Streamer Junkies?

[zenherper]

I know they are out there; people who love streamers, and some who almost exclusively fish them. I’ve seen the videos and read the blogs. It has just never grabbed me the way that it has grabbed others. Not only do I rarely fish streamers, I have already taken the 🦨 instead of even trying to throw a streamer. Don’t get me wrong. I’m not talking trash on streamer guys. In fact, I believe they probably catch more larger fish than I do. I guess I just never developed the right appreciation for them. I also don’t tie streamers, so that might play into it as well. So I’ll put it out there… Streamer folks, what do you love about streamers? Is it just an increased probability of large fish? I’m interested in hearing your perspectives.

 

[Fish Sticks]

I will say that i enjoy tying streamers because you have to be more purposeful about the movement/designing the movement vs say zebra midge, sulfur comparadun, Pheasant tail ect.

My obsession is not so much tying streamers but large nighttime flies often called “wet flies” but theres not much difference between a streamer and large night wet flies. I like building in movement, making them push water to help the fish locate the fly, and I like that you mostly swing them above the fish so they can see the silhouette above them and this also means you don’t snag and lose your flies constantly. During the day you may have to roll that game changer or dolly lama right on the bottom and hang ups are common and they take a while to tie. Fish size is not as big a draw for me because large trout often take tiny(size 6) wets at night instead of the mouse or dragon tail streamer anyway. I tie alot of day time streamers too. Don’t get me wrong I tie drys, nymphs as well alot. Thats just what i like about streamers and the fish attack them pretty aggressively.

 

[rustbeltwilds]

bigger the better lol lol feed em a burger instead of a raisin lol lol

 

[sarce]

For me it's the response they get from the fish. Not to say that dry fly eats can't be aggressive too, but it is really something to watch a trout charge out from cover in the blink of an eye to attack a 4-5" long fly. Especially when the trout is only 10" long lol.

The other thing about streamers is they can be used for other species too. Bass, pike, stripers, etc. You can use nymphs and dries for bass I guess (one of my largest bass ate a humpy) but I like knowing the fly I spent a half hour tying or bought for $6 is not limited in use to one type of fish.

 

[HopBack]

Nothing gets the heart rate up like an aggressive streamer take. I can also cover a lot more ground quickly and I like this because my fishing style is more active than passive.

 

[tomgamber]

I'm a bugger junkie. Does that count

 

[Fish Sticks]

I'm a bugger junkie. Does that count

Yea thats where i was going with the wet fly basically the same in some regard. Is it streamer is it a wet fly is it the same thing when its that size. Yes yes and yes

My slate drake wet fly patterns essentially just look like micro buggers

 

[Zipper]

Fish a streamer for steelhead. The well-worn phrase is still applicable, the tug is the drug.

 

[silverfox]

I've grown to like the sporadic action of streamer fishing. The long periods of not seeing a fish and then an explosive take when you least expect it. I like musky fishing for the same reason. You learn that getting skunked is ok. Especially with musky. For trout, its a great way to discover what's in the stream. I've been shocked by some of the fish I moved with big streamers in places I would've sworn only had small fish.

 

[troutbert]

I fish streamers when the conditions are best for them. Which is when the water is up and off color. When the light levels are low, such as early morning, near dusk, or under cloudy skies is another plus factor.

The reasons to fish streamers when conditions are like that are: 1) it works 2) the chances of catching larger than average size fish. 3) trout often ATTACK streamers, so it's exciting.

 

[Peyton]

Streamers are very fun, throwing large bass and large musky streamers isn't for everyone, but it puts me on big fish and helps me locate where the fish are during that time. And who enjoys watching a bobber drift for hours on end? not me.

 

[fritz]

Streamers, yeah. The thump when you don’t see them and when i do see the mad dash and eat. Oh yeah!

 

[JeffK]

I'm not a streamer junkie but fish them a lot. High water is the classic streamer situation, and I also like to cover lots of water throwing streamers to all the likely spots. It is a great way to learn a stream and hopefully learn the homes of a few bigger specimens. Really is good casting practice as you generally need to hit close to the bank under and around trees, logs and other hiding places. When trout get aggressive in the fall is another streamer situation for larger trout. Finally, I do it to mix it up. Sometimes after flogging a Lehigh Valley limestoner all day with tiny midges and olives a late afternoon switch to streamers can bring a sudden burst of activity.

 

[Prospector]

The best conditions to fish streamers is when it is raining and the creek is rising especially in a stream full of brown trout. Brook trout also get active but at a lower rate. When it’s on you will get 100 strikes in an hour. Being mobile is a real advantage. You need to put the streamer past as many trout as possible in these ideal conditions. For those that don’t fish in the rain you will miss out.

I walk downstream as I cast to the far bank. I strip the streamer fairly fast but not at light speed. Adjust your streamer to the size of the trout to get more hookups.

As you walk downstream and you have a strike, stop and cast to that same spot over and over as long as you are getting strikes. It seems the trout get really fired up when they see their buddy attacking a minnow. Cast to that same spot as long as you are getting strikes. When you move, take a step or two downstream and place your streamer 3 feet downstream from your last cast and strip it in fairly fast. If no strike, take two steps downstream. When you get strikes stay in the spot until they stop hitting and then continue downstream. I actually walk continuously downstream when I’m casting and searching since I’ve been doing this for probably 45 years.

Last year in my 5 day trip to the Catskills I caught more trout on the one rain day with streamers than I caught the other 4 days combined. I also moved much bigger fish.

The one downside is the hookup rate is low. 1 in 5 to 1 in 7 strikes but the strikes are tremendous.

 

[jifigz]

My fishing roots all stem from serious bass angling with spinning and baitcasting gear working soft plastics and hard baits. While I haven't done this type of angling in well over a decade, those roots have led me to be a very successful streamer fisherman. I don't fish streamers as often as I used to, however, but there are definitely times where it is the best tactic for the situation. And, believe it or not, many of those times are under "clear-water" conditions.

I love indicator fishing, too. And dry fly fishing.....and tightlining, and dapping.......there is a time and a place for all tactics and sometimes I wanna fish how I wanna fish. It isn't always about catching fish, being successful, etc. It is about catching fish how I feel like catching fish that day. As long as we all find enjoyment in our time spent on the water.

You won't catch me with a fly rod and at least not having some woolly buggers, though. That might be the single best fly ever created for multi-species angling.

 

[sarce]

The one downside is the hookup rate is low. 1 in 5 to 1 in 7 strikes but the strikes are tremendous.

I love getting those shark attack hits when doing the down and across thing, but you're right about the hookup rate. I hook a much higher percentage of fish on a dead drift cast upstream or with subtle strips as it tumbles down toward me. Probably around 50%. But this can feel more like nymphing. It tends to be less visual and more feel.

I like to balance the two extremes by positioning myself across from the cover that I think holds a large trout to get that visual t-bone attack on a more actively retrieved fly. But like all fishing you have to adapt to what's in front of you, and not every spot will lend itself to fishing streamers this way. In many cases it would spook the fish if you were to work up to be directly across from them. And casting from way below or way above is the only chance at drawing a strike.

 

[jifigz]

The one downside is the hookup rate is low. 1 in 5 to 1 in 7 strikes but the strikes are tremendous.

You and I must fish streamers differently, because I cannot really say this fits my streamer fishing/results. This only happens on days when fish are short striking and not really interested, and those days are not that common.

 

[Fish Sticks]

My fishing roots all stem from serious bass angling with spinning and baitcasting gear working soft plastics and hard baits. While I haven't done this type of angling in well over a decade, those roots have led me to be a very successful streamer fisherman. I don't fish streamers as often as I used to, however, but there are definitely times where it is the best tactic for the situation. And, believe it or not, many of those times are under "clear-water" conditions.

I love indicator fishing, too. And dry fly fishing.....and tightlining, and dapping.......there is a time and a place for all tactics and sometimes I wanna fish how I wanna fish. It isn't always about catching fish, being successful, etc. It is about catching fish how I feel like catching fish that day. As long as we all find enjoyment in our time spent on the water.

You won't catch me with a fly rod and at least not having some woolly buggers, though. That might be the single best fly ever created for multi-species angling.

wooly bugger could catch tarpon at right size.

I started off with a spinning rod and a rapala and a baitcaster and jig and pig for bass as well. I think larry dhalberg has some really interesting way at comparing the ways in which gear anglers and tournament bass fishermen think that could transfer over to fly fishing though. I do not share his view that using plug imitations on fly rods is a fruitless venture though. If your floating and hit an eddy with a game changer you can pick it up and put it right back. Try doing that with a rapala floating at a healthy clip.

 

[Nymph-wristed]

Status = It's complicated

I fish them when conditions are right and love it for the reasons others cited above. The chase, rolling fish that don't commit, getting clobbered, jumping a massive fish, even if it gets off. If you are batting .600, you are having a banner day, but the action is fun if you are in the right mindset for it.

Jigged streamer fishing has also mostly replaced my winter nymphing with midges in a lot creeks. Unlike in better water temps, winter is basically tighlining (perhaps with a swing) a bigger meal for a potentially bigger fish, but plenty of dinks eat the jigs too.

All that said, and results may vary by crick, I have caught just as many big fish nymphing as on a streamer. And I think the chances of catching a big fish in a big fish haunt, not just moving and potentially spooking or blowing it, are better with a nymph (or that bugger so many have referenced too).

 

[DomR]

I'm Dom....and I'm a streamer junkie. Usually the smaller size 8-12 buggers and classic streamers like the grey ghost.

The tug is the drug