Of the many types of artificial flies an angler can use for fresh or salt water fishing, one style consistently produces more and larger fish than any of the others. Among dries, wets, nymphs, streamers, terrestrials, tubes, emergers, midges, leeches, and several other varieties, the streamer fly, a pattern tied to represent bait fish, is often referred to as “the big fish fly.”

Throughout the world, on lakes, rivers, ponds, brooks, oceans, bays, and estuaries, streamer flies will produce action night and day, during any part of the open-water season.

Streamers come in a wide variety of shapes, sizes, and patterns, with selection determined by species to be fished, as well as size and type of water to be fished. Streamers can be cast or trolled, and may be used on floating or sinking fly lines or various types and weights of trolling lines. Here in Maine, where a handful of the most successful and well known streamer patterns were created, this fly is a prime requisite for productive spring lake trolling. As the summer wears on, smaller versions prove their worth on brooks and streams, and during the fall, the larger, longer streamers come back into vogue.

Unfortunately, too many fly casters put their streamers away after ice-out trolling fades away for another spring. They turn exclusively to dry flies for the remainder of the season. Even when dry flies are fished wet to produce action, anglers overlook the fact that small streamers might work just as effectively. Big fish eat small fish all the time, anytime; and streamer flies realistically resemble these always-attractive tasty tidbits of the aquatic big-fish food chain.

Single hooks

For anglers purchasing streamers or fly tiers building their own, a basic working knowledge of hooks used for these sleek flowing creations is essential. The larger a number, the smaller a hook is in size. For example, a size 24 dry fly is minuscule, the size of Lincoln’s head on a penny, a size 10 wet fly will fit on a quarter coin, a size 2 salmon fly will overlap a 50-cent piece and a size 5/0 tarpon streamer will surpass the width of a dollar bill.

When a hook number is accompanied by the words “long shank,” or another number and an X; such as hook size No. 2-6, 4X to 8X, this signifies a fairly long slender hook particularly constructed for streamer flies. A No. 6 hook, 2X long, for example, is one which is as long as a regular hook two sizes larger. A 4X would equal the length of a regular hook four sizes larger. Extremely long single hooks are often referred to as “Carrie Stevens hooks” after the famous Maine fly tier who created the gray ghost streamer in 1924 and favored special long shank hooks 3-4 inches in length.

Hook sizes for brook and small-stream streamers should fall in the regular No. 8 to No. 12 size. For rivers and small ponds, flies should be tied on No. 4 to No. 8, 2X to 4X hooks. For larger rivers or very high water conditions, as well as for large lakes or ocean fishing, No. 4 to No. 3/0 hooks in 4X to 8X lengths will fit the bill.

Tandem streamers

Over the last 50 years, tandem streamer flies have gained tremendous popularity over single-hook streamers. The greatest reason for this is that regional anglers use streamers predominantly for spring trolling, and desire longer flies with a more fluid motion in the water. Two hooks joined together with a flexible piece of material gives this effect. In addition, there’s little doubt that a two- hook fly gives better hook-up odds on each strike, and less likelihood of losing a big fish during a strong fight when both hooks are imbedded.

It should be noted however that for low water levels, warm water conditions, and for ocean fishing, single-hook streamers in sizes to match the species are better choices.

Several options are used to connect the front and rear hooks of a tandem streamer fly. Thin braided wire is the strongest and longest lasting, but tends to kink and twist after playing several fish. It must then be manipulated back to straightness to keep the fly from spinning or moving erratically. Wire is also prone to rust and discolor. Heavy monofilament is a popular option, but more difficult for the fly tier to work with due to size and stiffness. Also, mono doesn’t have the durability of wire, and it too can kink or warp.

For durability, flexibility, and ease of use, thin plastic-coated, braided wire of 30- to 60-pound test is a wonderful choice for connecting tandem streamers. The most popular hook combinations are a size 2 front hook with a size 4 trailer, or a No. 4 followed by a No. 6 tail hook. Tandem streamers range from three to six inches in length depending on the finned quarry, so once the two hooks are selected, the connector strand is cut to establish total desired length.

Both hooks facing down is the most common tandem configuration, yet I prefer to tie my flies with the front hook down and the rear hook upward. I’ve found I get better hookups, no matter where a fish grabs the fly, and fewer reeds and debris are snagged with this semi-weedless down-up combo.

Some tandem streamers are tied using a salmon-style double as the lead hook, offering more balance as the fly flows through the water and better hookups. Others use a smaller treble hook as the trailer on the tandem streamer, once again, to hold hooked fish better as well as steadying the trolled fly.

Winging it

The most popular and productive streamer flies of the early 1900s and before were feather winged patterns. When trolled behind a boat propelled by paddle or slow-moving motor, a feather wing fly sways and undulates not unlike a live minnow. Using long hackle feathers, extending the full length of the elongated hook, or tandem fly in gray, tan, gold, black, and silver shades and combinations, the patterns realistically resembled bait fish in color and movement.

Often, at least four feathers were used to create fuller wings, and occasionally two different colors were tied in side by side to produce a more realistic color combination. Sometimes eyes were painted on the head of each fly to further increase the illusion, and in later years jungle cock feathers have been used to simulate eyes. Red or silver feathers are often tied in behind the head of a streamer to simulate gills and gill plates. Silver tinsel and Mylar bodies add flash to the fly as it moves through the water, just like a smelt or minnow.

During the 1950s, bucktail winged streamers began to gain more attention, from fish and fishermen, and many new hair wing patterns have been created since that time and continue to be to this day. Effectiveness of bucktail winged flies is based on the breathing movement the hair produces as it moves through the water. When a cast bucktail is retrieved in short pulls or a trolled fly is buffeted by current and boat motion, the hair expands and contracts in a very lifelike manner which attracts fish to strike.

Bucktail streamers are fairly simple to tie and generally utilize at least two colors of hair, sometimes in layers, and other wings are fully intermixed. For the best effect, bucktails are usually tied with a sparse wing, but the hair should extend at least to the hook bend, if not a bit longer.

Over the years a handful of successful streamer patterns have been created utilizing a combination of feather and bucktail for the wings. Often bucktail fibers are used as an elongated throat as well. The hair throat flows under the fly at least half the length of the hook, and duplicates the motion and sometimes the color of a bait fish belly. A few mixed wing streamers also use peacock and ostrich hurl, strands of floss or flashy strands of synthetic materials to add extra motion and color contrast to the long flowing wing.

Blas? or brilliant

Since most of the early streamer patterns were bait fish imitators, the colors were blas? blacks, whites, and shades of tan, gray, and blue. With the advent of bucktails, vividly colored flies called attractor patterns were born, and although they resemble no real aquatic species, they were and are very effective. When water conditions are cloudy or debris-filled, a brilliantly hued streamer will be spotted by feeding fish far quicker and at a greater distance than a drab fly.

Nonetheless, both ends of the color spectrum are essential in an angler’s box of streamer patterns for consistent success. More than 30 years ago I started with a trolling line setup that allows me to offer two streamers at two different depths and distances behind the boat, and the rig seldom twists or tangles. Invariably I use an attractor as the front fly and an imitator as the trailer. The colorful lead streamer grabs a fish’s attention, and if it doesn’t draw a strike, the game fish is in a position to spot the bait fish replica trailing only a few feet behind, which might be more to its liking.

Novice fishermen stocking a streamer fly box for the first time, or an old pro replacing patterns or adding new single and tandem streamer flies, have a wide variety to consider. From years of experimentation and experience with these elongated flies, I highly recommend a diverse, somewhat eclectic selection.

My top dozen choices would include the following:

. Feather wing imitators – gray ghost, nine-three, and supervisor;

. Hair wing imitators – Winnipesaukee smelt, black nose dace, and black and white bucktail;

. Feather wing attractors – red-gray ghost, ouananiche sunset and trout fin;

. Hair wing attractors – red and white bucktail, Magog smelt, and little brook trout.

Among the mixed-wing streamers that produce action year in and year out are a Herb Johnson special, rainbow ghost, and Barnes special. A quartet of backup streamer patterns every fly box should hold in reserve would include a blue devil, Liggett special, Flagg’s smelt, and a Mickey Finn. It’s a good idea to have several hook sizes in single and tandem for the most popular patterns in your box.

Without a doubt, streamer flies produce consistent action and big fish, yet throughout most of Maine, once the spring trolling season is past, streamer flies are seldom used. Smart anglers will stow a box of mixed patterns and sizes in the fly vest and experiment a bit on various waterways during all portions of the season. You may find, as I have, that breaking away from traditional patterns can be very rewarding. You might even streamline your tactics.

Outdoor feature writer Bill Graves can be reached via e-mail at bgravesoutdoors@ainop.com