Fly Fishing 101, Part 23 The 10 Best Streamers
Streamers represent almost anything you can think of that
aren’t nymphs or hatching insects. For those on the salt it is
almost exclusively a baitfish imitation . If you have fished with
nymphs and come up empty, start at the top of the following
list and work your way through it.
Many of the streamers patterns are tied in a variety of
colors, with regional variations adding even more choices.
Start with a couple of each streamer, and add to your arsenal
when you find one (or more) that work best for you.
Here are the top 10 streamers in order of their
importance:
-
Woolly Bugger.
-
Muddler Minnow.
-
Marabou Leech.
-
Matuka.
-
Light Spruce Streamer.
-
Zonker.
-
Sheep Shad.
-
Allies Chenille Coachman.
-
Black Nosed Dace.
-
Mickey Finn.
From 40 Best Trout Flies
by Robert H.Alley.
Published by Frank Amato Publication.
Thanks for use permission.Woolly Bugger: The “big”
three here are the colors. You should have all-brown,
all-black, and all-olive versions. There
are also bi-colors available. Start with the solid colors.
“Buggers” seem to work best in spring, summer and fall. Fish
in lakes, crawling the fly along the bottom. In streams you will
need to weight the fly, and either dead-drifted or stripped
erratically across the currents and upstream.Muddler Minnow: The
theory is that as the size of the fly
gets smaller, as in going from a size 6 to a size 12, the 12
should be retrieved slower. In large sizes, like a 2/0 you
retrieve faster. Why? Because the smaller look more like bugs,
and the larger ones look like bait fish, or possibly crustaceans.
This fly is most effective fished in deep holes for deep water
trout. Fish very slowly, ticking the bottom as you retrieve it.
For small rivers cast across the current with only enough
tension to keep tension on the line. In big rivers use a fast
sinking wet tip line and a short leader. Use weight on the line if
you are not getting on the bottom.Marabou Leech: Cast
cross-stream and follow the drift
with the tip of your rod. Let the leech hang in the current and
dart it as you retrieve the fly. About half-way back on the
retrieve, pick up the fly and take a couple of steps
downstream, repeat the cast across stream. This is a
searching method best for exploring new rivers and streams.
For lakes, use a wet cell, (sinking) line, and slow short strips -
about two inches at a time.Matuka: Brown or black
patterns work best. It imitates a
minnow if stripped in fast and erratic strips. Vary the length of
strips for best results. Use smaller sizes early in the season,
larger flies as the season progresses. This is a New Zealand fly
fished cross-current with an upstream mend. Use smaller sizes
of the fly for the best results.Light Spruce: One of the best of the minnow imitations.
Fish in shallows and retrieve in fairly fast and short strips.
Think “swimming” the fly. Erratic short, sharp jerks imitate a
wounded minnow, easy prey for a trout. Recommended size is
size 8.Zonker: Most important thing
to remember, this is a fly for big fish. Casting to weeds
and a fast retrieve work best. Use a leader about 7 and
a half feet, and tippets of 1 or 0X. Best
overall size is likely a 6. Olive is the best color for stillwaters,
Black for moving water.Sheep Shad: Primarily a
fly for western coastal lakes in
California. Shad come to the surface and trigger a feeding
binge of trout. A size 4 is the most used. Cast into a pod of
feeding fish and strip in long, fast jerks. A six or seven-food
leader is recommended, with a 2X leader.Allies Chenille Coachman:
This is a great fly to use for
exploring small streams. It may represent trout fry, and needs
to look like it is swimming. Here we need to ‘present’ the fly -
move it just a bit faster than the current. A 5wt DT line and
seven-foot 4X tippet are recommended.Black Nose Dace: This fly
looks like almost any little fish swimming in an Eastern
brook or the big western rivers. The best use is in moving
currents, not lakes (stillwaters). Cast across and
downstream, letting the fly work down deep . Use
nine to 10 feet of leader, and weight if the fly is not getting
down deep.Mickey Finn: This fly
works well on bright summer days in
lakes which also holds bluegills. For moving water, use a size
10 casting across and slightly upstream. Let the fly sink a bit,
and quickly retrieve it. In slower sections of a river or stream
‘swim’ the fly just fast enough for the hair wing to impart
movement.Remember streamers are the second
most productive flies. If “catching” is the game, start with
nymphs. Or if you see small baitfish in the water, match
to the streamer. Back to the fly shop! Look at the 10
streamers listed here. Compare the various streamers to
each other. Note the differences and
similarities. Which ‘variation’ best suits your needs? Are there
local variations? If so, ask “why?” To catch fish you must know
what a fish eats! Have a question?
Email me!
~ DB
Originally published c. 2000 on Fly Anglers Online by Robert H.Alley..