Streamer Tactics for Trout

Streamer Tactics for Trout

It’s that time of year again when the nights get cooler, the daylight shorter, the bugs smaller and the largest fish in the river start prowling for streamers to pack on weight for the fall spawn and winter. There’s no shortage of angling advice from the sport’s professionals and shop owners (everyone has an opinion and a lot of it is great), but here are a few hidden truths…

1. They are the one type of fly that actually elicits a predatory response from trout–sipping midges is not predatory. So, prepare your knots, leader connections and hook points accordingly.

2. They are as close to a Panther Martin or Mepps Spinner as you can get, and still consider yourself to be fly fishing.

3. If you’re fishing articulated streamers with multiple barbed hooks, you might as well be fishing Panther Martin or Mepps Spinners with treble hooks. (Cut one off.)

4. The Woolly Bugger is probably the most effective streamer pattern in history–and a substantial percentage of anglers cannot spell it correctly: W-O-O-L-L-Y.

5. The Autumn Splendor, from the Roaring Fork valley’s Tim Heng, is one of the best springtime streamer patterns in the world.

6. Probably not a good idea to trumpet the effectiveness of some misogynistically named streamer pattern at the special meeting of your T.U. chapter where you’re tackling the issue of “why aren’t there more women in fly fishing?”

7. Barbless streamer hooks are just as effective, fishing-wise, and ten times easier to pull out of the back of your head when your fishing partner tries a 70-foot single haul with a sinking line in a 40-m.p.h. crosswind...

8. Classic Atlantic Salmon Flies like the “Thunder and Lightning,” “Silver Stoat” and “Munro Killer” work fine as small streamers, especially in lakes. Try attaching one as a “stinger” trailed behind a big Zonker some time.

9. The leather and wool streamer wallet is an old school accessory that’s about as in vogue as cigarette cases, but they’re still pretty cool.

10. No fly rod in the world is designed to throw #20 dry flies and #8 streamer patterns with equal aplomb, despite any marketing promo-speak you might hear. You want the proper (larger, beefier) equipment to throw sinking lines and large flies all day. – Kirk Deeter

The State of Trout Rivers

“I’ve never wanted to be that guy who says, ‘Yeah, but you should have seen it when…’

But having just spent a few weeks fishing at our family cabin in Michigan, on a river when 10, 20 years ago, we could reliably spend an afternoon coaxing at least a few decent fish to eat hopper flies–the fishing has sucked. Worst I’ve ever seen it.

Fishing the upper Colorado River, near where I now live, always (at least usually) produces some nice fish, but, if I were to rate the action in the past year or so on a 1-10 scale, given what I experienced a decade or more before, I’d rate it a ‘3’ and I think that’s being generous…”

Read the entire article on Substack and fill out the survey.

Product Buzz

We review the Over It Raft Cover. “Made for rafts: These covers are actually cut to fit. They have slots for oar towers and trailer winches, cinch tight without a wrestling match and come with bomber D-rings so you can secure them properly. No more bungee cord gymnastics. Available in four raft sizes, plus a cataraft version.” It’s that time of year when every fly-fishing brand is putting gear on sale: Simms fall stuff, Madison River Fishing Company has piles of gear on sale + the Airflo fly line sale, Epic Fly Rods have great Fly Rod & Reel Combos with awesome savings, BOTE SUP deals, Grundens End of Summer Sale, 3Bird Summer Sale, Stio Warehouse Sale. Outdoor Brands Sourcing Used Gear to Offset Tariffs, Consumer Sentiment. “As outdoor brands face an array of problems–from dwindling consumer optimism to rising prices caused by Trump’s tariffs–the circular economy presents an opportunity to keep products in the hands (or on the feet) of outdoor participants.” Patagonia’s Fly-Fishing Worn Wear has been leading on this reused equipment trend for a few years. We’ve also been testing Patagonia’s Swiftcurrent Waders this summer and are big fans of the design, construction and durability. Fishpond Thunderhead Submersible Backpack Review. “With the divider insert, I found that I could truly organize the gear I put in the pack, whether that gear consisted of fly boxes, leader sleeves, and various on-the-water tools…” Find one at MRFC. Big Sky Angler’s 2025 Trout Spey Rod Review. “While there weren’t a ton of brand-new Trout Spey rods released this year, that gave us the perfect opportunity to refine past reviews, revisit popular setups and improve rod and line pairings.

Fly-fishing News

Check out our new Flylab Substack and the cool content over there. Legendary fly-fishing legend Flip Pallot has passed away. Known from the Walker’s Cay Chronicles and a hundred YETI commercials, Flip was a “pioneer, modern day explorer and an innovator whose spirit was fresh and wild.” Some remembrances: “A Reflection with Flip Pallot” from Flylords; “Remembering Flip Pallot” from the AMFF; listen to Flip on the Mill House Podcast; “Flip Pallot, Legendary Fisherman” from the Garden & Gun podcast. Yvon Chouinard Says Newsom’s Billion-Dollar Salmon Bet Is Doomed to Fail. “When hatchery salmon are released into our waters, they suffocate their wild counterparts with sheer numbers, weaken the gene pool, spread disease, and increase predation.” Striped Bass Economic Survey (from The Saltwater Edge): “The Striped Bass Survey gives us the chance to quantify the scale of this coastwide fishery.” Fill out the University of Massachusetts Amherst “Threats to Freshwater Recreational Fisheries” Survey and be entered to win a Patagonia Guidewater Backpack. The survey is intended to “understand what perceptions recreational anglers have about potential threats to their target species, and how such threats impact their fishing experience and overall satisfaction.” Carp Slam (Denver, CO) September 13th, 2025: Denver Trout Unlimited (DTU) has unveiled the new format of the 2025 Carp Slam fly fishing tournament. From the DrakeCast: A Dam Removed. “In 2021, the Michigan Department of Natural Resources completed the removal of a derelict dam from the Dowagiac River.” Miles Nolte on the Marathon Sprinters of the Atlantic. “Albies are what scientists refer to as a ‘data-poor species.’ Up until recently, just about everything we knew came from anglers, and if there’s one thing we can all agree on, it’s that anglers can rarely agree about anything.”

Recent Press

On Evaluating Fly Rods: “Helpful (product) counsel as always. I also skip the marketing babble these days and go to my trusty local fly shop to cut through the bullsh%t and get the real scoop. Angler-to-angler conversations are what we need more of.” – Roger, Flylab Fan

On the Hopper Newsletter: “Some beautiful writing and thoughts.” – Keith, Flylab Fan

On Technical Tubing: “You made my day. No four-syllable superiority-complex elitist words for me either.”  – John, Flylab Fan

More on Technical Tubing: “As long as fishermen are using legal methods widely endorsed across the spectrum and not exceeding legal limits then they should not be exposed to any self-serving higher standards or forced to up their game. Fish how you want and leave everyone else alone…” – James, Flylab Fan

We’re always looking for Flylab feedback–send any comments, thoughts, suggestions, and we’d love to hear from you.

Evaluating Fly Rods

“Another flaw common in evaluations is allowing them to revolve around personal biases. Here, if the personal criteria of the rod tester are met, a rod is deemed good. If a rod fails these criteria, it’s deemed bad. This type of evaluation is common among influential and respected anglers, and ends up being a disservice to those who don’t share the same biases. Discussions that should center on design parameters and whether a rod meets them devolve into statements of taste and opinion…”

Read the entire article on Substack.

Partner Spotlight

LOGE Wolf Creek

LOGE Wolf Creek in South Fork, Colorado, is the ultimate basecamp for fly anglers exploring the well-known waters of the upper Rio Grande and surrounding alpine streams. Just minutes from prime fishing access, this thoughtfully updated lodge combines rustic mountain vibes with modern comforts like in-room Yeti coolers, boot dryers and a relaxing outdoor hot tub and sauna. With dog-friendly accommodations, van and RV spots and a welcoming community atmosphere, LOGE is more than a place to stay, it’s a gathering point for passionate anglers to connect, refuel at Café 430 and immerse themselves in the wild, trout-rich beauty of the San Juans. @logecamps

Flylab member discount: 15% off stays at LOGE Wolf Creek and all other LOGE destinations.

If you’re a fly shop, outfitter, fishing lodge or outdoor brand and interested in becoming a new Flylab partner, learn more about our program here. Join the best partner network in fly fishing.

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