Today we continue our Alaska Guide Secrets series, in which you get the inside scoop direct from our guide crew at Alaska West. You’ve decided which fly to fish and maybe even which sinktip to use. Now you need to decide whether your leader should be 2 feet, 6 feet, or 12 feet long. Got…
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swinging flies
Deneki Chronicles: Swinging for Kings – The Broadside Presentation
This week it’s all about the Mighty King Salmon! Friend of Deneki, Stuart Foxall explains how the fly swims and what King Salmon sees makes a difference. We love swinging flies for anadromous fish, and we do a lot of it at our lodges in Alaska. However, swinging flies effectively often takes more than simply…
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Deneki Chronicles: Swinging Flies – Cast, Then Step.
In this week’s Deneki Chronicles, we explore why it’s best to cast, then step. Jiggy. 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…
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Deneki Chronicles: The Importance of the ‘Engagement Range’ When Swinging Flies
This week’s Deneki Chronicles features a friend of Deneki Outdoors, George Cook. In this post, George gives us some quality insight into the importance of the ‘Engagement Range.’ We like the “time on the water” portion of the post. Our good friend and legendary rep for some of the most respected brands in the biz,…
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Deneki Chronicles: 5 Ways to Control the Speed of Your Swing
When swinging for anadramous species like king salmon or steelhead, more often than not, the slower the swing the better. As long as it is moving just enough to suggest life in your fly, odds are you are in the game. However, from time to time, increasing the speed of your swing can be just…
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Deneki Chronicles: Swinging Flies – Don’t Block Your Hookset
In any avenue of fly fishing, one thing that separates successful anglers from not-so-successful anglers is complete, undivided, fully engaged, focus whenever your fly is in the water. Many fish are lost (or perhaps never hooked at all) from anglers who’s minds were wandering or whom were not expecting a fish to eat the fly in…
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Fly Tying: The One Sculpin Ultra Rigged
Deneki Friend and Alum Jerry French tied the original version of “The One Sculpin,” an articulated stinger style fly. Jerry came out with the Ultra Rig Kit last year, and we decided to tie his pattern using that system. We also changed the throat material as well. What is the “Ultra Rig” you ask? In short,…
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Deneki Chronicles: Spey Fishing – Pulsing the Swing (Video)
The “tug” might be the “drug,” but most anglers would agree that a tug that stays attached is ideal. Unfortunately, when swinging flies for salmon and steelhead, that’s not always the case. Quick strikes, followed by an unanswered swing, are common when spey fishing, and can be frustrating at the very least. So what do…
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Deneki Chronicles: Swinging for Trout – The Tumble Rig
In this week’s Deneki Chronicles, we revisit a handy, DIY tool that will help your swung fly get down when you need to get down and deep. The Tumble Rig will help you get down and get down fast to put your fly in front of the fish. Tie up a few of these at…
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Fly Tying: Composite Loop Intruder
Ah…King Salmon season. We love King Salmon season. The might King or Chinook Salmon is one of the most sought-after game fish across the world. When it comes to King flies, materials, colors, profile, and movement are the most attributes in a productive King Salmon fly. Does size matter? Sure, depending on conditions. Just because…
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