4 Tips for Fishing Streamers on Wilderness Creeks

When we trek into the wilderness for wild and unpressured trout, streamers are rarely on the mind. Thoughts of eager fish that will rise to attractor dry flies is usually the name of the game. After years of guiding and fishing in these environments, I've come to really enjoy fishing streamers in smaller waters.

Most streams are hiding a few fish that are outliers in terms of age class and size. These slightly larger specimens exist in small numbers and are difficult to locate as the small to mid-range class of fish are quicker to strike your dry fly. If a particular stretch of water feels like it has the depth and structure to hold a bigger fish, I often cover it with a dry fly first, let it rest, then I return with a streamer to probe for larger fish.

Here are several tips you can use to build a simple strategy for fishing streamers on wilderness creeks with big results…

1. Fishing Unweighted vs Weighted Flies

I carry a mix of weighted and unweighted flies. It doesn't take much weight to punch below the surface and you really only need a few feet of depth to cover a small stream thoroughly. When a deeper hole does appear, simply allow the fly to sink a bit longer. When fishing unweighted flies, adding split shot roughly 6-inches above the fly will help to reach depth while allowing the fly to swim and move with a ton of action.

Weighted flies save the hassle of adding split shot and a simple bead head, cone head or dumbbell eye fly pattern is a great option for any small stream. The only time this becomes an issue is when you want to fish through shallow sections of the stream. Move the fly quickly in these situations to avoid snagging bottom.

2. Choosing the Right Size

Fly size and profile is important because small fish will also chase down your streamer. You can increase hookup rates by fishing flies in the 8-14 size range. They border on the micro-streamer category and do a great job of imitating small baitfish. There's no need for the big articulated streamers you might fish in larger rivers and lakes.

Many fish will charge the fly in a territorial response, nipping at the tail. For this reason, shorter hook shanks and flies with short tails or trailing hooks will increase hookup rates. The aggressive nature of fish in these situations makes for some serious fun.

3. Fishing Strategies

The best thing about streamer fishing a small stream is the ability to cover everything with ease. A dry fly tends to drift through a lane and while fish often move to eat the fly, it's not swiping across every inch of holding water. These two simple approaches will cover 90% percent of the habitat, giving you an opportunity at nearly every fish in the area:

Upstream Sink and Strip - Casting up and across while methodically working upstream means that you aren't kicking rocks, casting shadows and spooking fish. It's the best approach when fish are a little edgy and spooky. It's also ideal for deeper runs where you want to get deep while staying back and away from the run itself.

Cast directly up or up and across. Line control is critical as you strip to maintain tension while the fly sinks. When it feels like you are in the zone, use long strips followed by short pauses to regain depth. Work from the tailout to the head of the run and hold on tight as this technique can move the biggest trout in any stream or river.  

Across or Down and Across - Controlling line and maintaining speed on the strip is difficult on the upstream presentation. Sometimes, fishing across or down and across is the absolute best approach. It's efficient and you can use the current to swing the fly. Ideally, stay near the bank or even on the bank to avoid spooking fish. Be mindful of your shadow and simply cast and retrieve, hitting every likely holding area while slowly moving downstream.

4. Favorite Patterns

Simple flies that move well without being too bulky are the best bet. You only need a few patterns in different color schemes. Olive, black and purple, brown and natural colors with a little flash will catch trout anywhere.

Slump Buster - The size, darting motion and color schemes in Olive/Red or Black/Purple make this an incredible option. I fished these in small creeks in Alaska and the trout went crazy for them, hooking far more fish than the typical mouse or flesh fly. For creeks, the Slump Buster is a must-carry fly pattern.

Rubber Leg Buggers - Buggers are my go-to streamer. The classic pattern is simple, easy to tie and it performs well in moving and stillwaters. You can dead drift, retrieve or swing with success. For small creeks, I tie short tails to avoid missing the tail strikes. Olive or brown/yellow with rubber legs are my personal favorites.  

Muddler Minnow - The design and performance of this classic pattern is fantastic. It's also versatile with the option to fish as a dry or wet fly. Add some floatant and you have a hopper pattern. Swing just below the surface as a streamer or add a small split shot to really get deep.

Clouser Minnow - This pattern is a treasured saltwater and bass fly but it crosses over to trout really well. Tie them small with light dumbbell eyes for best results. The materials are sparse and they leave the hook exposed for better hook sets.

Sculpzilla - An all-time favorite for trout, the trailing hook design makes this a winner in the backcountry. Expect more hookups as fish nip at the tail of the fly. White with red is my favorite color, although any of the commercial color schemes are very natural and effective.

Contact Us With Questions

Have questions about our wilderness fishing expeditions here in Colorado? Please call or shoot us a text message at 970-536-1341. You can find details and pricing on our fishing trips here.