This week’s picture is brought to you by Alan.
Nothing is quite like the joy that fly fishing can bring. Thanks Alan!

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Although streamers work at many times throughout the year, Fall seems to get everyone thinking about them. Browns and brookies, and other fall spawners get aggressive at this time and fish in general, not just trout, seem to sense that winter is near and that they need to eat well in preparation. Since you are presenting a moving fly when you fish streamers, you need to remember a few things in your presentation. I like to fish across current or across and down most of the time but don’t forget that that’s not the only way to fish streamers. Often you can get strikes casting down stream and pulling a streamer straight upstream along banks or around boulders and other structure. Also, don’t overlook casting upstream like you would a dry fly or nymph and fishing your streamer back down just faster than the current. A few years ago this technique worked like magic on an otherwise slow fishing day in the Fall. I like to use a full sinking line or a sink tip line and a 6 foot leader to get the fly down fast and keep it there. A floating line with weight works in a pinch. If you need to get it really deep cast up and across and let the streamer drift for a while as it sinks and then begin the retrieve as it gets across from you. Pay attention as it drifts, more than once I’ve had fish take a streamer on a dead drift. Also, pay attention to the baitfish in your stream or lake and use something close in size, shape, and color, or go crazy and throw extra flashy stuff, both techniques can work. Think meaty for Fall fishing, one solid strike will get the blood pumping and remind you just how fun streamers can be.

This week’s picture is brought to you by Marc.
Marc (left) with guide RA Beattie (center) of Aspen and Stan from Los Angeles. August 8, 2007 near Redstone Inn on Crystal River. Weighed in at almost 9 lbs!

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Certain flies seem to be able to almost do it all. Here’s a few of my favorites and what they can work for.

Wooly or Krystal Bugger - This is THE lake fly, possibly THE fly period to have if you have just one. I like it in black, olive, and brown, sometimes with and sometimes without a bead. You can obviously strip it in lakes and strip or swing it in rivers. You can also dead drift it as a stonefly nymph or cranefly larva, add weight and bottom bounce it as a crayfish imitator, add floatant and fish it as a cricket in black or as a hopper in olive or tan, float it and strip it to imitate a frog or whatever else may swim on the surface.

Muddler Minnow - This fly is designed to be stripped or swung close to the bottom to imitate sculpins but it works dead drifted as a big nymph, floated as a hopper, and stripped in lakes as a minnow or dragon fly nymph. Also, try floating it and waking it on the surface.

Parachute Adams - This most popular of dry flies can basically imitate any mayfly in the right size and almost always works as an attractor. I carry it in sizes 14 - 20.

Stimulator - This pattern is a great multi-purpose fly. It works great for stoneflies, caddis, and even drakes and other big mayflies but it’s sneakiest use is as a streamer. Many big browns have succumbed to the sunk and stripped stimi.

Hares Ear Nymph - Just as the Adams and Stimulators are do it all dry flies, the hares ear in the right size and color can work for almost any nymph, is a fantastic lake fly, and can be floated as well. I carry this pattern in sizes 14 - 20, beaded and not beaded, in flashbacks, and in all colors.

Be creative. You can probably find tons of other uses for these patterns and for others that you have set aside for just one purpose.

This week’s picture is brought to you by Greg.
He caught and released this spooky, rising fish at McCoy Spring Creek in Montana. Actually had to sneak up and kneel while casting. Small stream, small flies…big fish!!

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This week’s picture is brought to you by Joy.
She pulled this giant in on her 4th cast on her 2nd day of fly fishing ever. If that doesn’t make an addict out of you, we don’t know what will!

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One method for fishing lakes that is slow to catch on in the US but that is popular in the UK and elsewhere is fishing vertically instead of horizontally like you do stripping a sinking line. There are a few ways to do this that are especially effective because they cover several depths at once. One easy method is with a static nymph rig. This is simple yet effective. Attach 2 or 3 (where legal) weighted nymphs to droppers on a single leader at different depths where you expect fish and hang them under an indicator. Most people do this with chironomids and other similar flies but other nymphs like scuds, hares ears, zug bugs, and pheasant tails can also be quite effective. Another method is to use a very heavy nymph, something good sized with a tungsten bead, as your point fly (end of the leader) and then attach other nymphs to droppers along the leader. I like to space them 2 to 3 feet apart. Use a floating line, or intermediate for deep water. Cast and then let the heavy nymph fall towards the bottom. When you think it is at a good depth begin to bring the flies to you with a very slow retrieve with pauses so the heavy fly continually pulls the leader straight downward but the floating line keeps the leader vertical. This allows you to cover different depths with the same rig according to how long you let flies sink and how fast you retrieve and if you don’t retrieve too fast your flies each cover different depths. Allow the flies to hang straight down as they get close and lift them slowly. Many fish will strike at this point. Experiment with these types of rigs on your favorite lake and you’ll be glad. Often, especially when the bite is a bit off, catch rates doing this will be much better than they would be with buggers.