Last week, RIO Product’s Simon Gawesworth showed us a great way to swing soft-hackle flies for big-river trout. This week, Simon shows us how to drift a soft-hackle for working trout.
There are some notable differences, obviously. First is the technique. When swinging a soft-hackle, you’re interested in line tension and the action of the fly. That’s not necessarily true when you’re drifting a soft-hackle fly. Second is the rigging process—pay close attention to how Simon uses the “slinky indicator,” which can help you improve your hook-up success.
The video above is full of great tackle advice, and good tips on landing fish from fast water. Simon also offers excellent advice on how and when to cast to working fish that may not be hitting dry flies, but taking bugs just under the water’s surface, which is where the soft-hackle drift can be deadly.