Smelt Patterns..."Yankee Smelt"

Many of the feather wing streamers created for fishing in the northeast were tied to represent the smelt. Smelt are found in many cold water lakes and are the primary food sources of salmon and trout which also inhabit these same lakes. The smelt can vary in color depending at what depth they may be found. Some when looked at seem to be transparent. I know of a few lakes in Connecticut where smelt can be found. When ice fishing we seek out these little fish, they are excellent table fare.

While most of my fishing is done in small streams, there are times when I'll fish a few of these smelt lakes, primarily in the early Spring. Fishing one of these smelt patterns will usually bring a nice brown to the net.

"Yankee Smelt"

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Streamer Versatility

"Grizzly" it's not just for "Buggers"
These feathers are very versatile and can be used for many streamer patterns. When combined with other saddle hackle can give very life like and natural looking forage fish patterns. When you feel creative and add color you can achieve some very good attractor patterns.
Most grizzly hackle can be a bit on the narrow side, especially when purchased as "bugger packs" but their price is reasonable and when teamed up with wider saddle hackle the effects can work well.

The Brown Olive Ghost with its grizzly hackle gives this streamer that shadow effect.

The vibrant colors of this streamer with its yellow grizzly hackle makes a fine flashy attractor pattern, and possibly a natural "Perch" pattern.

This pattern uses a natural grizzly feather. It could perhaps represent a variety of minnows found everywhere. Or it can work very effectively as a "smelt" pattern, for which it was tied to represent. "Hogsback"


So try a few grizzly streamers, you'll be surprised how good some of your patterns can be.