Streamer Setup Recommendation

[dropshot]

I am looking for a recommendation on a setup for throwing streamers this summer in Maine. I was thinking of a 6wt, probably orvis. Also looking for a recommendation on line. I have never thrown streamers before, so any advice is appreciated. Thanks.

 

[krayfish2]

What kind of water are you fishing, how deep are these areas, what budget would you like to keep it in, etc?

 

[dropshot]

I would like to stay with a moderately priced rod. Not sure how much use I may get out of it here in PA, as I had never thrown streamers. Not really sure about depth. I will be fishing in the area around Moosehead Lake. Looking for a good general purpose rod for this type of fishing. Right now, I have 3, 4 and 5 wts for fishing around here. My contact in Maine suggests a 6wt, but didn't say much more than that. I was thinking maybe a Recon. Wasn't sure about length or type of line. I read a little about sinking tip line and floating lines with a sinking leader.

 

[krayfish2]

Recon, imx pro or possibly a Redington vice would be good tools for the job without wrapping up a ton of money. How much use in PA? There's as much streamer fishing available here is anywhere, you just have to go get it.

All of my streamer setups are 7wt except one 6wt. Ideally, I'd say a reel with 2 spools (floater and sink tip). If you're staying with just one real or one spool by all means get a floating line. You can get your flies down deeper by using a heavier-headed fly, a little longer leader or a poly leader. A weight forward line or something with a heavier than standard head should make it a little easier to cast heavier or wind resistant streamers. Be aware that if you get a line such as an outbound short, you can't cast it like a regular fly line. Same goes for a sink tip line. Those are lines that you pick off the water vigorously, shoot line out on the back cast, haul on the forward cast and let it rip. It'll go 50 ft. You'll learn to control where your fly is in the water column by changing the tippet size or by changing the material the fly is made out of.

* You can never strip your fly faster than a trout can swim but mending is hugely important.

* Don't be afraid to experiment with ridiculous colors or ridiculous sizes. Sometimes just 7-in trout will hit a 5-in streamer or at 20 inch trout will hit a 2-in streamer.

* How many times have you canceled plans due to muddy or high water? Not the case with streamers. You'll learn to fish in awful conditions and at weird times..... Just to get that one hit.

 

[tddeangelo]

Following… I’m on a similar “mission”.

 

[tjsingle]

So I recently got a streamer set up as a gift for Christmas. I have 9' 7WT Orvis Clearwater with Orvis Hydros III. I paired that with Orvis Pro Depth Charge sinking line. I bought this line because I've casted it before and found it to be very nice. I personally didn't think that I wanted to get a really expensive 7WT, and I have casted the Clearwaters many times and enjoyed it.

I had been mulling getting a streamer specific set up for a long time, I had previously been a believer of use a 5WT for literally everything (Which is totally OK for trout in PA). My style of fishing was (and honestly still is) to be able to throw anything at anytime, and I would carry a spool of sinking line for my 5WT. However, I have become more interested in larger patterns of streamers, and bigger water.

After using it for 6 months for mostly trout, and some warmwater, I highly recommend it. Its seen use on creek like Valley, WB, and Lakes (One in Maine and one in PA). Getting a streamer specific rod has really helped my streamer fishing. The newest version of the Clearwater is excellent. I like this setup so much, that I will be purchasing a spare spool with sink-tip line for moving water. I like the Depth-Charge line but its overkill on small to medium size creeks so I figured why not get another spool.

 

[tjsingle]

Recon, imx pro or possibly a Redington vice would be good tools for the job without wrapping up a ton of money. How much use in PA? There's as much streamer fishing available here is anywhere, you just have to go get it.

All of my streamer setups are 7wt except one 6wt. Ideally, I'd say a reel with 2 spools (floater and sink tip). If you're staying with just one real or one spool by all means get a floating line. You can get your flies down deeper by using a heavier-headed fly, a little longer leader or a poly leader. A weight forward line or something with a heavier than standard head should make it a little easier to cast heavier or wind resistant streamers. Be aware that if you get a line such as an outbound short, you can't cast it like a regular fly line. Same goes for a sink tip line. Those are lines that you pick off the water vigorously, shoot line out on the back cast, haul on the forward cast and let it rip. It'll go 50 ft. You'll learn to control where your fly is in the water column by changing the tippet size or by changing the material the fly is made out of.

* You can never strip your fly faster than a trout can swim but mending is hugely important.

* Don't be afraid to experiment with ridiculous colors or ridiculous sizes. Sometimes just 7-in trout will hit a 5-in streamer or at 20 inch trout will hit a 2-in streamer.

* How many times have you canceled plans due to muddy or high water? Not the case with streamers. You'll learn to fish in awful conditions and at weird times..... Just to get that one hit.

Krayfish2 makes great points here as well.

 

[ISK]

I had a similar quest for a lake trip to Minnesota:

I had (have) a (1st gen) orvis recon 5wt outfit and went with Sage 7wt / lamson reel for lake trout, bass, pike - throwing streamers - because it was also the wt recommended for steelhead and light inshore saltwater should I ever get the opportunity to go.

LLBean has some really nice offerings and Bean is the gold standard in Maine..

LL Bean 7wt

Also I caught more fish on floating line with weighted flies over sinking line - but we were targeting early spring beds in the shallows.

 

[krayfish2]

tj,

I used to use 7ips sink tip for bigger flies and big water. I've kinda gotten away from that approach except for exceptionally high or fast water. Sometimes need to in order to pull certain patterns under the surface. For the most part, floating line gets the job done... even on the west or Susky. Easier to cast too.

Want you to think about something for a second.....
On small water or spring creeks, you can hang your fly on the bottom and get a fish to grab it. On big water, the big fish attack from below. Think of shark week on discovery when they go airborne after seals. Same thing with the alpha male brown in the pool. Laying in the depths, see your offering and attack from below with violence. Think about streamer fishing the WB. Take is between impact with the water and the end of the second strip....or....as you lift it out beside the boat. In between is usually slim pickings

Lake fishing would be a different animal and require a full sink , parabolic sinking or something lake specific.

Finally, I'd like to add that I really don't care to streamer fish but sometimes it is the only option.

 

[tddeangelo]

A rod I haven’t seen mentioned is the Sage Payload.

Thoughts?

 

[krayfish2]

Meh, it would work well but I'm not the guy who's going to spend $600-$700 on a streamer rod. Lower price range...Clearwater, predator, vice. Mid range... Foundation, imx pro, recon, echo streamer. Other than that, something used like a rpl+, legend elite, tcx or some other stick.

Unless you are going to devote all free time to streamer chucking, all you need is something that can do the job. If you got money to burn, get an igniter or a Helios 3D. There's probably better streamer rods like finding an old sage or Loomis

My 3 streamer rods (combined) cost less than $600. Every time someone casts my junk, they tell me how much they like the way they cast. I know what action I want in a rod and I've paired a couple of different lines that work with those rods. They're actually pretty enjoyable to cast for a streamer rod.

 

[Fly-Swatter]

Payload: Great rod, but specific application. I just returned from a trip to Naples, FL. Payload 8+ was perfect for that. It's slightly shorter. That helps with the swing weight and for shooting casts under things (docks, mangroves, etc.).

It easily cast big streamers (up to 8" articulated) for Pike/musky. However, it is not meant for casting moderate sized streamers for trout. I use it for LMB and all of the above. It's not good at roll casting or mending: Stiff tip, softer butt (innuendo is in the mind of the reader).

The rods recommended above will be better all around tools. I'd go with Krayfish's suggestions. You'll likely get more use out of them than you would a Payload.

 

[tddeangelo]

Not trying to hijack the thread… my look to the Payload is for a river smallmouth rod. Maybe someday take it for steelhead.