Streamer flies are a staple in my fly box. These meat and potato workhorses have helped me to bring to hand some of the bigger trout that swim in the waters I fish. "Meat and Potato", these are simple uncomplicated flies that require a minimum of materials and minimal cost. Most of them are bucktails with tinsel bodies a few may incorporate Jungle Cock which I feel is not necessary but I like the way they look on certain patterns. Most of you know that trout are predators and predators like meat. The sight of a brown or brook trout rising to a well tied Catskill dry fly is iconic, but I enjoy the sight of a trout rising up and slamming a streamer as it moves under the surface.
I have a question for you and that is how many of you carry streamers in your fly boxes? And how many of you fish streamers at any time of the year?
"Feather Art"...tail feathers from a Partridge. I have taken photos of various feathers and framed them. I was really surprised just how nice they look. I"m in the process of hanging them near to where I tie flies as well as my computer area. I'll post a photo when I complete it.
Jungle Cock
Saddle Hackle with Jungle Cock
Twitch ...twitch ... bam! They look effective Alan. Did you see that Browns are becoming addicted to meth in polluted water in Europe? What is this world coming to?
ReplyDeletebillp
DeleteThanks
Bill what else can we do to our friends? It's a crazy world. Lot's of rain here.
Brk trt, nice post as usual.
ReplyDeleteI actually went back to (1) of your old posts a few days ago about the Ausable caddis. I've been tying nymph patterns and admitting purchasing my dry fly patterns for years. Well this past year, I decided to economically start trying and tying dries. Long story short, you can only tie so many ELC's. So I said to myself, what has brk trt tied. Thanks for your years of library knowledge and ideas. Though I really need calf tail instead of calf body to look traditional and texture correct. They tied up fairly well and most likely will work. Thanks....Phil
DRYFLTGUY
DeleteThanks
Phil you picked a good post to highlight. The Ausable caddis is a great fly. Calf body hair is good for emerger patterns, but for other flies small streamers and bombers and wulffs you need that rustic kink that calf tail gives the fly.
Alan, yes I do carry streamers, expecially early spring, and fall seasons. I particularly like a squirrel tail streamer tied locally.
ReplyDeleteDave H
DeleteThanks
The simple squirrel tail streamer was one of my favorite flies when I first started fly fishing. That fly was responsible for many many trout on the Natchaug.
Dave H
DeleteI found this post from the past. https://smallstreamreflections.blogspot.com/2018/07/squirrel-tails.html
Alan, I reviewed the older post, I do have some streamers that are very similar. My locally tied streamer uses much more squirrel tail pieces and peacock herl. The local tier calls it a bloody butcher streamer.
DeleteDave H, I have heard of the Bloody Butcher. I believe it's an old English pattern.
DeleteI fish in Rangeley, so always have some streamers in my box!
ReplyDeleteUnknown
DeleteThanks
Yes indeed Rangeley is a prime place to fish streamers. The "bathtub" and the Rangeley river have produced many nice salmon and brook trout on streamers. Especially in the fall.
Alan
ReplyDeleteI have some of your streamers in my fly box. I have to admit that I always go with the traditional nymph and dries. I have landed bluegill on Walker Lake using streamers: the streamer is a work in progress on the Sipsey. Thanks for sharing
Bill Trussell
DeleteThanks
Bill keep on working that streamer on the Sipsey. It will reward you.
In my limited fly fishing experience , streamers have often worked well, even if the promise of bigger fish has not always panned out. One of the most recent fish caught on a streamer was a brook trout of 3-4 inches that wasn't much bigger than the streamer itself. I like that they are easy to track and thus it's easy to see the fish react to them. This really helps with learning how to read and work a stream.
ReplyDeleteShawn
DeleteThanks
Shawn brookies at any size will take streamers. They love color and flash. There are few subtle takes when a streamer is fished.
Beautiful streamers, Alan. I always have at least black wooly buggers in my box, and turn to them frequently on the "big" pools on the small streams I fish. Recently I've been having bad luck with a string of missed strikes. I wonder if that's just luck or if my buggers are too big for the tiny brookies. What size do you tie your small stream streamers in?
ReplyDeleteHi Colin,
DeleteA size 12 olive or black wooly bugger does a great job for me with brookies from 4" and up.
Colin
DeleteThanks
Colin a black wooly bugger is a great choice. The missed takes is something we all experience and will eventually swing in your favor. Most of the streamers I fish are size 10, I do from time to time fish an 8.
Hey Alan. Been busy destroying the front yard. Streamers are always with me. I've found the most success in lakes.
ReplyDeleteMark Kautz
DeleteThanks
"Been busy destroying the front yard". Mark I see an interesting post coming. Lakes are a good place to fish streamers.
Hi Alan,
ReplyDeleteI have had streamers in my boxes for a few seasons now but didn't start using them until this time last year. One of the members of my local club persuaded me into giving them ago and what a result! I was quite shocked at the shear number and size of fish that followed my little baby fat minnow - exciting stuff!
Streamers don't work all the time, but when they do the results can be spectacular.....
Take care and stay safe
Alistair
Alistair
DeleteThanks
Alistair browns and brookies both fancy the streamer. Rainbows will investigate them. I have found rainbows much prefer the wooly buggers.
Two patterns are always with me, Muddler and Black Wooly Bugger. I fish them with a jigging motion with a split shot at the head of the fly. They will typically pick up a fish or two in the deeper slow pools that riffles pour into. I agree that rainbows are partial to the Wooly Bugger.
ReplyDeletetwo rod
DeleteThanks
The muddler is another fly that does not get the play it deserves. I will at times put a little floatant on it and fish it dry with super results.