Swinging for Great Lakes Steelhead in dirty water

Fishing for Steelhead in muddy, dirty water can't be done; right? If you live in the Great Lakes and fish for Great Lakes Steelhead, if you only fish perfect water days; well, you won't be fishing much. In this video, we follow Jeff Liskay as he shares a morning on the water swinging for Great Lakes Steelhead with Jerry Darkes. You will see how they approach the dirty/off color water conditions of the day, use a transition spot to navigate a crowded river, their fly selections and each will share some of their tips on the best fly and swing presentations for conditions and transition runs. As you expect from these two they'll also have some fun along the way.

[@CCarsonThompson]

Thanks for sharing insights on managing and manipulating the swing. There are a ton of videos on how to cast, but so few on how to fish. I look forward to learning more. Keep ‘em coming.

[@greatlakesflyfishingwjliskay]

Thanks Chris, planning on more fishing focused videos moving ahead

[@bok9201]

Great tips from two of the very best!

[@brionmccutcheon5611]

I love off color water. Nice job guys!

[@greatlakesflyfishingwjliskay]

Thanks Brion, I agree totally

[@pa6463]

hey jeff ..... just wondering if you're the (legendary excavator operator) ....also cleveland's muskie champion????

[@flyfishingpiper4976]

Great information, you 2 are legends! Cheeres from TMF Sports

[@greatlakesflyfishingwjliskay]

Thanks for the kind words and tuning in

[@Irideus]

cheers

[@mikezeleznik6937]

Can you explain "transition zone" you reference early in the video? Thanks!

[@greatlakesflyfishingwjliskay]

Thanks for the watch Mike, Transition zone areas for run off streams are sections between the bends in the river that generally don't look like much under normal or low flows. When the flows increase and water levels rise some fish use those sections to rest or hold until flows subside. They look like flats with grooves or ledges in the shale, depending on the rate of water level drop fish could use it for one day or multiple days.

[@pa6463]

if so R. Gabel and Patrick Aerni say hello .......... I caught a 33" trout on Vermilion River........luckily....!

[@greatlakesflyfishingwjliskay]

Congrats 🎉 That is a awesome trout for are region👊🏻

[@jayr7471]

Do you use just a float tip in that slow of an area?

[@greatlakesflyfishingwjliskay]

Thanks for the question
Yes, you can use a floating tip with a weighted fly but I prefer to use a unweighted fly with an intermediate or intermediate/sink 2 tips when fishing slower moving runs.

[@jayr7471]

@@greatlakesflyfishingwjliskay thank you for the reply:)

[@frostyjim2633]

We went to Riverside together. You didn't have the beard last time I saw you

[@Dream-season]

Sweet video … but Damn those clicker reels are annoying!

[@greatlakesflyfishingwjliskay]

Thank you for watching and I get the clicker noise.