Icons – Rick Kustich

Icons, a web series from Swing the Fly, looks at the most influential figures in spey casting and swinging flies from North America and beyond in the 21st century. In this installment we visit with Rick Kustich, a pioneer of swinging flies in the Great Lakes region, an author of multiple flyfishing books, and a huge fan of the Buffalo Bills.

In your early days of swinging flies in the Great Lakes region, what kind of reaction did you encounter from the local flyfishing community, and who were some of your early supporters?

Going back to the late 70s and early 80s there were very few individuals fly fishing for steelhead or salmon in western New York. There was a pervasive feeling among anglers at the time that these fish wouldn’t take flies. My first step to disproving this ridiculous theory was to catch steelhead and lake-run brown trout on flies with dead drift trout techniques that I had been using for a few years on local inland streams. In time, this approach showed to be very effective in a wide range of fishing conditions. This slowly evolved into allowing the fly to swing at the end of the dead drift resulting in grabs that seem to be prompted by the movement of the fly. The next step was to swing streamer patterns tied to roughly represent some of the local baitfish and then commit to the results. At this time, I was fishing a single-hand rod along with weighted flies and/or split shot to gain proper depth.

By the mid 80s I found consistent success swinging flies mainly on big water like the lower Niagara River. The fish were aggressive, particularly after the Chinook salmon run wound down. It took a few years to fully appreciate the impact of water temperature on steelhead behavior. The Niagara maintained consistent temperatures into the winter and the steelhead reacted by remaining active for an extended period. From there it was a continued learning curve to become fully confident in swinging flies in the frigid water of dead winter.

It was the mid 90s before I figured out the two-handed swing game. The available equipment on the market was all too big and heavy for the requirements of the Great Lakes waters. Jerry Siem at Sage was one of the few industry professionals that showed a real interest in the developing Great Lakes fishery. Working with Jerry, Sage then produced a lighter two-hand model that matched well with our rivers. I paired this with a Cortland weight forward pike taper and tungsten impregnated sinking leaders and haven’t looked back. For a long time it was difficult to get anglers to buy into swinging flies, based mainly on years of misinformation. But now swinging flies has become quite popular in the Great Lakes and more and more anglers want to learn how to do it with a two-hander or switch rod.

When you are fishing on your own, which river do you consider to be your “Home River” (or rivers)?

I would consider two rivers as my home base for swinging flies. The first is the mighty Niagara. It’s not a typical river as the lower water below the falls is swift and swirly and flows around 200,000 cfs. And it’s not actually a river at all but a straight or thoroughfare between Lake Erie and Lake Ontario. But learning to swing its deep pulsing flows along steep gorge walls has provided a masterclass in swung fly presentation – lessons learned that I have successfully applied to many other rivers and situations. The second is the Cattaraugus, a tributary to Lake Erie. The Catt is an intimate river with wonderful swing water. Much of it is undeveloped providing beautiful backdrops and the feel of a western steelhead river. But the Catt has its presentation nuances as well that can reward anglers for thinking out of the box. It may be as well known for its fickle nature when it comes to water conditions. Natural clay banks result in turbid conditions that can take days to clear after a rain. However, this fickle nature adds to the river’s charm.

Which river that you have never fished before would you most like to try?

Two rivers or areas quickly come to mind. The first is the Kamchatka steelhead rivers in Russia like the Utkholok or Kvachina. It is a place that has been on my list for many years. However, the political climate in Russia currently has made this an impossibility as the situation there now sucks – one asshole causing so much death and destruction with the natural environment absorbing the collateral damage.

The other is the Sandy River in Alaska. I was scheduled to fish there in 1998, however, my wife at the time became pregnant with our daughter with a due date to fall in the middle of the trip. I postponed promising myself to make it there someday. I’ll still plan to do it.

What is your favorite fly?

I tend to have a simple approach to rigging and flies. I would have to say my favorite swing pattern is a reverse tie marabou tube. The reverse tie technique along with a bump of material behind the marabou, creates a fly with a full silhouette at the head tapering to the tail – like natural the general look of natural bait in the water. The marabou moves seductively in the water – as well if not better than any other material. I certainly tie other more complex flies for swinging, but the reverse tie marabou in a wide range of colors has proven quite successful just about anywhere I have fished it. I add just a little flash along the lateral line. Sometimes it is tied in a solid color and others a combination of color with two different marabou hackles. It’s almost impossible to keep up with all the new tying materials on the market and this fly simply fits into the “if it ain’t broke don’t fix it” category.

What is your favorite two-hand rod, and what line do you like to use with it?

What is your favorite memory from your times on the water?

This is an even tougher question, there are so days that stick out in my mind. But there is a specific instance that I think about often. It was 2012 and I was fishing the Babine with a great friend, Keith Myott. Keith had cystic fibrosis and his love for the outdoors and fly fishing fueled an aggressive fight allowing him to greatly excede the life expectancy statistics for the disease. Our guide had dropped us off on opposite sides of what had become our favorite pool. It was late season, and the air was cold as snow fell and blanketed the banks. Water conditions were ideal and fresh fish were on the move. At one point I was hooked up on a thick hen that cleared the water on its initial run. As I looked through the deep bend in my rod across and down river, I saw Keith tight to a fish as well. It’s an image forever imprinted in my mind as clear as day. This trip would be the last time I fished with Keith as he lost his battle about two years later.

You’ve had a long list of contributions to steelheading and two-hand casting.  Is there one you’re particularly proud of?

I have always been quite proud of the book co-authored with my brother Jerry titled Fly Fishing for Great Lakes Steelhead released in 1999. It was a great project to work on with my brother who played a large role in my development as an angler. We traveled, explored, and fished the entire Great Lakes basin leading to some great adventures and quality times together. But more importantly the book helped bring relevance to an emerging fishery that had suffered an identity crisis largely due to prior practices of salmon snagging and other unscrupulous angling activities. This book helped change that perception. While it covered topics including the history of the fishery, management practices, and some of the region’s top rivers, a significant portion of the text was dedicated to swinging flies. This introduced readers to an approach that was new to many Great Lakes anglers and demonstrated that swinging wasn’t just a technique for west coast steelhead. The book really helped to push along the popularity of swinging flies and two-handers that we are currently seeing in the region. Fly Fishing the Great Lakes Tributaries was very well received and top selling book at the time.

If you were able to guide anyone in the world for a week of Great Lakes flyfishing, who would it be?

Well, it wouldn’t be Taylor Swift or Travis Kelce, I already see enough of them. I could give the easy answer of one of my favorite athletes or celebrity girl crushes but if this hypothetical situation also applies to those who passed before us. I would say Roderick Haig-Brown. His writing had a deep impact on me blending a style of fishing technique, reverence for rivers, and understanding the precious nature of the resource. I once visited the Haig-Brown house in Campbell River on a trip to the Dean. It was kind of a spiritual experience as I could somehow feel his presence in his study. It would be interesting to hear his opinion of the fishery that has been created and developed in the Great Lakes region. I’m sure he would appreciate the beauty of many of our rivers. And I’m sure I would be fascinated by his approach both tactical and philosophical.

What is it going to take to save wild fish?

This is such a complex situation. Due to mankind’s rapid expansion and never-ending demand on natural resources, wild fish management is a moving target. One key step is to longer use hatcheries as a poor substitute for naturally produced steelhead and salmon. No one can ever do it better than Mother Nature. The science bears this out. And it is sad that sound scientific research can be discarded as fallacy by those with an opposing agenda. But there is great work being done to remove dams and reconstruct culverts to provide access to spawning water and allow river systems to repair.

There will also need to be realistic management of the ocean stocks as we seem to be fucking that up as well. More advanced netting techniques and controlling the ridiculous practice of flooding the Pacific with millions of stocked pink salmon seems imperative.

This may be an idealist thought, but getting communities surrounding rivers invested in preserving and restoring the environment has the added benefit of protecting and enhancing wild fish. Healthy environments can enrich the lives of outdoor enthusiasts living in proximity to a river and attract visitors that boost the economy. Much easier said than done, but such a holistic approach would have many benefits.

And it will take all of us as anglers to get involved and lead the way. This can be by trying to lessen our individual impact, providing financial support to the organizations leading the way, writing government officials regarding key initiatives, keeping informed, and volunteering time.

What are your plans for the next five years?

To stay in good shape, keep fishing and travel. I have a bucket list of fishing destinations to visit for the first time or to re-visit a favorite spot. I also plan to do some traveling with my wife. I’ll continue guiding/instructing on a limited basis. I plan to continue writing, including regular contributions to STF. I don’t know, however, if I have another book in me, although I have a good idea for one. I am going to focus on more video work, both instruction and experiences. It’s a great medium for reaching out and sharing some of my ideas. Ultimately, I’ll be just trying to take it day by day. Looking to find the good in an otherwise crazy world.