Post by Nick Pionessa on Feb 10, 2010 11:26:54 GMT -5
Swinging Flies For Steelhead Part 2
The Pendulum Swing
The Pendulum Swing
This part is going to cover techniques for small streams and what is referred to as the pendulum swing. In my experience this has been the most productive method for swinging flies on small water or in fast, seamed water in any size creek. It involves a much more downstream cast and presentation and is designed to be fished almost straight down from the angler. Positioning the floating part of the line through mending is going to direct the fly’s path through seams, off of ledges and through pocket water in a manner that triggers the predatory, feeding response we are looking for. The idea is to not have the fly come at the fish but to have it come from the peripheral of their vision and then appear to flee from their presence. It also allows the fly to be fished very slowly in very fast water and shows the fly to the fish butt first. This is a totally different appearance than a broadsided, wet fly swing.
To do this correctly the angler needs to start very high in the run sometimes even in the tail out of the pool above. Let’s imagine there is a small run with a defined drop off ledge on the far side that runs pretty parallel to the current. It likely has fish lying along it from top to bottom. We would start by making a cast straight down stream but to the far bank or at least up on the ledge. This cast should be dropped just upstream of where we suspect the first fish would be lying. After the cast has been made slack is dropped into the line to allow the fly to sink, maybe just a few feet of slack, maybe more depending on the depth. When the line tightens the angle of the floating part of the line will determine the speed of the swing. The straighter the line is to the current (parallel) the slower the fly will swing from one side to the other. The more across (perpendicular) the current the line is the faster it will swing. The idea here is to have the fly hang in the current more than to have it sweep across.
Once the line is tight you can adjust the speed and direction of the fly by mending the floating part of the line. In our imagined scenario we will say the water is flowing left to right and the angler is on river right (right side looking downstream). If I mend the line to my right (the bank I’m on) the fly will speed up and sweep across the pool more. If I keep the line straight it will simply hang there. If the pool is relatively straight I will simply employ a slight mend and let the fly swim across the pool. Again I feel that having the fly enter the fish’s field of view from the side then speed up and move across triggers an attack response. If the water is slower on our side then adding more downstream mend to belly the line helps to speed the fly toward the bank increasing the fleeing prey scenario. If the water is very fast an almost straight down line with just slight mends to the right will more or less hang the fly in the current and add a sideways motion to it, but slowly. Work your way down the ledge to the bottom of the pool also watching for followers that may be convinced with another cast.
Once we get through that pool we can now imagine a broken section of stream bottom with small ledges and rocks causing pockets with enough depth to hold fish. This is a great area for this method and also opens up sections of the stream that aren’t considered good swing water. Making the same downstream cast, slightly above the target, the idea is to mend slightly to the right, have the fly move over with it, hang there a second or two, mend again to the right and have the fly move and then hang again. Work your way along the seams and around rocks by simply shifting the floating section slightly, maybe just a few inches.
You can even work it back away from your side by mending toward the far bank. This is very effective when going down a seam. Have the fly come from one side then back over to the other as you move down it. There could be fish sitting on either side of the seam. You can imagine a seam where the fast water is on our side and the slow water is along the far bank. That seam can be swung to the far bank from the near bank by the angler being upstream but to the side and mending the line across toward the far bank as the fly sinks and then tightens. You could then easily mend the line back to the right and have it swim across to your side again. Work your way through the area swimming the fly through all of the various seems and pockets.
Another use of this method is to swing under log jams from the log side. Again stand upstream of the area you want to get under and make the cast down and just outside the overhanging debris. Allow the fly to sink and then as it tightens mend against the logs to get the fly to swim under them. You can then mend to the current side again to draw the fly out from under or strip it slowly back upstream under the log. You need to make sure your fly or tip is heavy enough to keep it below the surface so you don’t hang up on the log. There is always the chance you will find a branch under there to snag on but you may also find some willing fish.
This method also works well for cold water since the fly can be fished very slowly. It is a versatile technique and the angler will be amazed at the applications you will find for it. From inland trout streams to smallmouth bass fishing around structure it presents the fly quite differently than the traditional wet fly swing and for those of us addicted to this type of take, you can’t have enough ways to make it happen.
Everyone is encouraged to add to this discussion and/or ask questions about the article, I always seem to learn something new too.
