Streamer fishing question

[Scott V]

What type of line do people usually use when streamer fishing on water like the Truckee?

Been wanting to start steamer fishing and was wondering if it is more common to use a floating line with a big weighted streamer or do you use a sinking head or line?

I have a bunch of Kelly Galloups streamers I have bought and tied up so that is the fly I plan to use.

[David Lee]

Hi Scott .

Do it exactly the same way you'd fish for Stripes . On a 6 wt. , something like a 200 or 225 grain integrated sink-tip , or .... better yet , shooting heads for whatever size rod you are using .

D.~

[Spicytuna1]

It also depends on the type of water you are fishing. If its a smaller river with low CFS jsut add a sink tip to your line or throw weighted flies on dry line. If its a bigger deeper river then you want to go with a full sink streamer line.

[MickeyFinn]

Kelly Galloup changed my fly fishing, glad you mentioned his fly patterns. There are two methods as you as you know. Floating line, 7-10' leader and heavy fly. Works for most people as it's what they have and is effective in shallow runs and shallow pocket water. Pretty easy to cast as well.

Then there is Kelly's way, mentioned already is a 200-250gr streamer line with a floating running line. The floating running line makes for an easy pickup off the water and easier mending. Leader length varies from 2-4'. This allows the fly to get into the zone quickly and more importantly stay there throughout the retrieve. Even in shallow water I like to use this as you don't have all day to let the fly sink, you need to get down 1-2 feet in a matter of feet and second, then strip it through the zone you intend to "fish". Streamer lines today are easy to cast and can actually make lighter work of heavier flies because if you're grains are matched the line compared to a floater is less wind resistant. Another key factor to sinking lines and big Galloup flies is the fact that most don't incorporate much weight in the fly itself. Maybe some dumbell eyes or a conehead but I tie my flies without so they hover over the bottom and don't hang up as much. You also get a very lifelike movement vs. jigging motions other flies make. Not saying I don't fish them it's just a matter style. Finally, fish any streamer no matter what is cost you like it was free. It's hard to pound a tree lined bank or fish a deep rocky pool with a $5 fly you know may be lost any second but trust me, it's sometimes a matter of inches between getting "old mossyback" to move. Last thought, remember big fish are predators. They aren't always under cover like mossyback but sometimes in the most open spaces you would pass up or wade through.

You'll have fun on the Truckee, just be persistent and change colors often. Don't go to the nymph rig if you haven't caught a fish in a few hours. They're there and trophy hunting is exactly that, go for the trophy not the plaque.

[cdevine]

I fish streamers on the Truckee along with Czech style nymphing. I must admit I rarely dry fly fish there which is my issue because there are opportunities. I've been using a rio type sink tip leader attached to my floating line. I wouldn't consider the truckee that big of water at least these days. Certainly big fish though. I will use 1x attached to that I've been trailing the sculpin or cray pattern with a prince nymph or something like that. One thing I totally agree with Galloup on is fish will attack the streamer. People worry to much about using lighter tippet. Not worth it. Just lose valuable flies. When conditions are good on overcast days with water warming up a little it can be fun. The local guys have some nice patterns at mtn hardware.

[Scott V]

Great info everyone. Thanks a bunch!

[Paul B.]

I'd like to second that. Great info. Thank you for posting.

[Larry S]

The Wulff Ambush line should be a consideration here. Available as full line and/or head.
Kiene carries them.

[JasonB]

Scott,
I'm still evolving on my streamer fishing preferences, but at this point it's mostly what I do on most streams including the Truckee. I am still on the hunt for the perfect streamer line too. I think one thing that is perhaps a factor, in addition to type of water, is how you intend to fish them. Lots of different ways to work a streamer, depending on what you like and what kind of water you have and of course... water temp. Sometimes a medium-long mono leader with a heavy fly can be sweet to dredge through deeper slots, typically then swung in to shore and/or stripped. The biggest issue is that the fly typically changes elevation very quickly (both down, but also back up) with this set up: good in some ways bad in others. For swinging a fly, or stripping, or some combination of both I vastly prefer a sinking tip of 10-15'. More often than not I choose to just attach a 10' sinking leader, and about 3' or so of 8-12lb tippet (the absolute heaviest I think I can get away with, usually 10lb). That way I can fairly quickly swap out a leader if I wish to nymph a run, or fish a dry fly, etc. Really any line/leader set up can work though; you just have to play around with how you fish the fly a bit.

Totally agree about the lifelike appearance of a bit lighter flies, and I also find that balancing the weight a bit helps a bit if you are fishing a heavily weighted fly. The slower that I intend to fish the streamer the more critical this becomes (for me). Heavy flies do help to get down really fast, which can be great if you're fishing faster water and smaller pockets where they will have a lot less time to inspect the fly (and the speed at which it moves helps give it some life anyways). About that tippet again, go heavy! I recently ran out of tippet on our last trip and was forced to use some 12lb maxima, and man was I glad I did when I hooked a beast of a brow. From the initial hit, and at several key points in landing him it was clear that I needed every bit of strength the tippet had!
Love streamer fishing
JB

[John Sv]

You guys might laugh at me but my favorite streamer for the Truckee is a big ol' unweighted Light Spruce. I fish it on a 250 grain streamer tip. Short wings so they don't foul. I pick up smaller fish swinging, bigger fish with and upstream cast stripping back just a tiny bit faster than the current. At dusk I use a darker fly with bulk like a woolly bugger and slap the banks. I get lots of bumps and tugs but less hookups, for one reason or another.
My theory is that they might think the spruce is a lahontan red side, and the bugger just pisses them off.