Line Control  Salmon, Steelhead & Browns  ( OH MY ! )  By Sam Vigorita

Presentation and being in touch with your drift is the important part of a formula for success up north for Salmon, Steelhead & the big Browns. Except for true down & across and retrieve techniques, drifting is the name of the game. For the fly angler, (LINE CONTROL)  knowing what your drift is doing and how to manipulate it, is likely the single most important variable that can be controlled for success or failure.

 A good fishermen  can make it look easy at times because he will understand what the drift or presentation is doing in the water column and currents. He knows that generally in cold water presentations the fly must be (NEAR) the bottom. He knows that achieving a bottom drift has more to do with (LINE CONTROL) , leader length, Tippet size, fly dressing, rod positioning, etc... then with clamping on more weights & flinging it out there to drag bottom. Someone in touch with their drift can tell you how deep the water is, if it's rock or other bottom, what the currents are like under the surface and even if the last tap was a fish striking or a snag. Therein lies an important point, without keeping in touch with  (LINE CONTROL)  you'll never even know if you are getting a strike or at a minimum not be prepared to set the hook for a good hookup.

 Getting the drift right means keeping tight to the drift, (LINE CONTROL)  Tight enough that is, to know what is going on at the business end but not so tight as to make drag. And being too loosely connected to the drift just leads to too much line in the water and drag again. But keeping just tight to the presentation allows for proper manipulation and mending, complete coverage of the water, quick reaction to bites and good visualization of the fly. Try concentrating more on (LINE CONTROL) and a good drift instead of what the supposed hot fly is and what the other guys are doing, talking to your buddies and just not paying attention, you might be rewarded with more hookups. Then comes landing them ! well that's another story.

 Buy the way - did I happen to mention  (LINE CONTROL) ????  Sam Vigorita, M.L.F.T. <*)))><

 

 

 Fly design, tyes and instructions by Sam Vigorita. Narrative by Michael Ebner

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