In a recent blog, I discussed fishing with the Brown Sculpin Streamers since they are found in almost any body of water. However, any discussion of streamers should not leave out the crayfish, minnows, and other small bait fish. Especially now with winter approaching, it is a good time to continue the discussions on streamers.
Any small fish that can fall prey to a larger trout can be imitated as a streamer. Any of these patterns will catch trout in lakes, ponds and streams throughout most of the winter. Use a net if necessary to examine the types of baitfish that exist in the waters where you intend to fish. Also, note that trout are cannibalistic and will feed on fry of their own species. Use a streamer that mimics the most common baitfish found. In another blog we discuss an effective, but ugly weighted brown trout streamer.
As a rule, it will take a heavier tackle system to carry the additional weight of a streamer so it is often recommended that a 7 weight rod will serve you better than a 5 weight rod. I am a believer that the larger the streamer the larger the trout that will take it. However, that is not always true, maybe it is just my preference, because I can not prove it. Also, note that you may have to "chuck & duck", as the weight of the streamer makes the fly casting process, shall we say, less than glamorous.
A floating line will retrieve the streamer at or near the surface, but a sinking line will help you get to the bottom especially in the faster flowing water. For additional action, attach a small split shot weight to the leader ahead of the fly. As the current takes the streamer downstream, lift the rod tip occasionally; then let the fly drift down in the water causing a jigging action. This will imitate the dying actions made by a struggling, dying baitfish or by a crayfish. Similarly it can be done on the retrieve as well. Keep in mind that the larger, warier trout, especially the brown trout, will tend to hid under rocks, banks, and logs where you can't see them. Therefore, a good technique is to allow the fly to drift with the current to a promising looking location, and then twitch the line to elicit a strike from a wary trout. But be forewarned: the big trout often bite no more than once, so be ready when they do -- you likely will not get a second chance.
In many cases you only need to cast as little as 20 feet and in other cases you can simply let the streamer fly drift downstream stripping off line as it drifts. However, the longer that you cast, the longer the retrieve will take, offering more opportunities.