Mark D. Williams

Casting streamers may not be a graceful kind of fly fishing, but it is often the most effective method to entice big trout and bass.

Why streamers? I can give you 20 reasons why. In fact, if you seriously want to catch the biggest fish in the river or lake with a fly, then leave the dries and nymphs in the box and fish only streamers. That's how deadly streamers are.

Why not streamers is the question.

Streamers give the fish a change of pace. Trout and bass will almost always take a streamer. Big fish eat other fish, they eat fat swimming creatures. They have to because to maintain their size, they must become piscavores. That means hunting for prey that provides lots of calories. Streamers are big and imitate fish and other high-calorie snacks.

Fishing streamers is the spin fishing of fly fishing. The least important aspect of streamer fishing is casting. The most important facet is the presentation, and that is accomplished in much the same manner as in spin fishing — with the art of the retrieval.

	When to Fish Streamers

No art involved. You toss out your big fly in a general area, let it sink a second, then strip in the big fly in varying degrees of speed and delays. The keys are finding the right depth and getting the optimum retrieval speed.

Tossing the Big Stuff

So how in the world do you fish a streamer? Start by slowing down your delivery, pace your stroke, open up a bit. Casting streamers all day is going to make your arm drop off by the end of the day but what the heck? You're all about catching big fish right?

Streamers catch big fish

First things first. Cut off your normal tippet and tie on 3X tippet or a leader tapering down to 2X or 3X. Stick with a 5-, 6- or 7-weight outfit because the extra weight will overpower a lesser weight rod. Keep your leaders short, four to seven feet long, nine feet at the most.

Streamers take a second to sink when they hit the water and make a lot of noise, so always try to cast about a yard or two above the spot you are eyeing. That way, the streamer will be in the proper depth to pass by your fish.

Some think you should always fish streamers downstream while others believe that doing so spooks the fish. Others believe anglers should always plop streamers across and upstream to get the best drift. Which is best? Both work.

There is some legitimacy to the idea that downstream fishing leads to pulling the hook out of the fish's mouth but not often enough to make me worry about it. I have caught plenty of fish, trout and smallmouth, by casting straight across from me, slightly downstream, then swinging the fly through the pool.

	When to Fish Streamers You probably know the standard situations when streamers work best: In the spring, during high water, if you see no rises, and in the absence of hatches. But there are many other situations ideal for fishing streamers. Here are a few: When temperatures are cold When fishing deep pools, dropoffs and ledges When fishing undercut banks When covering a lot of water quickly When searching a lake When you are after big fish When you need to get down to fish holding deep When you need to reach fish holding under limbs and other obstructions When you are fishing runs, riffles and trenches When you have long stretches of pocket water with lots of boulders When fish are feeding but on bottom nymphing On overcast days, rainy days, early and late, in dirty water and right after rain

Move on to Fishing Streamers, Part II

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