Question for swingers and hookups

[Wayne Kohan]

So I fish for steelhead on the Columbia River, unfortunately competing for some areas with boaters who don't seem to understand good fly fishing etiquette. In any case, it is common for boats to go ripping past me way out on the river, or sometimes nearby, and they throw quite a wake. So if I am in the middle of a swing, I have between 30 and 50 feet of floating line on top of the river that is suddenly affected by the wave action. I feel that has to affect the action of my fly considerably. So my question is, have you ever hooked up while a large wake is coming in from a boat? I know I never have. If I have that happen, I tend to recast and swing again before stepping down, figuring I might not have covered the area well from that spot. I have fished with a guide on the Rogue and we swung flies from the driftboat. They would have us do little strips and release to try to entice the fish, so I'm thinking the waves may impart a similar action, maybe? Anyway, I was just wondering about your experiences.

 

[Rob Allen]

Others have different experiences than me but I think in all my years of fishing the Deschutes I have hooked one steelhead on a weekend when jet boats are running, but that one was just after a sled went by. I don't remember if the wake from the boat was involved or not..

 

[Pescaphile]

I've hooked up once in the Snake after they've gone by while there was still a wake. I don't think of them as a plus.

 

[flybill]

I like to envision that the boat and it's wake will push the fish towards me.. hasn't happened that way yet, but I try to stay optimistic.. Worst case I take a break, light a new cigar and have a little scotch or bourbon.. or wake Leland up from his nap!!

 

[Stonedfish]

Had it happen a few times on both flies and gear, but on the Cowlitz. Lots of boat activity with boats going back up to go through the run again.
I think can at times it pushes the fish in close to shore.
SF

 

[SilverFly]

So I fish for steelhead on the Columbia River, unfortunately competing for some areas with boaters who don't seem to understand good fly fishing etiquette. In any case, it is common for boats to go ripping past me way out on the river, or sometimes nearby, and they throw quite a wake. So if I am in the middle of a swing, I have between 30 and 50 feet of floating line on top of the river that is suddenly affected by the wave action. I feel that has to affect the action of my fly considerably. So my question is, have you ever hooked up while a large wake is coming in from a boat? I know I never have. If I have that happen, I tend to recast and swing again before stepping down, figuring I might not have covered the area well from that spot. I have fished with a guide on the Rogue and we swung flies from the driftboat. They would have us do little strips and release to try to entice the fish, so I'm thinking the waves may impart a similar action, maybe? Anyway, I was just wondering about your experiences.

I'd tend to think boats temporarily spooking fish would negate any benefits imparted by wave action.

That said (and this may be comparing apples to kumquats) but fly line movement imparted by wave action clearly has an effect when trolling for tuna.

Yeah, I know, totally different species, environments, and methods. But, I wouldn't be surprised if there was an effect with steelhead as well. Besides, if you really think about it, once a swung line straightens on the hang down, the only difference from trolling is that the fly is stationary relative to the river bottom. From the perspective of a fish, it's swimming against the current with it. Just a thought.

 

[O' Clarkii Stomias]

I feel boat wakes will push fish out of shallow, soft, near shore lies, but I don't mind boats running over the water when the fish are in deeper water. If the boat traffic gets too intense, I will switch to an intermediate or a light 3D head where the wave action seems to have a lesser effect on such.

 

[CRO]

I once had a prop boat go over my line when gear fishing the lower Snohomish. I let him all 200 yards of line for his effort.

 

[speedbird]

I once had a prop boat go over my line when gear fishing the lower Snohomish. I let him all 200 yards of line for his effort.

Saw someone wrap a jig around their prop at the Edmonds fishing pier, dude came in maybe 20 ft out to drop a passenger off at the breakwater. Guy didn’t even bother un wrapping the line properly