How to Fish a Streamer

Many fly fishermen understand that if you want to catch large trout consistently fishing a streamer is the best method. Streamers are flies that are tied to imitate baitfish and are normally much larger then dry fly patterns. Properly fishing streamers often results in catching much larger fish then an angler would on a dry fly.

Properly fishing a streamer is much different then fishing a dry fly or a nymph. Dry fly fishing and nymph fishing often requires a fly fisherman to get a dead drift. Meaning the fly floats with the current of the water with no drag caused by your fly line. In most cases when streamer fishing you want drag on your line. Remember you are trying to imitate a swimming baitfish so you want the action caused by drag.

The most basic way to fish a streamer is downstream and across. By this I mean you make a downstream cast across the stream at about a 45 degree angle and let the drag of your fly line swing the streamer across the current. This method presents your streamer in the proper way it was designed to be fished. Streamers are designed to give a side presentation to fish, so you want the entire body of the streamer to be perpendicular to the current.

However, there are other ways to achieve the side presentation of the streamer to fish. One of the other more common ways to fish a streamer is to cast directly across the stream and strip in your line so the streamer swims directly back to you. This method also gives the streamer the appearance of starting and stopping its swimming motion.

Finally you can combine the two above methods by casting downstream and then swinging and stripping your fly. Often this is a great way to cover the same piece of water with multiple casts. First, just try swinging your fly downstream and if that doesn't work try stripping your fly in on the next cast. Often, I give my fly a few strips at the end of the swing to try and entice any fish that may be just following the streamer.

Now there are many things to try when fishing a streamer, but these are the most common methods to use. Remember fishing with big streamers often results in catching large fish so make sure you use a heavier line.