The Official BIG STREAMER thread

[s fontinalis]

After seeing Tyler's flies yesterday I got to thinking that we should maybe have an individual thread for the big streamer tyers out there.

There are a lot of great patterns tied by many big fish junkies. A few that i know of are Mike Schmidt, Rich Strolis, Patrick Robinson, Kelly Galloup and Greg Senyo.
These guys are tying many non traditional patterns and catching lots of big fish with their creations.

Of course there are the very traditional long shank streamers perfected by many including Don Bastian

While most folks might shy away from tying these monstrosities (thats what I first thought of them when i saw them), they are definitely fun to tie as well as look at, and of course fish.

I've tied flies designed by each of the guys mentioned above. I'm sure there are more great fly designers out there that i haven't yet come across.

Let use this thread to pass on info about flies we find and like to tie, tyers we find that produce interesting off beat patterns, and of course the fish we catch with the flies we tie.
Traditional streamer patterns can also be included here. One such interesting project started a couple days ago is STREAMERS365.COM
This project aims to tie and present a new streamer each day for the entire year, tied by many of the best fly tyers around.

Hope you guys will help develop this thread as well as your own skills and maybe it will help spark further interest in the BIG JUNK!

You can see some of my creations in my photo album here

 

[mcnerney]

Eunan: So far this winter, I haven't tied any big streamers, I have been concentrating on midges, nymphs and small streamers (for stillwater fishing). To get this started, here is a photo of some Kelly Galloup Circus Peanuts I tied up last year. This year I want to learn to tie up some woolhead sculpins.

 

[s fontinalis]

this fly is on my list - yours look great. I love how the silli legs give streamers movement. Definitely a great fly.

There are so many new products being developed which are great for tying articulated streamers in particular. But not just for articulation, also for imitation of body parts.
One such product I recently came across is called FISH GILLS. They were developed for pike flies, but come in a huge range of colors and a few different sizes. I cant help but think they will look great used in combination with the Flymen Fish Skulls.
I've ordered some up already and i'm just waiting delivery. Expect a few flies with them in the coming weeks.
If anyone is interested, you can find them here. They are sold from an english company
I should add here, the recent swap we had for Big Streamers was fantastic. It was my first ever fly swap and i think i lucked out getting so many great flies.
Another one should be in order again sometime this year!

 

[lancer09]

I like this, when i get back to school ill post some up

 

[grassonfly]

whats your definition of big flies how big?

 

[s fontinalis]

whats your definition of big flies how big?

The red rockets and hog snare are over 6 inches
.

 

[grassonfly]

ooooo ive never tied anything that large but i would love to learn a pattern for huge bass im tieing 4 inch cichlid emulating patterns right now anyways bump this thread

 

[Rip Tide]

Flatwing style flies are my go-to and most of mine are 6-8 inches but I've tied dozens that were both smaller and larger.
Flatwings rely on both what the fish can actully see and what's imagined (like a Clouser minnow) making for a fly that has less material and is therefore easier to cast
This is one of Kenny Abrams "September Nights" and actually has a much
fuller body than most other flatwing patterns due to the "bulk" of the marabou collar

 

[lancer09]

Under most circumstances I would call that a large pattern Gator. big streamers are oftenthought of as more contemporary, funky, and new streamers.

I'm sure some people have tied some large mickey finns or black ghosts, at the same time I have nothign against it but that's not what comes to mind when I think about this thread. Shoot, I'm sure a lot of salmon flies, and spey flies are pretty big and I think they are pretty cool.

I think Eunan is onto sometimng about having this thread, especially regarding tying these flies. It will be nice to have a quality thread archived with a lot of flies on here under this category of fly without having to search six pages into the tying section.

Maybe it's just my opinion but I see nothign against seeing some "smaller" i.e. 2-4 inch streamers on here, especially those that are of a modern origination.

 

[tyler185]

I mean a 4 inch streamer is big to me. Even a 3 inch fly is a good size fly for what I fish here. I believe it has to do with where I live however, being in the northeast. Granted, the stuff I am tying is 4 to 5 inches. I honestly wont fish them that much...most likely in the spring and fall. I do it though because they are fun to tie.

Just to clarify....I am talking about trout streamers as I think most people on were too but I wouldnt be against seeing some big bass, pike or musky flies.

 

[s fontinalis]

I think a lot of the big trout streamers would not be turned down by pike or muskies or even bass if they were in the vacinity of the moving fly.
I think this thread is gonna develop nicely.
I'm mostly interested in trout/steelhead streamers, however, all streamers are welcome in my opinion, both on the shorter and much longer end of the BIG scale!

 

[grassonfly]

anybody wanna post some big bass/saltwater streamers?

 

[lancer09]

I had my phone to take some pictures of the streamers that I brought home.
I fish a lot of streamers so this is what I primarily carry, and no where near all that I have, just what I could fit in two boxes in a fanny pack.

These are the swap flies I have with me. You might recognize Eunans "mikes red rocket" tylers "something I actually forgot the name" The "black Angus" Nerkas "popsicle" and Watson's "yoda" in no particular order.

Next: the circus peanuts, woolhead peanut, and another galloup fly in the middle right that I can't remember the name of for the life of me right now.

That Rounds out the first box, The next are some assorted ones:

This is just a jumble of them I pulledout for the picture, most of them I tied, a few I didn't, can you figure out which ones? No, serioulsy, I'd like to know. these I primarily have fished a tailwater at night with, nearly all of them have caught fish.

VooDoo leaches, Eunan posted an SBS a while back.

Closer look

my most productive fly This summer... While not trememdously big, it is simple. a hook, Thread, and a three inch piece of zonked pine squirrell.

The following is an articulated craft fur and marabou creation, I am going to recolor the head with blue, not green:

Had some good bass hits on these this summer, bottom right was stripped down though, too thick and even held a sink tip up.

Whats called a "Hot core" I need to put some eyes on it.

All I got for now,Buying a ton of tying supplies when I get back to springfield, Most of which will be for streamers.

 

[gatortransplant]

I need to pick up more ep fiber and craft fur and longer, wider rabbit strips. Need to tie tarpon and pike streamers...

 

[Rip Tide]

I think a lot of the big trout streamers would not be turned down by pike or muskies or even bass if they were in the vacinity of the moving fly.
I think this thread is gonna develop nicely.
I'm mostly interested in trout/steelhead streamers, however, all streamers are welcome in my opinion, both on the shorter and much longer end of the BIG scale!

The Lefty's Deceiver makes for a great trout streamer. One of the best IMO, and there are plenty of other "crossover" streamers too. A good design is a good design.
One of my other favorites is Jack Gartside's Soft Hackle Streamer. It's very lifelike in the water and is as simple to tie as you can find.
Affective on all gamefish

 

[tyler185]

Lancer - Great looking flies. I would have to say the middle fly was the one you tied? Am I correct? Also The bottom right fly in the second to last picture looks awesome. Is that tied with EP fibers?

 

[s fontinalis]

A good design is a good design.

I couldnt agree more. Regardless of the species in mind when the fly was designed, once it hits the water its fair game for anything that comes across it if they like the look of it.

 

[grassonfly]

you may want to tie your ep riber minnows a big more sparcley i sawa video on youtube of a guy forming the head on a fly with some sort of foam any body know of this technique

 

[lancer09]

It was to thick, it got salvaged for the hook. Actually on two flies I posted were not toe by me, save the picture of the swap flies. The bunny leach with chartreuse head and the black and pink in the bottom middle.

 

[grassonfly]

so im not the only one that salvaged hooks good to know