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Do you let the loop hang?

To hold a loop, or not to hold a loop: That is the question: Whether 'tis nobler in the mind to suffer The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune, Or to take arms against a sea of troubles, And by opposing end them?

I bet if Shakespeare were a steelheader, he'd probably swing flies for them...

I've been asked this a few times before and my answer is never exactly clear-cut, but I do have a couple ground rules. For example, when I fish sink tips I never hold a loop, and when I dryline fish I do so about half the time. Why? Well for starters if I'm fishing a tip for winter-runs, I'm already swinging my fly down in the water column and the fish tend to move laterally rather than vertically in the water column. Therefore, when I fish a dryline the fish always have to move up in the water column to take the fly that's at or near the surface. A line from Dec Hogan that always stuck with me was, "what goes up, must come down."

So why don't I carry a loop every time if fishing a floating line? Well, it's purely situational for me. Say I'm fishing river right and trying to reach a specific distant spot- Instead of casting switch (with my non-dominating hand on top) I'll do whatever cast puts my fly where it needs to be, but as my line is shooting out the guides I'll pass the rod off to my left hand and only hang onto the bottom grip. The reason I do this is because I can control the fly much better with a little extra reach. I'm also able to slow my fly down or keep more line off the water if there is a funky surface current. When I fish this way my rod tip is almost always up high and if a fish takes the fly I simply bow the rod to the fish in respect for the steelhead taking my offering. Though it's really more because I want to give my fly to the fish and not pull it away. Similarly, if I'm twitching/skating/chugging dry flies for steelhead my rod tip is always high as I work a fly across a run. I'd much rather drop my rod tip to the fish, and if I'm fishing with my tip up I'll be less inclined to "trout set" by pulling my fly away from a fish out of excitement. Remember that, "what goes up must come down."

So when else do I fish a dryline without a loop? Sometimes in slow, froggy water or when there is a good chance for the fish to take the fly on the hang down. When these situations present themselves I believe I've got better feel with my two fingers holding the line, rather than pinching the line down on the cork by holding a loop. Sometimes I'll even pulse my finger on the running line to give the fly a little more movement in that soft/hang down water to entice the take, similarly if I'm fishing sink tips.

Is holding a loop an exact science? Not really, but it seams to be working for me and if it's not broke I ain't gonna fix it! So what do you do? Hold a loop? Sometimes? Never? Always? Situational? I think its good to be diverse in your tactics for how you approach steelhead. Either way, it's always a learning experience!

Cody Booth
Gorge Fly Shop | Product Specialist
541.386.6977