The steelhead authorities agree that after the fly/ drift bobber/ bait has gone through the high probability water it should be allowed to swing all the way till it's not moving any more. Some noteworthies like Lani Waller (who coined the term 'hang down')even recommend letting the fly dangle at the end of the swing for 5-10 seconds as well (and maybe retrieve in short strips). Lani is clearly a patient fellow.

That's all well and good when it's an article in a magazine, but when I'm on the water I'm interested in maximizing fishing time in 'the slot' where I figure the fish are. By the time my bait is getting towards the end of the swing -- and the water is shallowing out -- then I figure it's time to reel up and put the rig back into that more productive water.

The recent trip to Alaska gave me pause for thought a couple of times, however. First there's the case of partner Slick handing me his rod when the fly was straight below us. I ended up hooking up and landing a decent fish. Second was a day later when I'd finished fishing a run and was wading back upstream to the boat with the rod over my shoulder and the line trailing 70 feet below my feet. (I was too lazy to reel up.) POW! The rod was bent double and I was on to a hot 33" chrome hen that took forever to subdue in the tight quarters. I also watched a big buck (that I lost) turn and chase a Corkie downstream 10 feet before eating it. That was a rush.

I'm sure everyone on the Board has similar stories. There's no doubt that if every time we cast we let the drift gear swing all the way and then counted to 10 slowly we'd catch a few followers over a season. We'd also make 30% fewer casts into prime holding water and miss out on the takes of the fish there, too. Your views?

Interesting dilema Snag. When I used to do more steelhead flyfishing I had usually waded deep enough that it was worth leaving the fly hang &/or twitch for a bit & would hook up sometimes. Same for driftfishing conventional gear driftboat anchored in a little deeper water than if bankfishing. But for bankfishing conventional drift gear when the water gets fairly shallow below me I definitely prefer the 15 to 30% more time in the barrel. ----- Snagly, I just reread your topic heading question and it rings a bell somewhere..... ah ...... hmmm .......oh ya, get the same Q from my wife on those rare "tired" nights. And back in the old college overdrinking days...... nevermind. - Steve

[This message has been edited by Reel Truth (edited 05-10-2000).]

[This message has been edited by Reel Truth (edited 05-10-2000).]

RT is right on. Some of my most viscious takedowns have been when my line has drifted all the way downstream and is settling there. There is no slack and you're tight to the fish. But this is usually when I'm in a driftboat positioned in holding water. When I'm a maggot I'll only let it set if I'm standing waist deep in water or if my bait is settling in a nice slot or other holding water.

This is a subject that a lot of people new to the sport of flyfishing for steelhead should pay close attention to. I have often noted that people who are standing waist deep in the water are actually standing right in the "slot" . Steelhead like to lay in soft water near the bank.. not out in the middle of the river. The same thing goes for pulling plugs. How many of you will agree with this ?? Seven out of ten times its the bank side pole that gets nailed when working down a run pulling plugs. I have found that to be true. However, this applys to active fish only, fish on the move that are the type that will hammer a fly or a plug. Fish that are not active and holding, tend to like deeper water. To sum it up. Let your gear hang below you for a while when the fish are on the move. Later in the season as it gets colder and you start fishing with drift gear etc, its not as importaint as the fish will be deeper and off the bank. Good topic.