• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Deneki Outdoors Fishing Lodges

Alaska | The Bahamas | Chile

  • About Deneki Outdoors
  • Our Fishing Lodges
    • Alaska West
    • Andros South
    • Rapids Camp
    • Rio Salvaje
  • Deneki Blog
    • Alaska West
    • Andros South
    • Chile
    • Fish
    • Fishing Reports
    • Fly Tying
    • Gear
    • General
    • Guest Posts
    • News
    • Rapids Camp
    • Rio Salvaje
    • Tips
  • Contact Us

May 14 2015

Active Swinging

Spey fishing for trout
We like swinging flies. Photo: Kyle Shea.

When swinging flies for species like steelhead or king salmon, more often than not, a slow uniform swing is best. Rarely do steelhead (particularly when first entering freshwater) and king salmon actively feed upon entering freshwater. Therefore, a slow uniform swing swept past the nose of the fish is usually the most likely presentation to elicit a strike. It may be aggression, curiosity, or just plain instincts, but most strikes are not a feeding response. Thus, a uniform swing moving at a speed just fast enough to suggest life is the name of the game.

However, when targeting a more opportunistic species such as trout (or even more aggressive species such as chum or silver salmon), sometimes a more erratic retrieve is best. Since trout are constantly searching for prey, swinging a fly in a less uniform fashion to suggest a wounded or fleeing baitfish can be extremely effective.

Will trout still take a fly on a slow uniform swing? Of course! However, sometimes actively manipulating the fly throughout the swing can help spark the interest of more aggressive (and often larger) trout. We’re calling it ‘active swinging,’ and we would recommend giving it a try. The next time you’re swinging flies for trout, try varying up your swing using the following methods.

  • The twitch. After casting downstream and across, make your mend, and allow your fly to swing through as usual. While you’re fly is swinging, make sharp downward twitches with the rod tip towards the surface of the water. Doing so causes your fly to ‘bounce’ slightly underwater followed by a slow dead drift as the slack from the twitch is taken up by the speed of the current. This causes the fly to mimic the erratic behavior of an injured bait fish. Try twitching around snags or other fishy structure.
  • The drop in. When fishing to structure in the middle of the run (think root wads, logs, rocks, etc) , it can be difficult to keep your fly in the ‘zone’ long enough to get an eat with a uniform swing. Instead, as your fly approaches the structure, make a large pull back mend to create slack. Allow the current to take the slack causing the fly to drop into the structure before continuing to swing.
  • The pulse. When trying to impart more action to the fly during the swing, a simple but effective method is pulsing the rod. While the fly is swinging under tension, slowly pulse your rod hand back and forth. We’ve found this method to be extremely effective when swinging for aggressive species like chum and silver salmon, but can be effective on trout as well, particularly in slower water or inside seams.
  • Speed up the swing. Sometimes speeding up the swing around fishy structure can make all the difference. Throwing a downstream belly in the line or simply leading the swing towards the bank with the rod tip just ahead of the structure can evoke the ‘eat it before it gets away response.’

Remember, resident trout are predatory by nature. Try the methods above to help key into this behavior and we think you’ll be pleasantly surprised. Good luck out there!

More on Swinging Flies

  • Swinging Flies for Dolly Varden
  • Swinging Flies – Elevate the Rod Tip
  • Spey and Switch Fishing for Trout

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Jere Crosby says

    August 20, 2020 at 6:42 pm

    I’ve found, and waited way to many years to find it, that when desiring the fly to move when swinging for trout that a permanent loop knot is a asset in creating a jigging action of the fly. I tie all of my soft hackles with beaded weight at the head, some tungsten, and some just brass according to the water conditions, but the jig action is greatly enhanced with the use of the permanent loop knot.

  2. Rick Sisler says

    August 26, 2020 at 11:13 am

    Hi Jere, We agree, loop knots are highly effective in letting that fly move with more life. In Alaska our primary knots for swinging up everything from Kings to Grayling are almost always some form of a loop knot. Thanks for your reply and have a great day.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Primary Sidebar

Plan Your Trip

Let our experts plan the fishing adventure of your dreams.
Contact Now

Search Topics

Subscribe to our newsletter

All Blog Posts

Recent Posts

  • 7 Most Popular Smoked Salmon in the World
  • Fly Tying: March Brown by Kevin Foley
  • Who Doesn’t Like Potcakes?- Support The Bahamas by Helping the Potcakes
  • Tips on Mousing for Rainbow Trout and Grayling at Alaska West
  • What’s Happening with Pebble Mine- Good News for Alaska

All About Spey

All About Trout

All About Bonefishing

All About Gear

Best Posts

Footer

Deneki Outdoors

Mailing address:
200 W 34th Ave.
PMB 1170
Anchorage, AK 99503

Office:
4451 Aircraft Drive
Suite 202
Anchorage, AK 99502

US Information and Reservations
800-344-3628

International Information and Reservations
+1 907-563-9788

Email: info@deneki.com

Our Lodges

Rapids Camp
King Salmon, Alaska

Alaska West
Kanektok River, Alaska

Andros South
South Andros Island, The Bahamas

Rio Salvaje
Puerto Montt, Chile

Deneki Outdoors thanks Peter Viau, Tosh Brown, Abe Blair, Kyle Shea and Kara Knight for the beautiful photography used on our sites.

Connect With Us

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter

#denekioutdoors

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Copyright © 2023 · Deneki Outdoors · Privacy Policy · Site by 21 Designs