Swinging flies is quite simple really, that is what intrigues me with it so much. The set up and rigging is easy and so is the casting after a few days of practice. But yet on some days it can be a real challenge to coax a Steelhead into taking your fly. And that's where part of the addiction or habit is born.

Set Up

The rig is easy, I recommend anything from a 11' to 12 and half foot rod. In the 8 weight class. These rods will work anywhere on the Pere Marquette and other rivers similar in its size. Yes, you have plenty of room to Spey cast here. Some people are surprised by that when they actually come and swing flies with me. Is that you can use a Spey rod or Switch rod, and actually make nice Spey casts with plenty of room. The long rod with allow you to have better line control, and mend easier. Sage is Z-Axis model 11ft 8 weight is a great sink tip rod, there 7 Weight is good Indy rod. Also try some Echo Switch and Spey rods they cast nice and match to Air Flo lines well. For Swinging flies on big or small rivers I would always say go with a 8 weight. It has the backbone to fight fish and will allow the novice Spey caster to improve there casting much quicker.

As far as the lines that is easy to. Swinging flies I like using AirFlos Compact Skagits there a smaller head allowing you to get down quicker and give you a tighter cast in small places which the PM is known to have. For Indy fishing try there Speydicator line it has a long belly allowing for nice drag free drifts. For tips that is something you will have to play around with depending on water height. T-14 or T-11 works well cut some indifferent lengths, and experiment with them as to what swims your fly better and gets it to the bottom more.

Fall Tip

Swinging flies in the fall is my favorite all time thing to do in the realm of Fly Fishing. In the fall your fish are more aggressive so you will find it's completely different then the winter fishing. You don't need to be right on the bottom with the fly, which means you don't need heavy sink tips and weighted flies. Swinging flies for Steelhead in the fall is also a great way to learn a river. With the fish being more aggressive you can cover a lot of water with little effort fishing pools and runs. Usually if there is a feeding, bright Steelhead around he will probably take what you have to offer.

Winter Tip

You find in the winter that a lot of times a fish wont charge the fly as fast because of the colder water temps. Instead it will pluck or pull a little on your bug. Stay with that fish, just don't give up go back through the run with a smaller fly of the same color. If the original fly had flash try something more dull. If you still don't connect with the fish, try running then the original pattern again. But don't give up I had many instances like this, you have player who is interested so stay on him. With a little patience, and wits of out smarting the fish you will be rewarded.