spey fly TMuncyA pencil drawing of a Spey fly with the trailing stinger hook. The Steelhead is enticed, provoked, seduced into engulfing the fly and upon the take turning and jetting away. The stinger hook tries to ensure a more assured hook up with the metal head, steel jawed piece of flexing muscle.

Spey Fly Stinger
This fly was tied by my son Tony. The same one that drew the pencil sketch above years ago. There is a real, visible sense of the artistic here. Does the fish appreciate that? No…simply predation. Provoked to consume….a gentle way of saying ‘to kill’ another in the food chain.

Echo Lamson Rocks Moss SwittersB

Feathered Bark Rod Reel SwittersB2
One of the primary tools for the quest. In this instance, a two hander…a spey rod…as opposed to the ‘normal’ one handed fly rod. Different skill sets to learn. Greater potentials in presentation: distance in casting. Notice the pieces of wood that are now high and dry? They were submerged and the forces of the current have stripped the bark into fans, feathers……..

T Muncy SwittersB ImageIt has been awhile since I have aggressively pursued sea run trout..Steelhead. I did for many years with a single handled rod (normal fly rod) and did well. Somehow, I got caught up in the machinations of the two handed rod and immediately stopped catching Steelhead. Paying my dues? Hmm? Not sure. I lost focus and intuitively lost interest. Now, I feel I must justify the expenses of gear and catch/release a Steelhead. You will notice I have no pics of a Steelhead and SwittersB to display. Remember my resolutions? Time management, focus, location/presentation, desire.