Swinging Flies - Do I Need a Separate Set-Up?

One of the questions that often comes up is whether an angler needs a separate reel / rod to swing flies. It's a great question and the answer is you don’t. “Swinging” refers to a specific tactic / method through which you present the fly to a fish – it can be done with a single-handed or two-handed rod and you don’t necessarily need a skagit-head system to do it.

In fact, swinging is one of my favorite techniques to use on the local spring creeks in Western New York. At the end of as drag-free drift as I can manage with an indicator and two-fly system (usually a midge and scud in the winter), I let the current “swing” the rig towards the bank. This approach can be very effective as it allows the bottom fly to move off the bottom and up the water column, right in the view of trout that may be feeding off the bottom. This can be accomplished with your standard nymph set-up which for me is a 9' 3 weight.

Soft hackle wet flies are also great for swinging in a similar manner or you can throw a streamer across a run and let it swing towards the bank in the tailout. Both can be accomplished on a single handed rod (although it might be easier on a 5 or 6 wt rod with the streamer).

And as an angler, you can swing flies for a variety of species, not just trout – shad, salmon, and smallmouth all love flies on the swing.

If you are interested in learning more about swinging flies, Swingthefly.com is a great resource or feel free to set-up a guided trip and we're happy to show you how.

Hope to see you out on the water, 

Jay