Radical Steelhead Indicator Rig
by Ken Collins - April 26, 2000
Steelheading is complicated enough when you have to consider timing of rivers and where and when these migratory fish will be there in areas we can angle for them. As you know these fish will usually only enter the rivers and streams we fish when the right conditions present themselves. This condition is most of the time a high fluctuation in water levels due to snow melt or heavy fall or springs rains.
So over the years as I first started fly fishing for these migratory beauties my success was limited. I came into this steelheading bliss like most anglers from many years of successful centre pinning, bottom bouncing and lure tossing. I knew how to catch fish and find them – that was not my problem.
The problem was the equipment we back then fly fishers were forced to use. Even the leaders available did not perform right. The thick tapered sections of these leaders had very poor sink rates. To nymph properly - with the fly on the bottom where it has to be -- took way too much weight that made fly casting dangerous.
So luckily one day I ran out of tapered leaders and only had swivels and tippets. The swivels were essential to my problem fixing situation because blood knots and triple surgeons knots would not work on the size of tippets I had. (Known fact these knots require similarly sized tippets to tie properly). I was trying to attach butt parts of my last leader to my next size of tippet. Imagine this 40lb to 12lb, it is a very big problem for any knot tier. A swivel solved it immediately.
With a bit more experimentation that day I soon discovered I was using far less shot to fish the same water. I could fish shorter lead lengths which allow me to detect more strikes. I landed more fish because the knots tied to these swivels were much better performing than the typical leader to tippets knots. I have never gone back and have made countless successful guiding steelhead days for clients since.
Radical Steelhead Indicator Rig Steps
