Single Hand Skagit Tactics Part 3: Skagit in Action

In my last installment of Single Hand Skagit Tactics, we talked about what you needed to get up to go skagit. This article's about results.

Recently, I was fishing silver salmon on Alaska’s Kenai River, where I found some big, late-run fish by casting four-inch long, weighted flies, all fished off 10-foot long leaders.

When fishing in this style, one of my favorite flies is a bunny leech. But, even with an eight-weight casting this fly is cumbersome. And that also was the case for my friend, Terry, who fish with me on this trip. He had to make multiple false casts to generate line speed and get out enough line to cast . . . and he was wearing himself out by doing so.

I could have watched him collapse, but instead I pulled out a single-hand Skagit rig, a nine-foot seven-weight with a 270-grain Airflo Scout head. I attached to the head a five-foot long intermediate poly leader and then added five feet of 16-pound test fluorocarbon tippet, followed by the bunny. Soon, Terry was easily launching 60-foot casts and giggling like a kid. It didn’t take him long to hook a hot, chrome-bright fish, which elicited more happy noises.

Fly-fishing is supposed to be fun, not a burden. So, recognizing when it’s time to make a systems change is the best way to put the fun back into the process and doing so usually boosts success at the same time.

In this case, switching from a traditional setup to the seven-weight single-hand Skagit rig made Terry’s life on the Kenai bearable. The same can be said when I used that Skagit setup on Montana’s Missouri River recently, casting big streamers from a driftboat. So the next time you’re trying to chuck big flies with a traditional single-hand setup, you may want to try out the Skagit method, too. It can save the day, not to mention your shoulder.

Soft Hackles and Small Wets

Micro Skagit setups are ideal for fishing soft-hackles and wet flies, including small buggers. My weapon of choice for doing just that is a seven-foot four-inch four-weight Echo Glass, paired with a 175-grain OPST Commando head. If fishing the rig doesn’t put a smile on your face, I don’t know what would. This little system is so fun to cast, you might even forget you are fishing.

To complete the system, add an Airflo Light Trout five-foot long clear floating poly leader, along with five feet of 4X or 5X tippet, and tie on your favorite fly. A single spey cast is all you need to begin launching your flies, if you are fishing downstream. If you are fishing upstream, you can poke your head in the direction of the cast before firing.

Not only is this system fun to cast, but a micro Skagit setup is a deadly weapon; with no need to false cast, you can present flies in tight quarters and through narrow gaps. Simply put, you can get your flies to the fish and have fun doing it.

All-Round Trout

Have you ever tried casting a dumbbell or cone-headed streamer with a standard five-weight setup? It can be done, but it takes some effort and typically several false casts to generate enough line speed to shoot a longer cast. When you swap your five-weight floating line for a Skagit head, everything changes. With the Skagit head it becomes easy to launch a full-length cast with a single false cast. By simple math, when fishing a Skagit head you make more casts in the same amount of time, keeping your fly in the water where the fish are. Whether you are overhead casting from a boat or spey casting while wading, you’ll fire casts all day long with ease.

My standard all-round trout set up for single-hand Skagit setup utilizes a nine-foot six-weight with a 240-grain Airflo Scout head. I use an intermediate poly leader when depth is not an issue. If I want more depth or need to cast larger flies, I utilize sinktips ranging from five to 12 feet long.

Nymphing and Dries?

Skagit heads were not designed for nymphing, but that does not mean they won’t work or should not be used in that capacity. As a delivery system, the Skagit head easily launches a tapered leader with a strike indicator, split shot and a brace of flies. The only drawback is limited mending capability. Often from a boat, this is not an issue, as the moving boat provides an extended drift. A downstream, angled, long-distance presentation also works quite well while wading. Launch your cast and let it roll, feeding out running line as long as you care to.

Similar to nymphing, fishing dries with a Skagit head has some limitations, with mending being the most notable drawback. However, in tight quarters, or with downstream presentations, mending is generally not a factor. The casting efficiencies often outweigh the negatives.

Big Fish and Big Flies

The single-hand Skagit system is ideal when you want to throw large flies for trout, salmon, steelhead or just about any warmwater species. I’ve heard of guys in the Midwest using Commando heads on their pike and muskie setups.

When you take an eight-weight rod and add a 325-grain Commando head, you’ve got a lot of mass ready to carry a large, wind-resistant and possibly heavy and soggy fly. If you’ve ever tried casting articulated, deer-hair headed, dumbbell-eyed flies, you know it’s a bit of work. A single overhead launch is very easy with the Skagit head.

To easily launch a cast, retrieve the running line to within a foot or so of the head. With an underhand motion, sweep the line back as if you are forming a D loop, but let it carry out behind the rod into a backcast. Then come forward and release the running line. Out it goes. Basically, you are blowing the potential anchor to extend a backcast. After the line straightens, it is ready for an easy forward casting stroke.

In tight quarters, and with obstructions present, the water born spey casts come into play. These casts are not as easy to perform with really large flies, but with standard size streamers they rock.

What Are You Waiting For?

The more you play with the single-hand Skagit system, the more you will be able to customize it to your fishing needs. When fishing in this style, there are few limits to achieving a fishable cast. With a single fly line and a variety of tips and leaders, you can fish in an unlimited capacity. From dries to soft hackles; from nymphing to swinging or retrieving streamers of varied sizes; the single-hand Skagit system delivers your fly efficiently and with a side of fun.