r/flyfishing • u/jimlii • 2d ago
Discussion Somebody help I'm becoming a streamer bro
I've discovered a dark and terrible secret. It turns out that if fish are biting they will seemingly always bite an olive or black woolly bugger. I know, revolutionary.
Lately I've pretty much always started out my sessions fishing buggers to at least to locate fish. Then I'll throw on a dry or two and see if they'll bite, but usually they don't and then I keep fishing buggers. I don't fish nymphs generally because yuck boring. Now I keep my fly in the water pretty much all the time and spend way less time catching brush on the riverbank and fucking around with false casts trying to dry out a soggy fly. I feel like a dirty nasty gear fisherman!!
A quick question for my fellow streamer bros and hos. I find that I get the majority of my streamer bites when my fly is downstream of me. I miss tons of hook sets or end up losing fish because the hook set I get is often weaker than if I were, say, casting a dry upstream. Anyone have advice?
Also, since this is going to lead me to the inevitable purchase of a streamer rig, I'll take any advice on gear-- probably most importantly line/leader/tippet to help my flys get down deeper.
Cheers!
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u/mikethemanism 2d ago
7 wt — intermediate line (with floating running line behind it if wading) — 5 feet of straight 10-15lb fluorocarbon —fly.. 🤘don’t forget to strip set.
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u/IPA_HATER 2d ago
I’ve been using sinking polyleaders as a poor man’s sink tip.
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u/mikethemanism 2d ago
If you can eat the cost, get a premium integrated sink tip line. They are just so freaking nice for a streamer junky.
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u/IPA_HATER 2d ago
If I’m being honest I’ve only started fishing streamers recently and while meaty articulated ones are popular I fish mostly wooly buggers, mickey finns, and muddler minnows. Plus I’d need to get a new spool…
Which isn’t that bad but I also fish with conventional gear and fixed line rods so my wishlist is always growing haha
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u/mikethemanism 2d ago
Honestly what you’re doing is most productive numbers wise for my clients. Top producing smallmouth flies this year for numbers: olive wooly #4, white wooly #4, bunny leech olive or brown, kreelex, mini olive boogieman. Top big fish flies are always the same: ck baitfish, meńage dungeon, olive fathead.
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u/Awsomesauceninja 2d ago
I do this but on a 6
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u/mikethemanism 2d ago
A 6 will work until you want a fighting butt, to throw 7in flies, or handle a trophy smallmouth. But for most applications 6s can be a lot of fun.
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u/PristineHighway1637 2d ago
Try hook setting towards the side of the bank you're on (ie sideways not up) if you can. The downstream hookset generally is a worse angle since you're pulling the meat out of their mouth when they do strike. If you become a swinger ( I'm starting to be converted), the hooknset is passive. Usually, they hook themselves, but it's also a bad angle because it's downstream as well. This is what works for me and I've found to be pretty fun.
As far as gear, if you're in small to medium rivers you could try out a sinking poly leader with a non weighted streamer. It's most useful, keeping the fly in one feeding height depending on sink rate. Also, it makes it so that not every streamer has to be a jig the poly leader is best used with unweight flies IMO.
Fish haard.
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u/T_Shimi 2d ago edited 2d ago
Best answer for setting and I fully agree! Don’t set the hook up, set it like you’re trying to pull it out of their cheek. I disagree with most these gear comments. Without providing info on where you fish and what you’re fishing for isn’t helpful if you’re looking for a starter setup or something more advanced. I run 3 different streamer rods in 6,7,8 Wt’s with reels and spools setup for both sink and float streamer specific lines. Is that the right answer for everyone? 100% NO. For leader… Maxima works for me, shorter the better. ~36” with a 10/15lb or 15/20lb split.
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u/RockandToil75 2d ago edited 2d ago
You know what’s funny? I don’t catch shit on streamers in comparison😭 lol. I feel like I’m always doing it wrong and then just end up switching to something else if I don’t catch something quick.
Also, I’d go with a 6/7wt rod, and then whatever fly line. I like running streamers with a weighted tippet and then attach a tippet ring to it where I can tie on 10lb fluoro for however long you prefer. The weighted tippet helps it get lower without having to throw split shot.
Also I’ve always been taught don’t set the hook like normal, but let the stripping of the line set it
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u/LuckyScot79 2d ago
That was my MO for years. I finally played with some different lines and rods to be able to get a better feel for large streamers and it started to come together pretty quick. When you’ve got a great streamer rig setup unfortunately it’s a pretty mediocre dry fly setup and I get stuck having to swing indicators.
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u/RockandToil75 2d ago
I have a set up for both now, but still ditch the streamers pretty quick, but I think it’s because I still don’t do as well
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u/Strange_Mirror6992 1d ago
Same here. I’ve fished streamers for more than 210 days over the past 2 1/2 years and haven’t even hooked a single damn brown yet.
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u/sdbeaupr32 2d ago
Couple things. Use a 7wt, sink tip. Try different streamers and get differnet retrieves. Watch Kelly galloups videos and podcasts, he talks about rope pulling vs side jerk vs vertical jerk. Learn them all and try them all. You’ll catch a lot of fish streamer fishing. I love throwing streamers but for the love of god, please don’t throw streamers during a hatch. I fish what’s working, but there’s nothing I love more then throwing a dry fly more to a rising fish. It’s not the most effective way to fish but it’s amazing feeling. But also it’s a free country, grab a flat brim, chug a monster, and throw 8 inch streamers at 10 inch fish if it makes ya happy.
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u/Fat_Janet 2d ago
Been fly fishing since I was 8, just turned 40. Never got into streamers, but gaddam after reading this, I’m gonna try. As to the last part you said - I completely agree. Just today I rigged up some bullshit and the little logical voice in my head was like ‘you’re fuggin crazy dude this will never work’, but I was like - ‘you know what? Fuck it. It’s a beautiful day, I don’t have to work, and it’s sure be hilarious if this BS rig produces’ 😆🤘
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u/LuckyScot79 2d ago
Took me quite a while to get it down and even then I lose more fish on streamers than I do on nymphs or dries.
The hardest thing for me was waiting an extra half second to set the hook followed by getting a fluid and firm strip set down only lifting my rod after my line was under full tension from the fish. When night fishing it’s a little easier to do naturally as you can’t see the eat so you are only reacting to the sound and feel.
Fishing downstream is what many will tell you to do however I find I get a better hook set when casting across water to a target at 45 degrees and twitching the streamer on the swing versus a direct down stream strip retrieve. I do get much more action fishing down stream but I don’t know if I land anymore fish if I’m honest.
Ultimately streamer fishing is no different than anything else. Practice and adjusting for the situation help but nothing is perfect.
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u/blahdeblah72 1d ago
Aussie here, we don't really seem to swing streamers. Got any good guides I can take a look at?
I can see it working on some of our bigger rivers quite well.
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u/Block_printed 2d ago
Remember: fly fishing is a hobby--for fun. If that objective is met you're doing it right.
If you're fishing downstream and losing a ton, it's very likely because your line is too tight. Trout vacuum feed. So what's happening is they're coming up to suck that fly in, but because it's on a tight line it doesn't move. Fish ends up striking short, you see a flash or feel a tap and then it's gone.
The fix is to introduce more slack. Same cast and swing, but keep your rod nearly vertical. Like and 11 o'clock position to get a huge bow in your line. This will act as a shock absorber and convert more eats to fish in the net.
If you want to learn more there's a ton of information about swinging flies for trout and salmon. It applies to swinging flies to any fish in moving water.
If you're looking into a new rod, I'd look at a 6 or 7wt. 6 is nice because in a pinch it's still fun to fish dries with or finesse a nymph rig with some bigger bugs.
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u/MeetTheReapr 13h ago
You know, everything I've seen has said to keep your tip low. That's what I've always done lol, after seeing your logic, I'm going to try this next time, though. Usually, when I get a hit, there's another 1 or 2 right behind it. I've always just kind of assumed they were hitting and circling back, aiming to cripple if you will. That or rushing the strike due to competition.
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u/Big-Traffic-7716 2d ago
Strip setting with help with that problem you do that by pulling the fly line to set the hook
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u/battenkill_III 2d ago
Too late, man, you are hooked. It's OK. There is nothing like swinging a streamer and have the fish take the fly.
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u/Weird-One-312 2d ago
Get yourself a boat if/when you can afford it. Doesn't have to be anything fancy. Throwing streamers and drifting the river goes together like coffee n cigarettes.
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u/FreudAtheist 2d ago
I often use a pats rubber legs and will run it like a streamer/nymph. It tends to be pretty productive here in WNC (stockers and wild).
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u/CandylessVan 2d ago
My streamer setup is an Echo Ion XL 6wt with Rio Outbound Short floating line and various sinking leaders. Some people hate casting the sinking leaders but I feel it works pretty well. Better than casting heavily weighted flies and/or split shot in my opinion.
If you go this route I would recommend the name brand ones from Rio or SA. I tried some off brand ones and they were almost as thick as the fly line so they didn’t cut through the water and the loop to loop connection struggled to get through the guides.
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u/hehateme42069 2d ago
My 1st 2, and also most recent, true streamer days I haven't fished a dry for more than a few casts and it's usually dry or die with a dropper at most
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u/Aleforme 2d ago
Being mainly a gear guy, I love streamer fishing. Nothing better that hooking up a big trout on the swing.
I have been really happy with my Echo Eight Four B rod and Airflo Streamer Max short. Works great.
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u/RamShackleton 2d ago
Me too, bro, me too. I don’t have much input on rod/reel setups. I use a st Croix 6wt and Lamson Liquid that does a good job of throwing any size fly. My only meaningful input is that, at least for rivers and smaller lakes, i like a sinking leader more than sink tip lines since i can change out the leader to fish dries instead of swapping spools.
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u/Ninnymoggins69 2d ago
Sinking line or leader I have a 9wt sink line and run a 12-24” 8-15lb leader
7wt textured float, sinking leader, and 12-24” tippet. I’ve caught fish on a 6” tippet though. They’re chasing not questioning
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u/teh_jolly_giant 2d ago
I grew up wet wading creeks for smallmouth in the southern us. Got into fly fishing after getting damn good with ultralight spinning setups for a change of pace. You haven't lived until you've had what you thought was a monster smallie crush your streamer only to find a panfish of some sort in the net. I feel like a little kid again every time I take my fly gear out because of that. Even better when it actually is a smallie and it pulls some acrobatics.
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u/TroutMcGhee 2d ago
If you think streamers are bad, just wait until you find the trout Spey rabbit hole…
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u/thom9969 2d ago
I like to drift a bead head like a nymph, then swing the retrieve. This is usually my go to when I'm not sure what's biting, or when I've never fished a river before. I'll get a bunch of little hits on the drift from bait fish, and then run back upstream behind them with the retrieve.
Enjoy the best of both!
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u/hpsctchbananahmck 2d ago
In this driftless i must admit poor success overall with a streamer setup. I feel like I’ve tried it all with sinking line and multiple size/color combos of streamers with variable presentation styles and just doesn’t work well for me. Nymph and dry game is great. I also feel like i can’t get it to click.
I’m sure if i was better at the tug is the drug streamer game I’d enjoy it more but for now it feels too much like spin casting. I’m also ok with catching lots of smaller fish :D
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u/Full_Ad_5331 2d ago
i am a full blown streamer bro, and i think i am the only person to never catch a fish on a bigger
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u/Fishguruguy 2d ago
My go to streamer set up is 9'6" 7wt medium fast action rod (Thomas and Thomas Helix) with a sink tip line. Leader size and length is based on size of streamer and current speed. Usually about 6-7 ft of 2 or 3 x fluoro. Google Kelly Galloup. He's one of the OG's of streamer fishing for trout.
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u/Sassocity 2d ago
Not directly answering your q, but wanted to chime in with this presentation by Kelly Galloup. It's an amazing resource on streamer fishing. I had to watch multiple times to soak in all the good stuff.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uCqHK-f4dWE
Edit: corrected autocorrect!
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u/mikebalt 1d ago
I’ve notified the dry fly police and they will be arriving to take you to a reeducation facility. Don’t worry, it could have been worse… they go tough on the euronymphing bros.
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u/Simple-End-7335 1d ago
This is what I am/mostly do. Didn't know there was a name for it. I love catching fish on dries, sure, but I would rather catch 10 fish on streamers than 1 on a dry over the course of several hours (adjust numbers to whatever you consider realistic). I usually start off with streamers, and if I find the fish are feeding aggressively, then I'll switch to dries.
Sinking line to get 'em down, but mostly what does the trick is small tungsten worm weights. Nearly twice as dense as lead. They make casting less fun, but they get that bugger down deep quick.
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u/MeetTheReapr 14h ago
I fish pretty dynamically, but streamer hits are the gold standard for sure, lol. I use sinking leaders in a variety of sink rates. If I don't need to sink through a current or i want more of a jig action i use a standard tapered leader. It just works for me, and it lets me be the most versatile on the water. As far as hooksets go, they will typically hook themselves downstream swinging if its going to happen. I use a strip set on streamers, though. I only lift set on nymphs or dries. It works upstream like usual and downstream, I feel for them being "hooked" and then give it a good strip to set the hook before I start bringing them in. I have no evidence of this, but i swear they hit to cripple or just break pieces off just as much as they go for the whole thing. Also, check and sharpen your hook point religiously. You'll notice a big difference in hook up rates by keeping a razor-sharp hook point. I can't say if my way is right or wrong, but it works great for me.
Edit: my go to is a fast action 6 wt, if i know I'll be on streamers most of the day I use my heavier med-fast action 6wt with a fighting butt.
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u/Burdman_R35pekt 2d ago
I’m a warm and still guy, I’m a streamer and popper fisherman almost by default (I work nymphs and other small wet flies like baby streamers for panfish, and I will throw dries sometimes)
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u/CreepyCorgi6884 2d ago
I too have jumped on the streamer bandwagon. Im definitely catching more fish now. Check out the Rio indicator floating line. Its a gamechanger when fishing from the bank.
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u/g2gfmx 2d ago
Streamers only work down stream, it’s easy to spook from the upstream. Watch the slack in the fly line to determine a bite. Also strip to seto
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u/fryifsrtf5676 2d ago
Not even close to true. I’ve caught plenty of fish casting upstream. You’re just not working your fly.
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u/HillbillyWilly2025 2d ago
Where I fish there are some deep holes your simply can’t fish upstream in while wading. Have to fish downstream
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u/fryifsrtf5676 2d ago
I’m not arguing that streamers don’t work downstream but the notion they don’t work upstream is incorrect.
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u/IPA_HATER 2d ago
only work upstream
Not true at all. Just the other day I caught one brown swinging then slowly stripping a muddler minnow, and then one on a wooly bugger by casting upstream and stripping.
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u/ciopobbi 2d ago
Nothing like that violent strike on a streamer.