Have you ever thought about what your fly looks like to a fish under water? Yeah, I know…. we all have. But, have you figured out how to control the fly so it is displayed in the best position possible to entice a fish to strike?
Do you know what the best presentation is for fish? Hint: Allowing the fish to see more of the fly is a helpful tactic.
I’ve got a killer tip to help next time you are trying to present your pattern broadside to a fish. This is a common goal for steelhead fisherman who are swinging flies. You’ll also see this as a focus for atlantic salmon fisherman.
In fact, there’s an old technique called Greased line fishing that tries to achieve this exact type of presentation. If you want to grab a great book that covers this techniques check it out here: Greased line fishing
So, what’s one key way to assure your fly is presented broadside to the fish? 3 words: Lead the Fly. You can use this tactic along with mending the line to make sure you get a proper presentation.
Lead the Fly
Make your normal cast out and across or downstream and across, and instead of pointing your rod at the fly, point it a little downstream of the fly. Just enough as it swings to keep that fly presenting broadside to a fish.
This isn’t always super easy to do and can be affected by currents but is a good tip to think about. You don’t want to drag the fly across, but just lead it slightly. Even as it comes in towards the bank, extend your rod tip out and over the bank to get that last little swing in the soft water. Keep pointing it in until in crosses the soft water.
The soft water is another good tip I’ll leave for next time, but remember to fish it. Click here to take a look at 10 additional proven tips for the wet fly swing.
Conclusion
When you hit your next steelhed run and are ready to swing your fly, try leading the fly to mix things up a bit. You don’t have to do it every time, but it is a nice way to give the fish a different view and hit on some old school greased line tactics that work. Click on the button below to see the next big fly fishing tip of the day.
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Good post Dave, but you might also add that as the fly swings across the water, short twitches may also attract the interest of a non-responsive steelhead. D.E. Stew
Thanks for the comment. It’s always good to think of different ways to mix it up if the fish are not responsive. Twitching can be effective in certain situations. Where have you found it to be most effective?