# Drifting vs Swinging...can someone explain?



## FL-boy (Feb 12, 2013)

I have only fished NY for kings, Browns, and the occasional steelhead. This year I plan on fishing Steelies a lot more. I am guessing that my NY style is dead-drifting, not sure though I guess. Forgive my ignorance. Can someone please explain the difference?


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## ohflyfisher614 (Apr 2, 2010)

Drifting is letting your fly/lure drift naturally in the current. It requires an up stream cast. Swinging occurs at the end of a drift when your fly/lure starts to "swing" across the current. If you are swinging only you would cast across the current downstream. Obviously if you choose to you can both drift and swing with the same cast.


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## FL-boy (Feb 12, 2013)

Thanks! 


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## mdogs444 (Aug 29, 2012)

Swinging is fairly new to the Great Lakes region utilizing switch and spey rods. In the US, it was primarily used out west in Oregon and Washington. The sheer size of the rivers and the faster flows out there for both hatchery and native run fish meant that you needed rods to cast further, since in many parts, wading deep is not an option. While you can "swing" streamers using a single handed rod for trout, swinging is primarily talked about when referring to spey and skagit casting techniques. Using a long switch or spey rod, from about 11' to 15', and a setup of running line with a heavy head - skagit, floating, intermediate, etc - and a section of sink tip (Type 3, Type 6, Type 8, T-8, T-11, T-14, etc) to throw large weighted and non weighted flies. Depending on the flows and depth, you cast either directly across from you, perpendicular to the flow, or slightly downstream. You allow your line to get a slight inward belly, controlled by the mend, in order to "swing" your fly essentially from one side of the river to the other side...as opposed to dead drifting downstream with the current. Using the appropriate sink tip and mend, you can control how fast the fly swings across the current and how deep the fly goes.

Swinging for steelhead is primarily done in faster, wider runs with plenty of rock structure and in areas where the fish are actively on the run upstream.


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## iggyfly (Jun 30, 2012)

Mdoggs is spot on. Just gonna 2nd what he said. 

Just going to add that the technique of swinging is not limited to fly fishing. You can perform this technique with a spinning setup as well. Cast and let swing down and across in front of holding areas with spoons, jigs, roostertails, etc.


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