Fly Fishing

Shaq

Cast and Step

Cast and step, the mantra of the 2-handed steelheader. The memorizing rhythm, we fall into to take us throughout our day. Covering water, each step opens new water and hopefully shows our fly of choice to a new fish. Maybe it shows our fly to the same fish, 2 feet closer. Is this the cast we’ll get the tug? Will the right steelhead be around the next bend, in the tail of this run? Is he tracking the fly now? The fly undulates, and dances in the current. It teases and taunts the steelhead as it comes to the bottom of the run. It’s fruitless. Another cast, flicks of the rod that puts the fly out 45 degrees, a mend upstream to slow the tip down and get it below the currents. Once the swing is set up, track the fly with the rod tip. Watch the fly line swing and probe, hang on and hope. This is what dominates the fishing day of a 2 handed steelheader. All dry land practices, the reading and the theories are put to the test on the water. Sink-tips, loop connections, and flies all boil down to covering water and finding fish.

When you decide that 2-handed fishing may sound good to you, I try and remind people that it is a way of leveling the playing field. I liken it to the bow hunter in that, you are handicapping yourself in certain ways. The bow hunter has committed him/herself to practice more, learn more and be happy with less. These same concepts will have to be contended with when swinging flies for steelhead. You are not going to catch every fish in the river. In fact you may not catch fish in pools that you know hold fish. However the fish you will catch may be the freshest, most aggressive fish in the river. Once in a while, the stars will align and all he fish will be aggressive.

One of the things I found, when I made the transition is that 2 handed fishing changes your entire day and how you approach a river. No longer do I step right up to a pool and fish the spot I think most likely will hold a fish, I start at the very top, and I don’t mean stand that the spot where the current enters, I want my fly to be in that position so many times I am standing 45 feet above that point and in the pockets above. This will allow my fly to swing down through the top of a pool. I have taken quite a few nice fish this way. I then take 2-3 casts max and take a step. This assures me of each cast being the first or second. It gets old to a fish after that. Unlike bouncing a nymph in front of a fish endlessly, I firmly believe that the aggressive steelhead will pounce at first sighting the fly. If not, move on to maximize the number of fish that sees the fly in the run.

Side point on the step: I have seen many people take 3 casts and then, while the fly is dangling at the end of the swing, take 2 or 3 steps down. This creates slack in the line and a poor cast next. I find it much more effective to cast twice in one position and after the 3rd cast when, the fly hits the water, take one step downstream. Mend the line and continue the swing. This keeps the line taught throughout the swing and sets up the cast in the new position nicely. Another thing that this does is keep the fish fresh for a second run through or your buddy coming down the run behind you.

When reaching the bottom of a run, I also have become a believer in walking back to the top, changing flies and/or set-ups and heading down the run again. I have taken fish in the second time through many times. If I started the run with a bright fly and a light sinking tip, I may go back up, put a heavier tip and a dark fly on and repeat the process. If I am lucky enough to connect with a fish in a run, After the fight, I have been going to the top and repeating the run through. This rests the water which I have disturbed during the fight.

Hopefully, I have given people something to think about here, I’d like some insight on what other people do, or how they approach the water you fish.

steeliestarter · Newbie Joined: Aug 27, 2005 Posts: 6 Location: tennessee

Shaq,you'd better believe I'm printing your articles for this great information..When you think about all the books on this tecnique''NOT'' your words direct a procedure for all the new and hopeful followers who are learning!!Well done,keep writing everything you can think of regarding spey..Just one suggestion can change a new spey person forever..You be doing a good job...frank

PeteD · Newbie Joined: Oct 11, 2004 Posts: 10

Shaq,

You are definately luring me into the thought of picking up a spey rod. I have long enjoyed working my way down through a pool covering new water with every step. However, it requires everyone else working the same water to share your willingness to keep moving. I fish for atlantics in Nova Scotia where everyone is on the same page. Never do you find someone locking down the head or tail of a pool or entering the same pool just below you. How do you manage to keep your rythm fishing some of the water in NY where so many people just don't get it? Maybe seeing you holding that big stick is enough to keep them out of your way but I find it highly unlikely. Do you fish more out of the way places or just jump around the roadblocks when you come to them?

Great work on all the recent spey posts! Keep them coming.

SS-280 · Newbie Joined: Nov 09, 2006 Posts: 24 Location: New Jersey

The cast and step approach is something that cant be emphasized enough for the new swingers. I take a similar approach when blind fishing large rivers for trout like the Main Stem of the Delaware. Do you change your approach once you have located a pod of fish and cant get them to bite?

I like the discipline of cast step cast but is it hard to get the player in the pool to show his cards at times? If you are fishing solo and dont have the luxury of showing the fish two different flys does that affect the cast step approach also?

Thanks

Shaq · Posted: Mon Nov 13, 2006 6:00 pm Post subject:

Pete,

It is a contant battle on the great lakes tribs to find water to swing. I pride myself in being a walker so I try and get away from people to find water with no people. There are some pools which have seen a growth in spey fishing over the last couple of years and a rotation can be formed if you ask and the people are cool. Sometimes you have to explain what a rotation is and sometimes people look at you like you have six heads.... Shocked

This year I got blocked as I moved through a pool and a gentleman who was on the other side gave me a gesture. I gestured back and the guy who blocked me asked...what? I told him I was swinging flies through there and rotatating through the pool...I got Shocked

so then I explained what I was doing and it was the best way to cover water and ensure everyone gets a shot at the holding spots.... Shocked

He said " I can fit 4 people in this spot." I knew I wasn't getting through so I pulled in, and went somewhere else. I muttered as I passed him and his buddy, who had an uncomfortable look on his facem, that if we did it right, we could fit 12 people in the spot but, it's a big river. I went downstream and hooked a king. SO it wasn't a total loss.

This is what I do when I arrive at a spot and see someone who may be interested in rotating. I walk up and ask..."Are you fishing right there? or are you rotating through? I don't want to mess you up. Then I say...DO you mind if I start at the top and fish down through? USually I get a no problem.

SOmetimes I have to jump the road-blocks.

SS-280.

I approach the trout fishing much didfferent as the cast and step to find fish and hang when I find feeding fish. However I think on the day in day out steelheading, covering the water and finding one or two fish in the run is more effective and resting the fish while finishing the run and going through again 15-20 minutes after the first run keeps the fish fresh. WHen you have a hot action day then a slower approach may catch you a few more fish.

As the old addage goes. When the fishing is fast, fish slow when the fishing is slow fish fast.