These dogs should hunt?

[JDarr]

I have no idea what's wrong with me, but I have this weird desire to catch a steelhead swinging a fly with my new 8wt.
Here are a few random flies I tied yesterday to give a shot. Are they even close? Are they the right colors and are the articulated leaches too big? I would think a 6 inch pink worm and a 5 inch articulated leach would get the same reaction....CHOMP!
http://www.ifish.net/gallery/data/500/GetAttachment-1_aspx.jpeg
http://www.ifish.net/gallery/data/500/GetAttachment_aspx.jpeg
I was thinking about swinging the super heavy eyebalz leaches in about 3 feet of pocket water I usually nail them on spoon in. will they be down enough on a floating line?
I also picked up a 7" per second sink tip. Should I stick with the tip and medium on large leadeyes or will the floater and the really heavy eyes be in the zone in 3 feet of pretty steelheaddy speed water?
I know that's a ton of questions and I'd probably take someone one of these days to my ripply bolder patch if they were flyfishing and could help.
Thanks,
JD

[358norma]

If it's pocket water in a fairly heavy current you may have a hard time swinging it. I'd suggest an indicator rig in that situation. I would look for those boulder filled tail outs that run 3-6' deep for the swing. Fish it just like you would your spoon. I tried the heavy dumbbell eyes and floating lne, didn't work for me. I think you would be better off with the sink tip. Just my:twocents:. Good luck!

[SSPey]

if you know where the fish hold, then yes, just drop them in on a floating line. I wouldn't want to be fishing all day with a long leader and such heavy flies, a casting hassle, but dropping weighted flies into known spots with a floating line is the easiest and most straightfoward approach to steelheading in close quarters

[Wingdam]

:yeahthat:
When I’m swinging, I use both unweighted and weighted flies depending on depth and flow. I won’t go too heavy because they’re a pain to cast and I can just change sink tips to match conditions. A 7ips tip is a pretty good all around rate. Might be too fast for some stuff, but you can angle your casts more down and use unweighted flies. If it’s swift and deep, use your weighted stuff. As far as length is concerned, I like my winter flies between 3-4” long; even in low clear water.

[JDarr]

Thanks for the help guys. I'm not too serious about it, but I'll give it the old college try when I feel like the water is giving me a chance.
I'm pretty used to throwing really heavy flies from nothing but XL eyes in AK for 3 summers, but I have a lot more room up there.
I'll put the sink tip on and fill my box with a bunch of different weights. Hopefully I put in front of a kamakazi fish pretty quick because I don't know how many times I can hang up in the tree behind me before I toss the whole shabang in the river and grab my spoons:pray:
JD

[mikebraun]

The trees are our friends. I see another drifter has picked up the bug rod.