Streamer help! ( Petah or whoever.....)

There I was, on a local stream, waiting for the midday BWO hatch,
fishing dries with no enthusiasm, knowing that the fish in that run
simply don't rise before the hatch starts, and not bothering with
nymphs, never having had any success in this section subsurface....

And it occurred to me to swing a streamer for the hell of it.

And I slayed 'em. Well, not really, but three fish to hand in an hour
that otherwise would have been wasted had I continued with dries is not
bad. And it was *fun*. Even a small fish--the three I caught were 10
to 12"--will stone *smash* a streamer. Very exciting takes.

I used to fished streamers relatively often, mostly when I was just
beginning, some decades ago, back East, but had never been wildly
successful. It sort of fell by the wayside (despite Peter's reminders
g) over the years. For one thing, streamers are not as "traditional"
here in the PNW as they are back East. Now, though, I often find myself
in the situation described above, and I think I need to sharpen and
broaden my knowledge and range of techniques.

What's the single best book on the subject?????

JR

IMO, it would be the old classic "Streamer Fly Tying & Fishing" by Joe
Bates. I'm quite sure it's out of print, but used copies should be
available.

"JR" wrote in message
...
There I was, on a local stream, waiting for the midday BWO hatch,
fishing dries with no enthusiasm, knowing that the fish in that run
simply don't rise before the hatch starts, and not bothering with
nymphs, never having had any success in this section subsurface....

And it occurred to me to swing a streamer for the hell of it.

And I slayed 'em. Well, not really, but three fish to hand in an hour
that otherwise would have been wasted had I continued with dries is not
bad. And it was *fun*. Even a small fish--the three I caught were 10
to 12"--will stone *smash* a streamer. Very exciting takes.

I used to fished streamers relatively often, mostly when I was just
beginning, some decades ago, back East, but had never been wildly
successful. It sort of fell by the wayside (despite Peter's reminders
g) over the years. For one thing, streamers are not as "traditional"
here in the PNW as they are back East. Now, though, I often find myself
in the situation described above, and I think I need to sharpen and
broaden my knowledge and range of techniques.

What's the single best book on the subject?????

Personally JR, I think you have imbibed on too many Black Butte Ales and the
above story is a figment of your imagination - I need proof in the form of
pics - close-up pics to be sure. dated with time of day for proof. That's
what I think after a 6-pak of Bud Select!
The G-man - Guy

Guy Thornberg wrote:

Personally JR, I think you have imbibed on too many Black Butte Ales and the
above story is a figment of your imagination - I need proof in the form of
pics - close-up pics to be sure. dated with time of day for proof. That's
what I think after a 6-pak of Bud Select!



Wouldn't you know it..... I'm quaffing one of the aforementioned
libations even as I type.

Sorry, I've left the camera home the last few ventures out. Will try to
remember it next time.

You doin' any fishing?

*****

We -- Bee and I -- live by the quaffing --
'Tisn't all Hock -- with us --
Life has its Ale --
But it's many a lay of the Dim Burgundy --
We chant -- for cheer -- when the Wines -- fail --

Do we "get drunk"?
Ask the jolly Clovers!
Do we "beat" our "Wife"?
I -- never wed --
Bee -- pledges his -- in minute flagons --
Dainty -- as the trees -- on our deft Head --

While runs the Rhine --
He and I -- revel --
First -- at the vat -- and latest at the Vine --
Noon -- our last Cup --
"Found dead" -- "of Nectar" --
By a humming Coroner --
In a By-Thyme!

- E.D.

************

JR

"JR" wrote in message
...
Guy Thornberg wrote:

Personally JR, I think you have imbibed on too many Black Butte Ales and
the
above story is a figment of your imagination - I need proof in the form
of
pics - close-up pics to be sure. dated with time of day for proof.
That's
what I think after a 6-pak of Bud Select!



Wouldn't you know it..... I'm quaffing one of the aforementioned
libations even as I type.

Sorry, I've left the camera home the last few ventures out. Will try to
remember it next time.

You doin' any fishing?

Unfortunately not. That's why I'm drinkin' cause there aint no fishin'.
I will do my best to get to the San Juan Clave this January and then the
Deschutes in May. Beaver's Bend next month in SE OK for a day or two. Just
need to convince the wife that without these trips, I would slip into deep
depression and other serious mental spazmotisms.

Guy

*****

We -- Bee and I -- live by the quaffing --
'Tisn't all Hock -- with us --
Life has its Ale --
But it's many a lay of the Dim Burgundy --
We chant -- for cheer -- when the Wines -- fail --

Do we "get drunk"?
Ask the jolly Clovers!
Do we "beat" our "Wife"?
I -- never wed --
Bee -- pledges his -- in minute flagons --
Dainty -- as the trees -- on our deft Head --

While runs the Rhine --
He and I -- revel --
First -- at the vat -- and latest at the Vine --
Noon -- our last Cup --
"Found dead" -- "of Nectar" --
By a humming Coroner --
In a By-Thyme!

- E.D.

************

JR

I'll second (third?) George's recommendation.

Steve

Kelly Galloup was one of the authors of a book released a few years ago
titled Modern Streamers for Trophy Trout, but since you asked about one
single book than I would say that you need to hunt up a copy of the
classic streamer book by Bates.

The only hint I would give on tying streamers made out of bucktail is
to tie the wing so sparse you can lay the fly on a book and read thru
the wing.

I have been tying the Blonde series of flies that Brooks popularized
for about a decade now and find them fun to tie and they work great in
both freshwater as well as salt. You can't hardly find these flies in a
fly shop, but the fish like them a lot.

Big Dale

On Sat, 19 Nov 2005 21:11:55 -0800, JR wrote:

There I was, on a local stream, waiting for the midday BWO hatch,
fishing dries with no enthusiasm, knowing that the fish in that run
simply don't rise before the hatch starts, and not bothering with
nymphs, never having had any success in this section subsurface....

And it occurred to me to swing a streamer for the hell of it.

And I slayed 'em. Well, not really, but three fish to hand in an hour
that otherwise would have been wasted had I continued with dries is not
bad. And it was *fun*. Even a small fish--the three I caught were 10
to 12"--will stone *smash* a streamer. Very exciting takes.

I used to fished streamers relatively often, mostly when I was just
beginning, some decades ago, back East, but had never been wildly
successful. It sort of fell by the wayside (despite Peter's reminders
g) over the years. For one thing, streamers are not as "traditional"
here in the PNW as they are back East. Now, though, I often find myself
in the situation described above, and I think I need to sharpen and
broaden my knowledge and range of techniques.

What's the single best book on the subject?????

JR


The books suggest are the best source on streamer help.

Do a Google ROFF search on "headhunting browns" for a useful streamer
discussion.

I'm paying a lot more attention to hook selection and streamer design
these days. As has already been said, in slower, clearer conditions,
sparse is key. In dirty and/or fast water, a fly with some
"shoulders" doesn't hurt.

Standard streamer hooks suck except for fast water or when stripped
quickly. In slower currents and/or when swung, the down eye tends to
cause the hook shank to ride with the gape hanging down like a full
diaper. At worse use a specimen eye or better yet, an up-eye. Low
water salmon hooks with a TULE work well (e.g. Partridge Single Low
Water or Single Wilson) or an up-eye standard hook like a Daiichi
1740. A TULE hook will ride level even when swung in slow currents.

Where the streamer will be moved fast (stripping or fast current) then
material selection isn't critical as the current/stripping speed will
impart motion. In slower currents or when swung, standard streamer
design often results in a poor swimming attitude and little mobility.

Always test swim your streamers in the waters you intend to fish them.
Any fly that sags or has poor mobility should get stuffed back in the
box. Some of the best mobility material choices include marabou,
rabbit, Icelandic sheep, Megahair, and matuka style hackle tip wings.
Barred materials like mallard, wood duck, grizzly or cree capes give
the illusion of motion, an almost a stroboscopic effect as they
flutter. Bulky heads and/or collars create turbulence that will
impart flutter to the wing material. Too streamlined a shape creates
a nice laminar flow over the fly and very little flutter. Don't
forget to add a bit of red in the gill area -- a great strike trigger
-- so are eyes. When using stick-on eyes, wrap them in ultra fine
Danville monofilament, then coat with clear nail polish to ensure they
remain where stuck.

As you've found out, swinging streamers to rising trout works great.
Consider an investment in a clear intermediate line like a Cortland
camo -- perfect lines for the perfect height presentation to riffle
dwellers. Fish willl rise quite a distance to take a shallow running,
well tied and presented streamer so very fast rate full sinkers aren't
necessary except for the deeper, faster runs. Don't like sinktip
lines as they don't get the fly any deeper than a good intermediate
and they come with a bucket load of disadvantages.

Peter

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