|
|
 |
| Chuck's
Favorites |
| This page is devoted to those things which I find to be especially good and noteworthy. From time to time I'll post different products, ideas, techniques, or destinations that I think are outstanding and worthy of your notice. Please understand that any topics that I bring up are my choosing and are here solely at my discretion. These are my opinions and don't reflect in any way on other manufacturers, guides, lodges or anything else. This is just my opinion.
Sincerely,
Hawk |
Helpful hints when Indicator Fishing, preventing the "Jonny Travolta"
Indicator fishing for steelhead has jumped in front of all other methods Hawkins Outfitters Guides use steelhead fishing on the Manistee and Pere Marquette Rivers. It is easy to learn, very successful and really fly fishing, not fishing with flies like chuck and duck. Besides the aforementioned attributes, Indicator fishing makes winter steelhead very vulnerable to our offerings. Fishing vertical allows us to run those flies very deep and put them right in the steelhead's face. That results in more fall and winter steelhead hookups then years ago. So many, winter has become our second most productive steelhead season following fall.
|
We at Hawkins Outfitters have taught lots of anglers the techniques needed to successfully land steelhead using our indicator rigs on the rivers of Northern Michigan. The most common mistake has been coined the "John Travolta" after his pose while dancing in Saturday Night Fever, you know, one arm straight out above his shoulder and one arm straight down by his thigh. What isn't explained is that the line isn't under the index finger of the rod hand, meaning the angler has no way to retrieve line. They are just standing there like they are on the dance floor. If the fish runs at them (common with Steelhead) they are usually lost because the line loses tension and the hook falls out. |
On of the first rules of fly fishing is that the line has to be under a finger or two on the rod hand for line control. You need tension on the line to set the hook when dry fly fishing, retrieving line when streamer fishing, and to strip line in when a fish is running at you. The finger control serves the same purpose as the bale on a spinning reel, line control.
If you watch this short video (below) featuring Tommy Lynch and Ed McCoy as your instructors, you will find out how to keep line under your finger. When the float goes down, strip a couple of times and set the hook with the rod butt instead of with the tip.
Good luck Indicator fishing for steelhead, you'll have a great time hooking and hopefully landing steelhead. Apply the information in this video to all of your fly rod pursuits, it will help you be more effective.
Hawk
|
|
|
|
