North 40 Fly Shop eMagazine February 2017 | Page 18

Slow presentations
Cover more water
Dreaming of steelhead and salmon
It’ s better than Nymphing
Spey Casting is Fun
Anticipation
The Tug is the Drug
If you do it, you will understand

Slow presentations

On the swing, you can enjoy the scenery, anticipate the next grab and relax. There is no hurry, no tension, and no eye strain looking for the slightest twitch or sip.

Cover more water

The wading angler can cover lots of water searching for active fish. Active fish are more fun to catch then lethargic nymph eaters.

Dreaming of steelhead and salmon

Rainbow trout are just like mini steelhead and salmon. Sometimes a brown will crush the fly and erupt just like an Atlantic salmon. I like to dream that I’ m back in Alaska, on the Skeena or in Iceland. Who doesn’ t dream about fishing other places while fishing where they are fishing?

It’ s better than Nymphing

There is nothing wrong with Nymphing, but at some point, most anglers progress into swingers and or dry fly devotees. I like all styles of chasing fish, but most of the time, I like swinging flies best.

Spey Casting is Fun

Casting a nymph rig is not really fun. Spey casting is really fun. There are so many ways to launch a Spey cast. Variety and refinement keeps it perpetually interesting.

Anticipation

Anticipation builds with every cast as one moves down a juicy run. Will this be the cast that gets the grab?

The Tug is the Drug

Cliché, but so very true. Some people say a fisherman is just a jerk on one end of the line waiting for a jerk on the other. I can honestly say,“ I love waiting for a jerk and being jerked around.”

If you do it, you will understand

If you learn to Spey cast and have some successes catching fish on the swing, you will understand the addiction many of us have. I actually look forward to standing in an icy river on a wintery day.