Fly Fishing Streamers – Go For The Big Ones

Fly fishing is a wonderful hobby to pick up. Not only will you get to enjoy the great outdoors while fishing for trout and other fish species, but you will be participating in a form of art. Fly fishing can be difficult to pick up, but once you know the basics, you can easily catch fish. Catching fish isn’t solely dependent on your technique or form when casting and retrieving, but also depends on the fly you use, the leader strength you go with, and the fish’s feeding habits. Below, we will discuss the advantages of utilizing fly fishing streamers versus other types of flies.

Dry And Wet Flies

There are a few different fly types that you can use to attract fish and incite a strike. Dry flies are named because they are designed to float and imitate an adult insect floating on the surface of the water. Ideally, they should stay dry, so if you have a dry fly that is sinking, try desiccating it to dry it out.

Wet flies and nymphs imitate insect larvae and emerging adults. They are meant to be drifted below the surface of the water with a strike indicator above them.

What Are Fly Fishing Streamers?

The third main type of flies is streamers. Streamers imitate minnows, frogs, leaches, and other aquatic life. They are a lot bigger than dry flies or nymphs. There is a completely different technique used when fishing streamers. They are meant to be casted out and then retrieved like a lure by stripping the line in. Fly fishing streamers patterns come in a wide variety of colors, shapes, and types.

Types Of Fly Fishing Streamers

Bucktails are streamers that are tied with different colors of bucktail, usually with flashy ribbon wrapped around the shank of the hook. They almost always mimic minnows, and are meant to be stripped fast.

Wooly buggers are basically fuzzy hooks covered in different colors of yarn. They can have a weight or not, depending on the depth you are trying to achieve. These streamers mimic leaches, and are very effective in mossy waters.

There are other various feather based streamers, such as the Maribou diver, Dahlberg diver, Muddler minnow, etc. These streamers can be used to imitate anything from leaches and minnows, to frogs and even mice.

Techniques For Fly Fishing Streamers

Now that you know the basic types of streamers, there are a few fly fishing streamers techniques to talk about. There is the basic cast and retrieve. The stripping motion of the line can be done quickly or slowly, depending on the scenario. There is the crazed minnow technique, which is basically a zig-zag motion that is effective at drawing attention. Sometimes the streamer is heavy and difficult to cast with a typical ten o’clock to two o’clock fly cast. You will need to get a little creative. A sling shot motion often will do the trick, but be careful not to snap too hard, or you might lose your streamer.

Below is a short video clip showing where, when, and how to fish a streamer in a slow moving pool to larger fish.

Advantages Of Fly Fishing Streamers

The beauty with fly fishing streamers flies is that they are very versatile, and can be used in many different situations that other flies cannot. If fish are not feeding, like during their spawn, it might be difficult or impossible to get a fish to rise to a dry fly. A nymph might float right in front of their nose, but if they are not feeding, they won’t take it. But a streamer poses another option. Spawning fish are territorial, and often are looking to protect their nests. A large, ugly, erratic streamer might pose a threat, inciting a strike.

Consider also the scenario where you have spring runoff waters that are very murky. Good luck getting a fish to rise to your dry fly or to see your tiny scud nymph. A flashy streamer is a great low visibility option. Below is some footage showing some winter streamer fishing in my backyard, the rivers of Utah.

The Bottom Line

Now that you are acquainted with fly fishing streamers a little more, it is time to go out and buy fly fishing streamers from your local tackle shop or online retailer. Online retailers will usually have cheap fly fishing streamers, and a better selection. As always, happy fishing!

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