When targeting winter steelhead, choosing a winner from the vast selection of flies available to anglers these days can be overwhelming. These chrome giants are elusive, and the wild rivers where they live add to the challenge. Long droughts between grabs on the fly test our mental fortitude and only increase our anxiety when choosing a fly. However, in my opinion, confidence in fishing a chosen fly far outweighs fly choice. This is a game of finding fish by covering water with a confident presentation to elicit a strike.
It wasn’t until about 10 years ago, when I purchased my first spey rod and went on a few guided trips with Fish the Swing owner and head guide Jeff Hickman (), that I learned how to confidently swing flies down and across the river current for winter steelhead. Since those trips, I’ve gained confidence and
