Streamers for the Don

« **on:** 08/02/2014 at 16:39 »

Hey folks

I'm keen to give streamers a good go this year. I tried it a few time back in 2012 and thoroughly enjoyed it. This year I hope to fish some of my own creations. Can anyone recommend some pretty simple patterns?

Cheers
Liam

« **Reply #1 on:** 08/02/2014 at 19:22 »

Quote from: TheYoungGun on 08/02/2014 at 16:39

Hey folks

I'm keen to give streamers a good go this year. I tried it a few time back in 2012 and thoroughly enjoyed it. This year I hope to fish some of my own creations. Can anyone recommend some pretty simple patterns?

Cheers
Liam

Black woolly bugger with orange cone would be a good starting point Liam.

Cheers
Ben

« **Reply #2 on:** 08/02/2014 at 19:27 »

A lesson I learned from another forum member is that a Black wooly bugger with a fluorescent orange tungsten cone head is simple, easy to tie and terribly effective any time on the Don. Handily it can be ~~basterdised~~ modified in a hundred ways to create a boxful of wonderfulness

H

« **Reply #3 on:** 08/02/2014 at 19:42 »

I've heard lots about these buggers. I'll give them a go for sure. Ben do you have all the materials in the shop?

Cheers
Liam

« **Reply #4 on:** 08/02/2014 at 19:50 »

Should have Liam, will be getting cones back end of the week

Ben

« **Reply #5 on:** 08/02/2014 at 20:00 »

Cool I'm back on the 18th so will be out as soon as. Looking forward to it

Liam

« **Reply #6 on:** 08/02/2014 at 20:42 »

What about zonkers? They seem straight forward enough when watching Davie McPhail tie them. Endless variations as well, has anyone tries them on the Don?

Liam

« **Reply #7 on:** 09/02/2014 at 08:51 »

Yes, with success. Think about flies the size of a small spring rabbit and you're about there

Again, they do not need to be complicated.

H

« **Reply #8 on:** 09/02/2014 at 09:28 »

Liam

You'll have the hackles in the bag I'm sending and plenty of them

Cheers

Sandy

« **Reply #9 on:** 09/02/2014 at 11:02 »

Excellent Sandy thank you

Cheers
Liam

« **Reply #10 on:** 09/02/2014 at 15:12 »

Quote from: Hamish on 09/02/2014 at 08:51

Yes, with success. Think about flies the size of a small spring rabbit and you're about there
Again, they do not need to be complicated.

H

That's a mighty big fly Hamish

Seriously though what size hooks; 4, 6, 8s or bigger?

Cheers
Liam

« **Reply #11 on:** 09/02/2014 at 15:52 »

I use #4 - #6 mainly Liam, just think about what you will be throwing them with. Big bits of zonker require heavier lines than would normally be used on the Don for trout.

Cheers

Ben

« **Reply #12 on:** 09/02/2014 at 16:11 »

Ben

Good point there. I will be throwing them with my 5 wt Access (hopefully it manages) until I can afford to upgrade to something like a 6wt S4 or Sintrix. Might have to down size the flies until I get a meatier set up...

Cheers
Liam

« **Reply #13 on:** 09/02/2014 at 16:17 »

You really want to think about getting a specialist line for throwing them otherwise you'll find it a ballache. Outbound short does quite well and is available in a #5 although it would have to be specially ordered.

Cheers

Ben

« **Reply #14 on:** 09/02/2014 at 16:42 »

I had considered getting an SLX and fishing 7ft poly leaders. Perhaps the specialist is the better option though. Do you think the 6wt rod would be more suited?

Cheers
Liam

« **Reply #15 on:** 10/02/2014 at 07:29 »

I use a 7 weight, but I am chucking rabbits

That is married to a Rio Streamer line which has a WF profile and a short head. I learnt a long time ago that flies that are heavy/big/wind resistent really could do with a specialist line.

I think and SLX would be the wrong profile myself, perhaps a more enlightened caster could comment.

« **Reply #16 on:** 10/02/2014 at 09:04 »

hmm, i thought the slx was supposed to be quite good for bigger flies (when performing spey type casts I mean).
I used my 6wt set up (tcx and slx) and managed to cast a few streamers last year with it. Like you Liam i'm fairly new to streamer fishing but i've tied a few zonkers and woolly buggers up over the winter so looking forward to trying them out.

« **Reply #17 on:** 10/02/2014 at 10:58 »

Quote from: toshkerr on 10/02/2014 at 09:04

hmm, i thought the slx was supposed to be quite good for bigger flies (when performing spey type casts I mean).
I used my 6wt set up (tcx and slx) and managed to cast a few streamers last year with it. Like you Liam i'm fairly new to streamer fishing but i've tied a few zonkers and woolly buggers up over the winter so looking forward to trying them out.

Better clarify that...I know Ben et al fish the SLX with bigger flies and spey casts, and thats ok for swinging a streamer or stripping across stream, but I tend to fish more upstream than anything else, so a dedicated streamer line is a must for me.

Apologies if I were not clear on what I meant. I re read my post and it is not clear.

« **Reply #18 on:** 10/02/2014 at 13:19 »

Rob can I ask how you fish them upstream? Dead drift it back... How do you impart movement In the fly? I've only ever did the old cast slightly upstream at an angle, strip it back and let it swing round. I would be interested in your method.

Cheers
Liam

« **Reply #19 on:** 10/02/2014 at 18:39 »

SLX #7 will chuck big stuff but it depends upon how big and how heavy they are when wet. A #5 Outbound short is front weighted and weighs in at about an 8wt so is better suited to the job if you are looking for a dedicated streamer fishing line but is pretty pants for anything else. I'm looking at getting a light switch and a Skagit set up for the streamer stuff this year.

Cheers

Ben

« **Reply #20 on:** 11/02/2014 at 07:32 »

Quote from: TheYoungGun on 10/02/2014 at 13:19

Rob can I ask how you fish them upstream? Dead drift it back... How do you impart movement In the fly? I've only ever did the old cast slightly upstream at an angle, strip it back and let it swing round. I would be interested in your method.

Cheers
Liam

I use a heavy fly and plonk it alongside anywhere I think a big predator might be lurking. I then stip it back a bit faster than the current.

The great Kelly Galloup states that a big trout will be used to prey fish shooting off down stream, so by chucking in a big down stream mend, I try and get the fly to swim parrallel to the bank for as long as possible before letting it swing round. Its just as the fly starts to accellerate and turn that I seem to get most hits.

I had better state that I have not had many fish on streamers as its a relatively new method to me.