Firing the Magic Bullet
Learning how to work any of the traditional early season streamers can be as difficult as learning how to cast in the wind. Those fly fishers who are either new to the sport or stuck in ancient deep diving nymph strategies may want to read further! The advantages of learning the secrets of choosing the correct streamer or early season terrestrials are many fold. To begin with, lets explode a few early season myths about enticing sleepy, cold, lethargic trout into hitting your meager offering.
There are no exact techniques or systems which will catch trout during this early period. It depends on so many factors, it would take volumes to cover every possible situation. Those who are tried and true deep diving nymph fly fishers are missing out on the whole point of fly fishing. One must learn to quickly change flies and try every possible bug in your box , if nothing seems to work.
I will almost always begin with one of my own streamer creations which are extremely buggy and gaudy. These patterns consisting of my "White Dragon" " Fallon Slayer" "Black Magic" and my never miss killer "Lady Di". Have never let me down in any situation on any water at any time of day!
Why is that and how could anyone make such a bold statement? Because trout and all game fish are feeding opportunists and will on impulse hit almost anything they think will make an easy meal floating by. These buggy looking streamers I tie each season work well because they have the colors and the hairy insect look which trout cannot resist period.
1. Fallon Slayer, 2. Red Death, 3. Black Magic
The two most believed myths about early season fly fishing are universal and have caused many boring mornings and afternoons for our sisters and brothers! First, has to be deep diving nymphs are best and have to be inched across the bottom with a twitch now and then. The other myth is one must use only sinking line to get the fly down and keep it down low.
Bull----, if you get used to using floating line and nine foot leaders followed by six to seven feet of tippet with a split shot 15 inches above the fly which is also weighted. You my adventurous bug tosser will begin to get more slams and exploding hits then you can imagine.
Why the hell is that you ask, because the floating line will keep the fly moving with the tension of the surface current and wind. Sinking line tends to cause the fly to move very sluggishly and hug the bottom. Floating line will keep your bug moving and acting wounded or lost. This sports fan is what drives sleepy trout wild and they can't help but hit your buggy presentation hard every single time!
When throwing these streamers it is important you never obey any rules as far as where or how to throw them. Why is that, wise ass outdoor writer you ask? Because these streamers work best in places you might never imagine fish would hide. Work these streamers up stream near stream edges and around boulders and across stream currents.
