Fishing Forum

I really need to learn how to hook a fish on streamers... It's new to me. What the best method and what are some good patterns you guys use? Any advice is appreciated!
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TK-

You're asking the right question at just about the right time. As with anything else, there are tons of streamer patters out there. My all-time favorite is the muddler minnow and it can be fished (as with lots of streamers) many different ways. You can throw 'em upstream and dead drift them back to you. You can throw 'em across and strip, bump, twitch it back. Just experiment and see what entices the strike.

Other favorites of mine are double-bunnies and cone-headed zuddlers.

What kind of line do you have? You will want some type of sink tip line depending on what type of water you are fishing.

Good luck and have fun in the upcoming weeks with your experimentation.

Gaeter
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Thanks for the tips! I have regular floating line... Can you use a sinking leader?
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Throwing Streamers is a technique all its own.

Iit really just boils down to tossing it straight across the river from you. Point your rod at the fly and/or fly line and follow it with the rod tip as it is pulled down stream. It will end up down stream from you and you can then strip it in all the way or part way. Then take two steps down stream and repeat the process.

I go ten casts then put on a new/different fly and go again and again working my way down river as far as I want to go. Don't expect to catch dozens of fish but do expect to catch the bigger ones in a given stretch of river. Oh and the tug is worth the work because when they hit a streamer they usually hit it HARD!

Now when the fly is swinging down stream you can and should twitch and pull on the fly line/rod to get the fly to behave a little differently on every cast until you find the retrieve action they want that day.
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I fish streamers the same way I fish Nymphs. Water haul diagonally up stream just depends were the run is, let it dead drift for a minute while your stripping the line back in then swing across I just grab the line, the tension usually will pull the streamer across. The only difference is I don't strip nymphs back to me. I usually will slowly strip the streamers for 3 or 4 pulls. If a fish doesn't hit it by then it usually wont. You also want to get your streamers down in the water column not necessary bouncing them off the bottom but not floating on top. A simple split shot works or if have a sinking line.

I like Larger streamers for the Weber zoo cougars, zonkers, sculpin imitations but seems I dont do as well with those patterns on the Provo, Smaller streamers like clousers, muddler minnows, and the infamous woolly bugger. Black and Natural seems to be the colors I do best with
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Setting the hook really depends on the retrieve you're doing...if you're stripping the line in and you feel a strike (which is hard to miss with streamers) set the hook like you would when nymphing or dry fly. You can also try a strip set but you want to make sure you're not pulling the fly out of the fishes mouth...usually most effective when the fly is drifting downstream from you
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Can't add much other than as mentioned in first reply, if fishing a light fly like a Muddler, I would use a sinking line like a type II as well.
But you fishing slower drifts or heavier streamers, try different lengths of leader/tippet on that floating line.
Some days a nine foot leader works well, other days a 6 foot works.
A lot to take in, but sounds like everyone is pretty much saying the same thing.
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Fishing streamers is a real art. Even more then dry flies in my opinion. The way you fish a streamer mostly depends what water type you are fishing.

If I am fishing a deep riffle I will just put 2 or 3 split shot directly above the streamer, the cast up and across stream. Lock your rod at a forty five degree angle to the current and strip it in as your line swings across the current. Cast 3 or 4 times then step down stream and repeat. The idea is to get the streamer to look like a scared or injured bait fish.

If fishing in a big slow deep hole I put on a sink tip. Orvis has some good ones to choose from. Start at the top of the hole where the current drops in. Cast down stream or down and across. Let the fly sink then slowly strip it back to you. Again cast 3-4 times then step down stream and repeat the process.

I usually fish streamers early in the morning as the sun comes up, or in the evening as the light goes off the water. Seems like low light brings the bigger fish out.
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Wow,a lot more to it than I thought! I need to start practicing for sure... Thanks for all the great info. I'll try to keep everyone updated on my progress.
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I went to the lower provo the other day and threw some streamers and no luck. It does take a lot of work but the rewards are worth it if you can land a big one!
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