While most of us fly swinging types probably prefer to catch our summer fish on floating lines and waking flies the unavoidable fact is that pressured hatchery fish can be pretty darn dour. From July to November the first option is the floating line, but there are times when conditions or tight lipped fish demand that the fly get down in the water column. A few summers back when TBone and I were really getting serious about this steelhead business he was the butt of more than a few of my jokes for using what I called at the time "Dale Jigs". See T's buddy Dale is mostly a gear fisherman, and he loves fishing terminal areas. As a consequence he's dialed in the art of fishing to stale fish like none other, routinely taking fish on the 97th pass of the day. Dale jigs are pretty simple, and very deadly. Basically small dumbell eyes on an upeyed hook with a few clumps of marabou in various colors. While I never got into swinging jigs for summers, seeing T hook multiple fish on his "flies" left a lasting impression on me. I'll be the first to admit I'm a fly snob so this is my answer to the now legendary Dale Jig. The Spey Dale Jig, stale skamania's beware. They should also fish pretty nasty on the floater up in the Northcountry this fall.
Northcountry special. Black and Blue.
Classic Black and Red.
Pink and Purple. Nuff said.
Spawning Purple. Favorite Colors for late fall
Dale Jig Strikes
Oh hell yeah brother. Very nice! If you ever hit the Clearwater, you have everything you need right there.
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