Springers

[Ryan Buccola]

As far as technique, swinging the fly work or is that a silly waste of time?:confused:

[Ryan Buccola]

for springers---I mean

[Steelie Mike]

I have never caught one myself, but have tailed two of them for friends over the last three years. Both were caught on the spey and both fishermen were targeting steelhead at the time. Depending on where you are fishing, I do not think it is a waste of time.

[TallFlyGuy]

Steelie Mike is right. He is a good luck charm when it comes to Springers :beer2: I have hooked a few and finally landed one a couple of days ago. I have hooked them all while swinging for steelhead. I don't think I would waste my time trying to target them.

http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j281/justinte/resized.jpg

Photo credit to Steelie Mike

[fredaevans]

Two suggestions on choice of flies: Heavily weighted 'glow bugs-pink or dark red-,' or one with a black chen. body with charturse (sp?) hackle.

[Les Johnson]

Most of the folks I heard from while writing the new salmon book who fish for chinook DO target them quite successfully using a swung fly. The most popular pattern is a dark, usually black fly such as a large General Practitioner. Art Lingren, Brian O'Keefe and Sos Ouch all sent me photos of nice chinook salmon that grabbed swung flies; unweighted. Lingren and O'Keefe employed two-handers, while Ouch used a 12-weight single-hand rod. I've taken a number of chinook on a swung fly in the Kalama when I used to fish it regularly years ago. I used a single-hand rod and fast-sinking shooting heads and short leaders back then. My best flies were, as I recall, a Brad's Brat and a Polar Shrimp in sizes 2 through 6 on Mustad 7970 hooks, which were bronzed, down-eye and about 5X stout. My light hook was a Mustad 3906B in the same sizes.
Good Fishing,
Les Johnson

[Ryan Buccola]

thanks for the encouragement. I am ready for some tight lines!!!:thumb:

[Will Atlas]

also, if you're targeting springers, try a strip or twitch every now and then during the swing....some times that'll get em just riled up enough to grab

[TallFlyGuy]

Don't want to discourage you by what I typed, but if you are swinging good flies in good water, I think you will get a few hookups. Time on the water will only increase your chances. I haven't ever targeted them, but Have Hooked up, and it is a kick when it happens. Honestly, I would of rather hooked into a large native Steelie, but beggers can't be choosers.;) ;) :thumb:

[greyghost]

I'm gonna try and dial in the Santiams (North and South) down here in Oregon this spring. They have a great run of Springers that overlaps with the summer steelhead run. I'm really looking for steelhead, but wouldn't mind tossing a couple hatchery springers on the punch card in the process. Has anyone seen them taken on a floater, or a type 4.... or is this a T-14 show only?

Pete

[seanengman]

I am going to give it a shot (not spey) this Spring on the Snake river at Little Goose Dam. From what I know about salmon getting deep seems to be the key. I am going to go with a Rio Deep 7 that way I can use it on lakes too, but the T-14 has been recomended to me more than once.

[Will Atlas]

ghost,

I think the main thing is that the fresh springers tend to hold in fairly heavy, deep water. Think of water sort of on the upper end of "steelhead speed". So while you may incidentally hook some springers on lighter tips, heavy stuff (t-8 and heavier) is probably ideal.

Will