With the arrival of fall, many of us here at the fly shop have streamer fishing on the brain. As trout pack on calories for the winter and brown trout prepare to spawn, these fish will be opportunistically looking for big meals. Not only is streamer fishing very effective in the fall, it’s also a ton of fun.
To learn more about the basics of streamer fishing and what anglers need to get started, we spent some time chatting with one of our in-house streamer fanatics and Boathouse Manager, Johnnie Trujillo.
In order to keep these tips simple and to the point, we focused this conversation specifically on fishing in moving water.
Why streamer fishing?
“As we get towards the fall, trout are going to be looking for big meals before the spawn and before winter sets in,” Johnnie began. “It’s the perfect time of year to fish big flies.”
But Johnnie’s primary reasons for fishing streamers go way beyond fish behavior.
“Streamer fishing requires movement and covering water, and that’s a big reason I like to fish streamers in the fall,” he continued. “When it starts getting colder, I’m not a big fan of standing in a run and slogging it with a nymph rig. It can get pretty cold doing that. Moving around, and casting makes streamer fishing fun in the fall. It’s a style of fishing that allows you to cover more water, too”.
“But maybe the best reason to pick up a streamer rod in the fall, is that it’s a good change of pace.” Johnnie added. “I love streamer fishing all the time. But as I’m coming out of the summer season, fishing dry-dropper rigs and terrestrials, I’m ready to put the big stick in my hands again. Sometimes people get stuck in their lane and it’s good to change tactics, learn and do something different. And then don’t forget about the tug. Many times, a streamer eat is awesome on its own!”
Fly Rods for Streamer Fishing
When it comes to streamer fishing, Johnnie says that he recommends 6-weight through 8-weight fly rods as a general rule. Check out our video on selecting a streamer rod HERE.
“Anywhere in the ballpark of a 6, 7 or 8-weight fly rod is a good place to start,” he told us. “Some people will think an 8-weight is too big for most trout fishing. But when you are trying to turn over really big flies with sink tip fly lines, an 8-weight can be handy, especially in adverse or windy conditions.
“Can you go out with a 5 or 6-weight and do it? Absolutely,” he said. “But you’re definitely working harder than if you were throwing a heavier grain-weight line on a bigger stick. It just turns those big flies over a lot easier and makes the fishing much more enjoyable.”
If a 5 weight is all you have at the moment, you can still streamer fish! Just be cognizant of fly size. Keep your streamers to woolly buggers or leech patterns in the size 8-12 range. A shop favorite is the Thin Mint. Stop in the shop or give us a call and we can help tailor flies and leaders to your rod set up.
Fly Reels for Streamer Fishing
When we asked about his preferred reels, Johnnie recommended big reels for the purpose of quicker line pick-up. There are a few ultra large arbor reels in the shop now like the Lamson Hyperspeed, or the Hardy Fortuna that excel in line pick up.
“When fishing streamers, you’re going to have a lot of slack at your feet and when you’re constantly moving,” he said. “Having the ability to quickly pick up slack when you have a fish on, or when all that line is at your feet is huge. So those large arbor reels are going to be very helpful.”
Johnnie adds “I do recommend a reel with a solid smooth drag for streamers too. Oftentimes you are making a big cast out and downstream and when a big fish eats in that kind of current they can make a good run on you. Having a smooth powerful drag will help you land that fish faster”
Streamer Fly Lines
“In order to stay versatile while wade fishing, my preference is to fish a floating fly line with different tips,” Johnnie suggested. “For example, let’s say I’m fishing a long leader and a floating line setup with a heavy streamer. Then if I want to change strategy and fish a light fly and a short leader, I can quickly swap to a sinking leader like the new ones from SA Sonar Sinking Leaders, and a near weightless fly.
“Using this strategy, I don’t have to carry multiple reels or spools,” he added. “Everyone has a different preference, and many anglers like carrying integrated intermediate or full sink fly lines. But I really like running different tips to my floating lines. It opens up the versatility on the water, and it means having to carry less stuff with me.”
Johnnie pointed out that there are situations when he carries an integrated sinking line setup. “When I’m fishing from a boat for example, I have the ability to carry more rods,” he explained. “So in that case, I usually have a fully integrated sinking fly line setup that’s built to dredge those deep runs off of the boat. But I think that same setup can be cumbersome when wade fishing when you have a lot of stripped off line at your feet sinking in the rocks.”
Rigging Strategies for Streamers
“When setting up a streamer rig, many anglers don’t consider how many approaches there can be,” Johnnie offered. “Many anglers have one go-to streamer setup and that’s it. But you really have to have the right system to fish the streamer that you’re tying on and the water you are standing next to.”
Johnnie explained that fishing a weightless fly for example, means you need to be fishing a sink tip or adding some sort of weight to the rig to pull that fly underwater. In these wading situations, he recommends a RIO Versileader connected to a floating line. On the other hand, if you’re fishing flies with a lot of weight, he recommends using a longer leader straight to your floating line.
“Of course the overall setup is dependent on the water too,” Johnnie said. “If I’m fishing pocket water, I’m going to fish a heavy fly and no tip, because I need the fly to get down fast in those small pockets. On the other hand, if it’s a big, wide river, I know I can let the fly take some time to get down into the zone before I start stripping it.”
“In addition to my RIO Predator floating 8-weight fly line, I typically carry three different VersiLeaders with me, from intermediate to fast-sinking options,” Johnnie explained. “From there, I like running Micro Swivels off all of my VersiLeaders and tips. That just makes your rigging simple and eliminates having to tie blood knots. When I buy a VersiLeader the first thing I do is tie a micro swivel on the tippet side. From there, I’ll run 0x or 1x fluorocarbon tippet. Don’t be scared to go big on tippet sizes when fishing streamers. That’s a common mistake. Anglers will be fishing a big streamer on a 3x leader and then wonder why they get broken off.”
Streamer Recommendations
According to Johnnie, it’s important to carry a variety of colors and sizes of streamers.
“Having variety is critical,” he told us. “Don’t just have a box that’s just black, white and olive. Sometimes fish will be in the mood to eat something pretty loud. And I’m big on changing it up. The fish will let you know.”
“For example, if I start with a big white streamer and after 15 or 20 casts I don’t see anything going on, then I’m going to switch to something that’s dead opposite in color and size. So for my next fly, I’ll probably go black and small. Then if that’s not working I’ll go medium and yellow or orange. And I’ll work through all those options.”
Johnnie recommends using the Cling Mag Pad drying patch on his pack or on the back of a fly box to keep track of what flies have been fished.
“If I’ve gone through six flies over the last hour, I might not remember every single one of them that I’ve already used,” he explained. “So it’s nice to look back and see what I’ve fished, so that I don’t use that again. That allows me to efficiently work through the range of sizes and colors.”
In addition to sizes and colors, Johnnie suggested using flies that cover different parts of the water column.
“If you’re fishing heavy flies that are sinking down low and you’re not triggering fish, you might fish a light fly that’s more like a baitfish, sculpin or a baby trout and fish that higher in the water column,” he said. “It definitely is a bit of a puzzle every time. What works one day could be drastically different the next day. Take each day one at a time.”
How does Johnnie carry all these flies? “Even when I’m wade fishing, I still carry a small boat box,” he told us. “I usually run a small backpack in the fall anyway. I like the new Patagonia Guidewater Backpack for fall days. Waterproof for those random snow showers and holds extra layers, along with a thermos with coffee or something warm. And because I’m carrying a backpack, it’s easy to pack a small boat box with that big variety of streamers.”
Streamer Fishing Techniques
“On brighter days I will probably start by fishing deeper, since those fish may not want to be sitting as high in the bright sun,” Johnnie recommended. “If the water is super clear, maybe start with more natural colored flies, or flies with a slim, understated profile. And then I fish loud flies when the water is off color.”
“The other thing to think about when the water is dirty, is using flies that really move water,” he added. “A streamer with a big deer hair head for example, will push a lot of water and put off vibrations that can trigger a strike. That can be a big factor when clarity is low.”
The other thing you might consider is fishing two flies. According to Johnnie, anglers are often surprised to learn how effective it can be to fish two streamers at once.
“Running a prey-predator rig where you have a bigger fly behind a smaller one can be effective,” he said. “Or even the opposite, you can run something super light and small behind a big fly. Fishing tandem streamer rigs can be a game changer.”
Remember that no matter how you approach a given stretch of water, be sure to mix up the retrieve too. Don’t go and do the exact same thing on every cast all day long.
“Experiment with how the fly swims and be sure to cover the entire water column,” Johnnie recommended. “For example, on your first cast you might let the swing engage immediately, moving the fly high through the water column. But on the next cast, put it in the same spot, but throw an upstream mend into the line. That allows the fly to drop a foot or two deeper and then let it swing through the same run.”
“A lot of anglers will swing the fly through once and assume they’ve fished it,” he continued. “But they haven’t covered different depths. On my third cast I might even put two upstream mends in the line and really let that fly sink down before I swing it through. Then I’ll take a couple of steps downstream and repeat the process.”
If you learn to enjoy this type of fishing and covering water on the swing, picking up a Trout Spey rod can be a great tool and push your learning curve even further. These smaller versions of traditional two-handed Spey rods are perfect for Colorado and perfect for fishing streamers in the fall.
Like anything in fly fishing, one of the fun things about fishing streamers is experimenting and trying different techniques in different types of water. Thanks to Johnnie for taking the time to offer some of his tips on fishing streamers in moving water.
Contact Us With Questions
Have questions? Come chat with Johnnie or the rest of our knowledgeable crew here at Anglers All. You can visit us at the fly shop in Littleton. Or you can give us a call at 303-794-1104. We’d love to help you feel prepared for your next day of fall streamer fishing!
