So, good sirs of this forum. You may or may not know of my exploits of a new fly tie person. So this being said I am wanting to become more familiar with streamers as I hear so much about them. Sooo not having fished them much and certainly never tied any minus one or two wooly buggers. What is the pattern thats your go to. I would say maybe lets stray away from the ever elusive wooly bugger. But if thats your go to then so be it. I dont tie a lot and am very green at fly fishing so be easy on me. Just getting rolling here. I fish small streams in the midwest. So if thats any help as to what direction I should go.
In need of help
- Thread starter Vulpes
- Start date
Unknownflyman
Well-known member
I like small Mickey Finn`s and small Black Ghosts caught a lot of big browns on those two flies.
I enjoy the thought of some traditional patterns like those. I think I'll try and get some materials to tie them. Colors on the mickey finn. Does it have to be yellow and red or could I use like chartruse?
ia_trouter
Senior Member
Simi seal leech is a very productive streamer on slower Midwest streams, and probably my easiest tie. Black or black/blood red. I haven't used many others yet but intend to next year.
Unknownflyman
Well-known member
Muddlers are one of those flies I would rather buy than tie and to be honest I have`nt caught all that many fish on them.
I tie and use a streamer tied royal coachman and a few others... butchers some flashy classic wet and salmon fly patterns in smaller sizes. I want to get into tying smaller sculpin style minnow imitations. I tie flashy steelhead nymphs that are sort of like a streamer.
For stream trout in my area I`ve always done better on smaller sizes up #16 to #8. I do tie #4`s in the Wooly worm and bugger.
I do stick to traditional recipes and then I tie variants. Sometimes my own variant catches more fish.
Mostly because I can tailor the size of the fly and I know from previous outings how thick or thin to tie them for action in the current and drifting/swinging.
I tie and use a streamer tied royal coachman and a few others... butchers some flashy classic wet and salmon fly patterns in smaller sizes. I want to get into tying smaller sculpin style minnow imitations. I tie flashy steelhead nymphs that are sort of like a streamer.
For stream trout in my area I`ve always done better on smaller sizes up #16 to #8. I do tie #4`s in the Wooly worm and bugger.
I do stick to traditional recipes and then I tie variants. Sometimes my own variant catches more fish.
Mostly because I can tailor the size of the fly and I know from previous outings how thick or thin to tie them for action in the current and drifting/swinging.
mcnerney
Administrator
I like John Barr's Slump Buster in sizes 10 or 12 in the rivers out here in Wyoming (rivers with leeches).
Rip Tide
Well-known member
I use chartreuse on mine. You know what Lefty says: "It ain't no use if it ain't chartreuse"
For the past two years my most productive streamer has been a Black Ghost tied Clouser style
Proven saltwater style streamers like deceivers and Clouser minnows crossover well into the world of trout and warm water
ia_trouter
Senior Member
I started some threads like these a year ago and got some great advice. Though it didn't seem that way at first. I'll caution you not to give up on a famous fly pattern too quickly. A particular fly recommended in #6 might seem like throwing rocks in your stream, and magic happens with the same in a #10. You will have to figure it out on your own water, it takes time, and it will change through the seasons. Ask the locals as best you can.
I appreciate everyones input. I went shopping today and bought a bunch of stuff. Lol. I got material to tie traditional mickey finns in size 8. Woolys in black and pink (for my daughter whos 3). Half drowned cdc floating caddises. I think I have everything to do Black nose daces as well. Also, (if you cant tell I've been splurging) I got some stuff to tie wuluffs and parachute. I fish with a 4wt and hairwing might attest but I fish some small water thats fast. So I didnt go any larger than 8. I think all the hooks I bought are 8 and 10. I was going to do 10 and 12 but even the 10 wollys looked pretty small enough.
bloomagoo
Well-known member
Sorry to disappoint but my streamer box is 90% olive or black Wooly Buggers, some articulated, some with cone heads, some with rubber legs. Almost all in sizes 8 or 10. They work so reliably I am loathe to change things up.
zug buggin
Well-known member
my go to streamer is a black Zonker Tied on a #4 6x long streamer hook its about 6" long tip to tail
winstonwt
Well-known member
Slumpbusters,brahma buggers tied with soft hackle and chickabou.
bigjim5589
Well-known member
I'm not going to make pattern recommendations because these guys have covered things pretty well. I will say that I've yet to use any fly pattern that won't catch some fish eventually, no matter what type of fly it is. (dry, wet, nymph, soft hackle, streamer, etc.)
It's also likely, that even though there may be patterns that others local to you are having success with, there may be a range of patterns that are all productive. Every angler will eventually come to prefer specific patterns and will develop confidence in using them. That may also mean there will be a range of sizes that are preferred for any given body of water.
Since you're intention is to keep it small, and will be tying some of your own, my best advice is keep things as simple as practical & don't over dress them.
In the picture below, on the left side of the box are some small Clouser Minnow style flies I've tied. They're tied on a size 8 hook. The picture doesn't really show very well how sparse they are. All are tied with Fox tail hair (white hair from Arctic & Red Fox tails) and Polar Flash and with bead chain eyes. They're each about 1 1/2" to 2" long & were intended for panfish when I tied them, but I've caught trout on them as well. Tied without the bead chain eyes, they could work as well as other patterns such as the Black Nose Dace or Mickey Finn already mentioned.
The point is don't get too concerned about complicated patterns. The trout, or whatever other fish species may be present in your streams won't likely care that they're simple flies!
It's also likely, that even though there may be patterns that others local to you are having success with, there may be a range of patterns that are all productive. Every angler will eventually come to prefer specific patterns and will develop confidence in using them. That may also mean there will be a range of sizes that are preferred for any given body of water.
Since you're intention is to keep it small, and will be tying some of your own, my best advice is keep things as simple as practical & don't over dress them.
In the picture below, on the left side of the box are some small Clouser Minnow style flies I've tied. They're tied on a size 8 hook. The picture doesn't really show very well how sparse they are. All are tied with Fox tail hair (white hair from Arctic & Red Fox tails) and Polar Flash and with bead chain eyes. They're each about 1 1/2" to 2" long & were intended for panfish when I tied them, but I've caught trout on them as well. Tied without the bead chain eyes, they could work as well as other patterns such as the Black Nose Dace or Mickey Finn already mentioned.
The point is don't get too concerned about complicated patterns. The trout, or whatever other fish species may be present in your streams won't likely care that they're simple flies!
Whats awesome is I totally got materials for your wooly colors. Thanks for the reply. I always go back and read this. http://www.ginkandgasoline.com/gink...georgia-man-catches-trout-on-car-key-but-why/I'm not going to make pattern recommendations because these guys have covered things pretty well. I will say that I've yet to use any fly pattern that won't catch some fish eventually, no matter what type of fly it is. (dry, wet, nymph, soft hackle, streamer, etc.)
It's also likely, that even though there may be patterns that others local to you are having success with, there may be a range of patterns that are all productive. Every angler will eventually come to prefer specific patterns and will develop confidence in using them. That may also mean there will be a range of sizes that are preferred for any given body of water.
Since you're intention is to keep it small, and will be tying some of your own, my best advice is keep things as simple as practical & don't over dress them.
In the picture below, on the left side of the box are some small Clouser Minnow style flies I've tied. They're tied on a size 8 hook. The picture doesn't really show very well how sparse they are. All are tied with Fox tail hair (white hair from Arctic & Red Fox tails) and Polar Flash and with bead chain eyes. They're each about 1 1/2" to 2" long & were intended for panfish when I tied them, but I've caught trout on them as well. Tied without the bead chain eyes, they could work as well as other patterns such as the Black Nose Dace or Mickey Finn already mentioned.
The point is don't get too concerned about complicated patterns. The trout, or whatever other fish species may be present in your streams won't likely care that they're simple flies!
bigjim5589
Well-known member
That's about as true as you can get! It appears Mr. Cahill & I share some of the same thoughts on fishing. Although he's mentioned trout specifically I feel the same applies to any fish we chase.
I won't comment on the ego aspects involved in this sport, as I tend to stick my foot in my mouth when I comment on such things but I certainly agree with Mr. Cahills' remarks!
There's no guarantee's when it comes to catching fish with flies, but we should be able to catch them most of the time unless we think they're smarter than we are. If that's the case, they certainly will be!
In most cases, presentation of the fly, getting it in a place where the fish will react positively to it, is far more important than the actual fly pattern we use. As I stated previously, all fly patterns I've ever used have caught fish eventually & when they didn't is was often because I simply didn't get them where they needed to be to entice a response.
BTW, I've caught bass & Pickerel on soda can tabs attached to a hook. An old friend of mine frequently caught Striped Bass on flies made with trash bag strips. Actually Mr. Boyd Pfeiffer once wrote a magazine article about my friend, Capt. Norm Bartlett & his T.B. flies. (T.B. = trash bag). Norm's a very good friend of & has fished with Lefty Kreh quite often. Norm is also one of the best fly anglers I've ever known. He's also held a couple of IGFA fly rod world records.
I also remember many years ago another magazine article about a fellow using strips of plastic from trash bags & other bags to catch bass. That article was not about fly fishing, but either way it's not that unusual!
None of this is rocket science!
It seems to me I've made mention of it, that I don't follow trout stream hatches and use very ambiguous fly patterns. It's all very interesting the whole science and life cycles of the flies themselves. But at this point not my focus. Thanks for the replies. It sounds like you're pretty spot on where I stand on most of it.
wolfglen
Well-known member
A lot of that depends upon the baitfish in your area. Take a look at what's in the lakes or streams where you fish.
Where I grew up in R.I. and upstate NY the primary forage in the trout streams were small fall fish, creek chubs, black nosed dace and suckers.
A squirrel tail, black nosed dace sufficed for those streams and where golden shiners were prevalent add the Mickey Finn or Colonel Fuller.
Of course if there are a lot of sculphins a the muddler .
White and yellow marabou streamers are also a good addition.
Where I grew up in R.I. and upstate NY the primary forage in the trout streams were small fall fish, creek chubs, black nosed dace and suckers.
A squirrel tail, black nosed dace sufficed for those streams and where golden shiners were prevalent add the Mickey Finn or Colonel Fuller.
Of course if there are a lot of sculphins a the muddler .
White and yellow marabou streamers are also a good addition.
Rip Tide
Well-known member
While the black nose dace can make for a perfectly good generic bucktail, it's become a "match the hatch" streamer for me.
Black nose dace live only in the cleanest, coldest water. The same streams where you'd find wild brook trout.
In lesser quality water I'd pick something else
Another local river runs warm in the summer, and the water quality is less pristine.
It's the kind of river that's loaded with caddis but with only smaller hatches of mayflies
It's also a river that's chuck full of fall fish (chubs) and small mouth fry
A "match the hatch" streamer there would be a white wooly bugger or something else light colored with a thick profile.
Matching the length and profile of the resident baitfish is what's most important when choosing a streamer, and understanding what lives where and what size you can expect is how you accomplish that.