Fall is Time for Streamers!

Aaaahhh the first day of Fall in Colorado’s high country.  Many people dread this day as the beginning of the dark days of Winter, but not the fly-fishing enthusiast.  The crowds of summer are long gone the water conditions are fantastic and the trout are veracious as they pack it on for winter as well as the upcoming Brown trout spawning season.  The last full moon of summer has just past and that normally triggers the libidos of our large browns start reproducing.  This activity makes these predators quite aggressive and aggressive fish like to attack Streamers!!!  What also makes fall such a great time of year to fish is the often very consistent dry fly fishing that occurs. Did I mention the total lack of crowds?

If you feel the need to get down and dirty, then fall is best time of year for fishing Egg patterns down deep.  For those of us who fancy ourselves as Streamer aficionado’s it’s time to bring out the big guns.  6 & 7 wt. fast action rods with streamer specific lines, for example the Orvis Bank shot, Orvis Hydros Clear sink tip or Rio’s Gig Nasty and Streamer Tip lines are ideal for casting large often double streamer rigs. Having the right line for the job is a crucial element to having a quality day throwing streamers.  These lines have very aggressive front end tapers that will help launch a large/ wet streamer with much less effort.  My personal rod of choice for streamer fishing is the Orvis Helios 2 966-4 saltwater rod.  I have found that the addition of the fighting but creates better leverage for casting when held against my forearm as well as when fighting larger fish.  Recently Redington has introduced the predator series of rods that are an extremely economical fast action rod priced at an astonishing $299.00. I have actually fished this rod quite a bit although heavier than most of its competitors it’s a great rod for the price. Most typically the best days for stripping streamers are often cloudy/rainy days.  But what make fall such a great time to fish Streamers is just the plain aggressive behavior exhibited by big pre- spawn Browns.

Recently water temps on the eagle have made for great afternoon dry fly action during the Blue Winged Olive hatch.  Parachute Adams and emerging/adult BWO patterns in sizes 16-22. The large fall PMD we refer to as the Gold Medal PMD is a good late afternoon opportunity right now too on the Colorado.  Size 12-14 Patriots, Light Cahill and Royal Wulff’s are all good patterns during this hatch. The shorter/cooler days do usher in the fall Blue Winged Olive hatches. My rule of thumb is if there are Blue Wings on the water then Streamers should fish well too.

As the many years I have spent as a guide and Fly shop owner it has become very clear that there are many very accomplished fly anglers who have not quite unraveled the mystery of Streamer fishing.  Whether it’s been time of year, equipment issues or just a lack of production from the effort put in to learning to fish streamers you’re not alone in your frustrations.  If you fit into this category of trout angler’s, then this the time of season to begin learning the ins and outs of the streamer business.  One good way is to spend a day on a boat with one of our experienced guides who can give you the knowledge to take you game to the next level.