Cajun Steelhead

Louisiana is as far culturally from the two-handed rivers of the northwest as anywhere, but the state’s Cajun culture has influenced at least one steelheader.  Louis Cahill of Gink and Gasoline has the “problem” of fishing many different fisheries throughout the year.  Adjusting from a trout set to a strip set is one thing, but going from the speed and strength of saltwater casting to the “slow and easy” cadence of spey is much more difficult, he says.  In order to shorten the (re-)learning curve, he finds the beat of a cajun waltz to be the perfect companion to a well-formed D loop:  “The gentle, one-two-three, of the Cajun waltz sets the tempo and calms my nerves enough to start making consistent casts.”