Lake Superior Steelhead: Making & Rigging a Slinker

Fly fishermen and conventional anglers use slinkers for drift fishing when the rivers are high and a few mere split shot won't get their rig down to the depth they need it. Fly fishermen use them along with a technique known as chuck n' duck which pokes fun at the cast involved. Fly rods are used but the casting technique is by no means a fly cast. Rather than the line propelling the offering, the weight of the slinker propels the line and bait. Slinkers are both easy and cheap to make. By making your own, you have the ability to make them in whatever weight you want. In my experience, slinkers are nearly snag-free which allows me to fish tight to the bottom with confidence. I have seen guys hook into multiple fish in a short amount of time fishing these rigs with flies. Purists may frown upon it and recommend a sink tip line instead, but I like to look at it as one more option which helps keep my fly rod in my hand on those tough days. Good luck!

Category:

Education

Tags:

• Duluth
• Minnesota
• Wisconsin
• Lake
• Superior
• Steelhead
• Rainbow
• Trout
• Salmon
• Fly
• Slinker
• Weight
• Drift
• North
• Shore
• Brule
• River
• Fishing
• Chuck
• Duck

[paleozon]

Great idea. Simple and very practical. Thanks for sharing.