"There will be days when the fishing is better than one's most optimistic forecast, others when it is far worse. Either is a gain over just staying home" - Roderick Haig Brown
I really don't care for streamer fishing when I'm out after trout. I like flies that imitate insects when I'm on the stream. Insects dictate when I'm going to be on the river whether it's on a freestone like the Millers or an environmentally controlled river like the Swift or the Farmy. I do fish streamers when I fish for critters that get their calories from baitfish and that would be stripers, bluefish and all of those southern saltwater species I love to fish for. Do I ever fish a streamer when going after trout? Yes, and here's how.
I was fishing the Ware River a few Aprils ago during a high water event with a downpour to boot. I'm swinging a marabou streamer in the classic way but felt something was amiss. "Minnows don't move that fast in the current" I thought. They're not going to act like they are going to be swept away in the current. My mind began to wander to times spent on the Swift where little brookies just seemed to hang in pods around me regardless of the current. They didn't swim away. I once saw a 4lb brown grab a stationary brook trout that was holding in the current a few feet from me. In short, baitfish don't get swept away too often so why swing them?
I attached a split shot 8 inches above the streamer and High Sticked my way upstream working every likely spot slowly on a short line. In short, I fished that streamer like a nymph, caught trout, and have been doing it ever since when I get the urge for a streamer.
I like marabou as the main material in a streamer. Most fixed wing classics are junk except for Carrie Steven's original Grey Ghost which was built right!!! I don't like articulated steamers. I like to imitate insects and fool trout with them. That's why we call it Fly Fishing!!
The Storm
The Swift River valley ended up with 10-12 inches of snow and it's safe to say that the paths along the river are all packed down by now. Including today you have 13 days left on that 2020 license. Don't forget the new one!!!
Book me
Ken
14 comments:
I have spent a good amount of time this year fishing small articulated streamers deep in Cady Lane, mostly downsized versions of Kelly Galloup's patterns. The brook trout population in that part of the river is absolutely astounding, with my average brookie being close to 12 inches. I would rather catch one big native brookie than 5 big bows any day!
Devin,
I spent many a summer morning this year in the depths of Cady Lane catching MANY good sized brookies on a Gartside Streamer or a size 12 WB. There are so many brookies there. And YES,I like them more than rainbows.
Ken
I absolutely agree that nothing beats a dry fly being sucked in delicately after a perfect presentation. Wish that could happen every trip.
For a quick fix between hatches, I tie on a semi floating wounded minnow marabou streamer and tuck cast it into the fastest water coming out of the bottom of the Bondsville dams. The response is anything but delicate and the presentation isn’t in any sense a work of art but the big splash is just as gratifying.
Over the last 40 years, this technique has has worked so well for me on Landlocks and Brookies at GLS that I had to give a try on the Swift last season. Wish I hadn’t waited so long.
Happy Holidays
Hamonfly
Ham,
Good to hear from you. It's been a long time. Your dam method reminds me of fishing just below the aqueduct inflow at Wachusett reservoir years ago. Stunned smelt would be sucked in from Quabbin from time to time and the lakers and salmon would chase them.
Have a Great Holiday Season.
Ken
Hamonfly,
What is the hook number, size and pattern for your semi floating wounded minnow marabou streamer? Would you please share it. Thanks very much and Merry Xmas.
"Doc"
"Most fixed wing classics are junk except for Carrie Steven's original Grey Ghost". Well I will argue that point and add that in my experience of over 40years of fishing, the Black Ghost has never let me down. I also carry small Thundercreek BNDace patterns which prove effective everywhere dace are found. Gartside Soft Hackles would be ideal for your fishing method. What makes fly fishing so interesting is everyone eventually finds their go-to patterns. One man's junk is another's treasure!
I love a Gartside Soft Hackle streamer #1 above all others primarily in yellow. I have caught a ton of fish on it: 1986/87 with my dad in a driving rainstorm on the Housatonic in CT. He wouldn't get out of the car...I was itching to fish so I lashed on a yellow Gartside SHS and had probably one of my top 3 days of trout fishing in my life. This fall it was attracting some lake runners on the upper Madison as much as any of the over size rubber legged articulated local favorites. I had a floating line and a sinking leader with some 2X and a twitch about every 5 seconds- the tugs weren't too plentiful but that is to be expected but very reminiscent of a big stripers hammering flies in the rocks.
Hi Ken - I fish this pattern a lot on the Swift with good success on the strip and dead drift swinging. I use different sizes and often put it right on the far bank, let it dead drift, and then strip fast a few times. Seems to get good bites. It looks like the holidays might be warm and wet, hoping for more snow. Happy Holidays!
https://rangeleyflyshop.com/blogs/fly-of-the-month-maine-fly-shop/little-brook-trout
Anonymous,
My problem with fixed wing streamers is that they are not built like Carrie Stevens built the Grey Ghost. She tied the wings on each side of the hook shank instead of on the top of the shank in the traditional way. Her streamers looked like smelt, long and slender. After she died everyone went back to the old way of tying streamers. Not an improvement.
Ken
Lot's of your questions will be answered here.
https://globalflyfisher.com/patterns-streamers/alan-petrucci-streamers
Thank you Brk Trt. Happy Holidays to you!
Ken
Hi Ken- I'm a fan of upstream dead drifting both streamers and winged wets. Do you ever allow them to float past you down stream? I have caught trout just as the line begins to tighten in the current and the fly lifts.
Since I live walking distance from the Quinnie horseshoe dam, I have had some fun with this stunned minnow there.
Most of the time I end up with Smallies taking it.
The pattern is Putts Special but tied with a bit more white marabou and without any weight but the hook.
They don’t float long but if nothing has happened after a couple of casts, it’s usually time to move on.
TL
Ham on fly
Dean F,
I will let them float past me especially the wets.
Ken
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