Streamers.. What pattern?

Fishing Warm water Forum
1

I was told by the guide I’ll be using to tie and bring some “#4 streamers” for august flyfishing on the Snake river.

OOOOKKKK? But what PATTERN? He didnt actually specify, so who can lead me into A ( or more than 1) pattern to tie up?

Geeze…numbers 4’s…thats like tossing squirrels compared to the 18’s I normally cast…lol

2

why not contact the guide for the specific patterns he’s recommending? he made the suggestion, he should send you the patterns.

3

Depends on what you’ll be fishing for, but I would bring along some woolie buggers at the very least. Other than that, I think I’d ask the guide what patterns to bring. If all he can tell you is streamers in size 4, either pattern really doesn’t matter or it’s the wrong guide.

Jeff

4

OK…was just hoping someone else had fished the Snake before is all.

5

Sully -

I haven’t fished the Snake in WY, but I have spent a LOT of time on the Henry’s Fork and the South Fork of the Snake in Idaho.

Since you mentioned throwing a squirrel, this streamer - the Pine Squirrel Cheater - is probably just what you are looking for. Don’t let the simplicity fool you. It has taken trouts everywhere I have fished it in Idaho and Montana.

http://www.flyanglersonline.com/flytying/fotw2009/fotw20090921.php

Another good fly would be Scott Sanchez’s “Double Bunny.” If you are not familiar with Sanchez, he is one of the most creative fly tiers in the Intermountain West over the past twenty years or so. The “Double Bunny” was barred from the One Fly Contest on the Snake after it took the title three years running back in the '90’s.

The “Double Bunny” is an easy fly to tie - a couple strips of rabbit zonker, some crystal flash, and, if you want to be fancy, some eyes and epoxy. I’ve fished the simplified version on the South Fork and done well with it. I like an olive over white streamer, but brown over yellow is also a great combination. You should be able to find a recipe and tying instructions for the bunny if you google it. If you have any trouble, let me know.

On the smaller side, another effective streamer I’ve used on the South Fork is a Thunder Creek Minnow. Basically bucktail in your choice of color. I liked a black over olive over white combination. Again, if you google Thunder Creek Minnows you should be able find a recipe and tying instructions. There is one in the old FOTW archives, can’t remember when, but look for something like Little Brown Trout Streamer. If you can’t find it, let me know and I’ll take a look.

Another fly which should do well, on top, in August, is the FEB Hopper. That is a simple hopper pattern that has been really good for me and everyone else I know who has fished it in the Intermountain West, including some of the famous rivers of YNP. I think it gets taken for a golden stone almost as much as a hopper. Follow the link for the FOTW on that fly.

http://www.flyanglersonline.com/flytying/fotw2/fotw20090810.php

John

6

Variation on the Double Bunny which doesn’t require gluing the strips together:

http://www.classicflytying.com/pattern8835.html

I tie it with weighted eyes - hook rides point-up making it semi-weedless. Works great in saltwater and fresh, real easy to tie, endless color variations.

Regards,
Scott

7

Sully,

John’s Pine Squirrel Cheater is a very good fly/streamer. I used it on the White River in Arkansas and on my home waters and it will produce plus it is a very easy tie. I highly recommend it.

8

Okie doke! Thanks much fellas!

9

Here is a DAMN good fly for just about any water…

http://store.theflyshop.com/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=7732

10

Here’s a website I use for basing what flies are working for different streams around Jackson…

http://www.highcountryflies.com/regional_overview/recommended_fly_patterns.htm

2nd group is streamers.

11

i’ve spent a fair amount of time on the snake, like most of my life, idaho and wyoming. streamers i used most:

Soft Hackled Streamer
Black front, olive back, 2 strands pearl flashabou or crystal flash over top of maribou, mallad breast hackle tied, entire fly about tied about 4 times more full than the Gartside original.

Justins Bug
this was given by a friend just before he was killed in a car accident many years ago. no pic but imagine a wooly bugger with a squirrel tail and 1 set of rubber legs.

MATERIALS LIST

  1. Thread - Black 6/0.
  2. Hook - Daiichi 1720, Mustad 9672, Orvis 1526, Tiemco 5263. Size 2-10.
  3. Tail - Silver squirrel tail.
  4. Body - Medium black chenille.
  5. Ribs - Fine gold wire.
  6. Legs - Medium round rubber legs for size 2-6. Small for size 8-10.
  7. Hackle - Grizzly rooster saddle.

TYING INSTRUCTION

  1. Insert the hook in the vise and build a good thread base.
  2. Attach a smallish clump of silver squirrel tail at the hook’s bend about two thirds hook shank length.
  3. At the tail tie in attach, in this order, the body material, ribbing and hackle feather.
  4. Tie in the rubber legs at the middle of the hook’s shank.
  5. Wrap the body material forward to the rubber legs, take 1 turn between the legs and proceed to the rear of normal head space. Secure with tying thread and trim the excess.
  6. Palmer the hackle to the front of the body, secure with tying thread and trim the excess.
  7. Counter wrap the ribbing to the front of the hackle. Secure with tying thread, trim the excess, build a tapered head, whip finish and cement if you like.
12

Zoo Cougars, Rattlesnake streamer fly work really well and be the first 2 I would use. Any good EP style synthetic bait pattern flies work great to.

13

Personally I would try a couple of spuddlers, I have been trying to test them on trout but have not yet had the chance, they are very effective on LMB so I bet they would be great for smallies.

http://www.flyanglersonline.com/flytying/videos/fotw20090907_Spuddler_Minnow.php

Steve

14

Thanks guys! Thanks a lot Wes…appreciate it.

15

I fished the Snake last August with a guide and we fished all drys; hoppers, gold stones. Later caught a beautiful cuttie on Pacific Creek about 100 yards from where it enters the Snake on a hopper. I would consider taking a couple hoppers.

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16

Thats what we signed up for…all dry fly fishing. He was just telling me that if everything “goes south” on us…I could use some others…so might as well bring them along.

Im familiar with the LOCATION of Pacific creek…thats where we will put in on one of the trips

17

Sent you a PM.

18

Sully, Googly Kelly Galloup and you will find a variety of streamer patterns he has perfected and they are used with great success on the Snake. The Zoo Cougar and the T&A Bunker are true producers of some great fish.

Kelly.

19

If that’s all the information he gave you…when in doubt, take Woolly Buggers and Clousers. They work everywhere.