you bypass the overhand loop, wrap 4-6 times, then back through the overhand loop. The Kreh/Sosin method is that after the overhand loop and through the hook eye, you put the tag back through the overhand from bottom to top, then 4-6 wraps, then back through the loop. I’ve always done it the latter way with good results, but am open to a new way. Thanks!
Ken’s non-slip mono loop sounds like the open clinch knot?
It seems to me ,passing the tag end of the leader through the overhand loop twice is the more fail safe knot. If the last pass through the loop comes undone.you still have the first pass through the loop as backup. It would then just become a slip knot,but better than nothing.
Sounds like a Rapala Knot to me.