Rookie Q' on fly line for streamer fishing

[drews]

Ok Ive been doing a lot of reading about streamer fishing, bug streamers for BIG trout. Keep reading about feet per second sink and grains etc... see the Kelly Galloup SA line and wondering if anyone can offer advice on what else is out there that would work??? I have a 7wt 10' zero G med flex

thanks in advance for all the advice

 

[jayL]

I fish a lot of big streamers. If I had my way, it's all I'd do. I don't think a sinking line is necessary unless you're spending most of your time on the largest PA rivers.

Most PA streams are easily fished with weighted flies on a floating line. If you really want to do the weightless flies thing, a sink tip is easily attached. I don't see the galloup methods as any more effective in PA, and they take the ability to deep dead drift the flies like large nymphs, which is how I catch a decent number of fish. In Montana, it's definitely a good approach. The sinking line will unnecessarily limit your ability to present the fly in a variety of ways in our shallower streams.

A full sinking line strikes me as a specialty item that wouldn't see much use for typical PA trout fishing.

That's how I see it.

 

[PennKev]

You might want to look into the sink-tips that are available. They come in different lengths and densities. You add them to your floating lines as needed via loop-to-loop connections. I've found them to be very effective and much more practical compared to a full sinking line. You can also make your own from LC-13, T-14, T-11, T-8 materials. (Leadcore line and line with tungsten in the coating, respectively)

5 feet of T-8 works pretty well for PA trout fishing in my experience.

You won't have the great casting characteristics of a full sinking line, but the versatility and convenience are worth it.

Kev

 

[drews]

Thanks guys

JayL you responded to one of my posts the other day (thanks) not sure if you remember that I am going to Montana this summer and am already tying the Sdungeons and big slumpbsters etc... just want to make sure that I have the right equip for the water out there. As for Pa I agree with what you said...I know its old, but I fish Potter Co and am still flinging the wooley buggers with floating 6 wt and have no issues... Montana is the big question

Thanks

 

[jayL]

Ah, well in that case, I hope someone can weigh in with a suggestion.

I did fish a few sink tips in Montana, but mostly stuck with super heavy buggers. I was fishing in a drift boat, and the idea was to put the bugger as far up into the streamside willows as possible. I was able to cast the weighted bugger MUCH more accurately than a sink tip.

That said, when I was fishing in more open spots, the sink tip provided for some awesome visual strikes. I hope to experiment more with it out there this summer.

 

[bam]

Here's a great deal on a clear Cortland intermediate line if you want a dedicated reel or spool for specifically fishing streamers. 7 and 8 wt lines left. These lines will get below the surface nicely and at the same time you can fish them slow without getting hung up. Intermediate tips are nice for stream fishing as it'll allow you to mend the floating portion of the line, but a full intermediate at $25 should serve you well.

http://www.mrfc.com/MadisonRiverShopping/SearchResult.aspx?CategoryID=4

 

[afishinado]

Drews,

A sinking line on an extra spool works well if you fish streamers a lot on big water, but a sink tip or poly leader is a decent substitute for a sink-tip line. A full sink line works best in still water (lakes).

Don't get caught up on one method of fishing with dreams of toads and hogs stripping big streamers. There are a lot of ways to catch fish out in Montana. Some of my best fishing out there has been catching huge fish on dries (down to size 24 trikes) and small nymphs.

Go with the flow, keep an open mind, try it all, and most of all have fun fishing. Don't forget to look up from the water every once in a while and enjoy the breath-taking surroundings.

Good luck.

 

[Acristickid]

Have used a short 2-3 ft of heavy butt material, loop, then 4 ft sink tip, loop, then 2-4 ft of heavy leader attached to the fly. Used that because, for me, I did'nt want to fish streamers all day. I mean if your in a boat okay fine- have a dedicated streamer rod but this setup worked for me.

You might get used to throwing huge dries size#8 stimi's or similar and catching trouts all day. Unless your boating- my best days came from lesser known streams.

Have fun- it's hard not too.

 

[drews]

Hey thanks to all that have responded... I appreciate your advice. I hav been fly fishing for several years now and do a lot of my own flies, so the next question makes me feel kinda dumb, but what are the sink tips everyone keeps mentioning? Point me in the right direction? Thanks

 

[Acristickid]

Something like this is what I have used.

sinktip


Could recommend listening to Kelly Galloups podcast from the Itenerant Angler website.

I like articulated streamers with a 4-5 ft sink tip. Started a few years ago getting a little more serious about it. (some buddies fish with a full sinking line- but just never wanted to spend the money)

Streamers had been a thing I did when I was lazy, killing time or when nothing else is happening or high water.

A few years ago,I commited myself to fishing with streamers all day. I rigged up a loop to loop connecting my short sinking tip with heavy stout maxima leader material maybe 3 feet and attached maybe 2 feet of 2x. Of course I lost several big fish.

Look at Schmidt outfitters fly shop in MI or Kelly Galloups shop the Slide Inn in MT for streamer pattern ideas. Some streamers are 6-8 inches long.

My experience has been that I would get a strike with in the first 5 feet of my retreive. Also seemed that if the fly did get a short strike or follow that casting again at the fish was futile. Seemed like if they got a look at it once- they were'nt gonna take it.

I did more pounding the banks type streamer fishing then the dead drifts. I will try more dead drifting to see if that might be more effective.

Streamers to me seems a way to catch some bigger than average trout but you sure are not gonna catch many of them.

 

[drews]

Ok thanks kid... Seems to be the consensus (bigger but fewer) I have been well say pounding the water with every combo of WB I can possibly think of the last few years and have done very well. I am going to increase the variation of of types of streamers in my box...looks like I need to check into these loops...thanks again

 

[skiltonian]

Ray Schimdt definety has some cool patterns and a lot are geared to salmon fresh from the lake. I'd get a galloup line, just because he's a cool dude!

 

[skibo5]

Shark skin are great lines, But Galloup always complains about stripping them on his TV show. I guess eventually it will give you a nice cut.

 

[jdaddy]

acristickid wrote:

Could recommend listening to Kelly Galloups podcast from the Itenerant Angler website.

He is usually chucking streamers and giving lessons on same with the new FFTV series that is on Versus. It's on Mondays and has some pretty good stuff on it.

 

[midnightangler]

I agree with what JayL has said. I'd only recommend using full sinking lines if you're fishing from a boat. Its no fun to have sinking line tangle around your ankles while you try to wade.

You should look into the of sink tips that can be attached to floating line, which is a much cheaper alternative to buying a separate fly line. Fly lines are a question of personal taste, so I don't think its worth it to shell out $70+ for a line until you have a pretty good idea of what you want it to do.

 

[Lonewolve]

^5 what Jayl said, i use a Cortland 444 DT either 5 or 6 wt or when i know its a windy day i use a Rio Windcutter 5 or 6 wt for my single handers and i use A trout spey rod alot too on the Big Rivers with the Trout Spey I use two lines on the same rod I use Rio Windcutter Spey WF 4/5 and a Rio Windcutter Spey WF 5/6 and thses lines work perfect for streamers and soft hackles,for streamers if i need to get down more beside throwing further upstream or across ill pinch a splitshot on till i find the zone where they will strike or follow.Floaters are the way to go ,unless you are fishing the ocean a sinking line or sink tip is a waste of money and time.You lose alot of control of drift with a sinking line as well as a sink tip ,not so with a floater.
Also a intermediate has its place too but to get down just got with a floater and splitshot open yer loops and yer set to go.
Tight wraps Tight Lines
Rick Wallace

 

[pete41]

If you are doing Montana in the summer-{in Montana that ends around sept. first}-you want to stock up on summer streamer flies.6-8-even a few tens.The big ones are for the fall fishing-you want them weighted.
Sinking head for bigger rivers,sink tip for Firehole,Gallatin etc.
With the smaller summer streamers the old feather winged types like the spruce flies are great-The light spruce fly streamer is a dead ringer for the sculpin[when wet].The only drawback is they are not a good night fly as the wing wraps around the hook every so often[bend the feather back when that happens]
If you are imitating scuplins keep in mind they are bottom huggers.Down,down,down
Leech fur makes probably the best summer streamer.
Black,brown,olive.
If you want the big ones prior to mid Oct.-sun down to sun up or do the rain dance-Many people fish when the guides want to work but the guides fish when the big ones feed-no sun on the water until mid fall-
95 % dudes never get a wall fish[4pds up]but they have fun.