Your rod is the foundation of your swing rig, and choosing the right one depends on where you fish and how you like to cast.

A single hand rod is a great option for starting out, a 10' 7wt or 8wt rod gives you a great balance of power and line control. You may hear about "switch rods" and "Spey rods", these are specialized rods mainly used for swinging flies and use specialized lines to cast longer distances with ease. When you're starting out though, a single hand rod works great! If you're interested in learning more about any of these rods get in touch!

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Your reel should balance comfortably with your rod and provide a smooth, dependable drag.

Swing rods are longer than most indicator rods, making balance even more important during a full day on the river. A quality large-arbour reel retrieves line quickly and gives you confidence when a Steelhead decides to head downstream.

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The fly line is one of the biggest differences between indicator fishing and swinging flies. Rather than using a standard taper trout line, swing anglers typically fish more powerful lines designed to turn over sink tips and maintain a controlled presentation throughout the swing.

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Swing rigs are surprisingly simple.

A short sinking leader such as an Airflo Polyleader paired with strong 0-1x (10-15lb) fluorocarbon tippet allows your sink tip to do its job while maintaining excellent turnover and presentation.

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One of the questions we hear most often is, "What fly should I start with?"

The truth is, you don't need dozens of patterns. Intruders, leeches, traditional Spey flies and tube flies all catch Steelhead. The key is choosing a handful of confidence patterns and learning when and where to fish them.

Presentation, depth and speed almost always matter more than constantly changing flies.

If you're fishing Ontario or other Great Lakes waters, consider that most of what our steelhead are eating consists of sculpins, gobies, chub, and other baitfish. With this in mind their diet is largely "trouty" and drab baitfish patterns often work great for them especially in clearer water. Brighter colours are a great choice when water levels rise and clarity drops.

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Swing anglers often cover long stretches of river, making comfort just as important as performance.

Quality breathable waders and supportive wading boots allow you to move confidently between runs while staying comfortable through changing weather and water conditions.

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