I love streamer fishing, it almost tops dry flies for me. Fish chasing down and KILLING the fly, how much better can it get. I fish mainly for Trout, living in Montana, but streamer fishing is an important skill to master for pretty much all species. There are so many different ways to fish streamers it is hard to say which would be the best. Most books touting streamer techniques only demonstrate one or two techniques. I enjoyed Modern Streamer Tactics for Trophy Trout, it is a good read, but I fish streamers on floating lines almost exclusively and I like to actively pursue the fish. The number one thing that turns people off of streamer fishing is that they don't think they are doing it right, or they "can't" catch fish with them. The best way to build confidence throwing streamers for trout/smallmouth in a river setting is to start by dead drifting a streamer just like you would a nymph. After drifting the streamer through a slot/hole, strip the streamer up to your feet then cast again. You will catch fish both ways. Then, after gaining some confidence, start "twitching" the flies along with the dead drift, then let the streamer Swim at the end of the run, finish by stripping the bug back to you. Next start throwing your flies to the head of a hole or up and across and actively strip the fly across the hole/riffle. You will catch fish doing this. You can also cast down and across and let the bug swing across the river while stripping. I believe that the old quarter down and swing with no strip method is probably the least effective method for fishing for trout with streamers. Fishing from a boat for big browns entails throwing big bugs and landing them at the shores edge, then stripping them off the shore to lure that 5 lb. brown to your streamer, so accuracy is important. The streamer is designed to look like a small fish, crawfish or large nymph, so fish it like it is alive, throw it behind rocks, around tree balls, under banks, basically anywhere you think that a trout may live and let it twitch. Most of all, don't give up, catching a fish on a streamer is one of the most rewarding ways of taking trout. >>> "DonO" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> 11/30/2006 1:36 PM >>> Mike, There are many on this list that can help you with specifics, say tailwater streamer tactics, but we must know the type of water you want to fish and the target fish- species and size. Then, there's conventional wisdom (books) vs. unconventional wisdom. An oversized streamer with a small trailer hook catches a lot of fish in certain situations. DonO
----- Original Message ----- From: Michael Bliss ( mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] ) To: [email protected] Sent: Thursday, November 30, 2006 12:46 PM Subject: [VFB] Streamer fishing List: I consider myself an above average nymph fisherman, adequate dry fly fisherman and I stink as a streamer fisherman. I have a goal this year to raise that aspect of my flyfishing. Can any of you recommend an excellent book on the subject where I can at least get the concepts more clear in my mind? Thanks. Mike No virus found in this incoming message. Checked by AVG Free Edition. Version: 7.1.409 / Virus Database: 268.15.2/559 - Release Date: 11/30/2006
