Articles in the Category Streamers

Fish and Film – Fishing Fall Streamers (VIDEO)

Nothing compares to actively fishing streamers and watching trout attack the fly. In early November, I found good streamer action in some favorite water. The takes were spotty enough that I had to work for them, but frequent enough that I could learn the preferences of the trout and dial in a presentation . . .

The Jerk Strip – Streamer Presentations VIDEO

Moving the fly with the rod tip and not just the line hand is a fundamental skill that opens up many presentations that bring trout to a streamer.

The jerk strip is critical for any serious streamer angler. It’s a must-have skill for animating the fly — for selling the streamer to a fish. And it’s the baseline for what I think of as a jig strip, a twitch strip, a glide strip, a head flip and twitch, a lane change, and much more. At its core, the jerk strip is a hand off from left to right — it’s about moving the fly with the rod tip and then recovering with the line hand. In this way, the jerk strip sets the table for everything else . . .

Fish and Film — Crossover Shifts (VIDEO)

Fishing is a story . . . On one of the last mornings of summer, I found good action with a Crossover technique, combing the advantages of both streamers and nymphs on a tight line, Mono Rig system. This style was a perfect match for trout that were eager enough, but not in all water types. I covered many different sections and enjoyed fishing some of my favorite wild trout water — big woods and a big river.

Troutbitten Shop Summer Sale ’24 — All Leaders, Hats, Stickers and Two New Leader Designs

The Troutbitten Shop Summer Sale ’24 is here, with all leaders, hats and stickers back in stock, along with two new leader designs.

Streamer Presentations — Glides and Slides

Feb 9, 2022 | Streamers, Tactics

Rolling the bottom, gliding mid-current along a knee-deep riffle and slow-sliding off the bank — these maneuvers are just as enticing and catch just as many trout as do flashy retrieves. But we tend to forget them. Or rather, we might not have the discipline to stay with an understated look for very long, because the modest stuff isn’t as exciting as the razzle-dazzle.

This handful of subtle moves requires an angler with restraint and commitment. Otherwise, the rod tip and line hand are back to big motions and brash, bold movements in no time . . .

Podcast — Ep. 9: Breaking Down Streamer Presentations

Nov 16, 2021 | Announcements, Streamers, Tactics, The Troutbitten Podcast

Make that fly swim. Give life to the streamer. Convince the trout that they’re looking at a living, swimming creature.

That’s what this podcast conversation is about. How do we move the fly with the line hand and the rod tip, with strips, jigs, twitches and more? We talk about head position, depth, speed and holding vs crossing currents and seams. We touch on natural looks vs attractive ones. Should we make it easy for them or make them chase?

Don’t Guess — Set the Hook and Set Hard

Nov 7, 2021 | Fly Fishing Strategies, Nymphing, Streamers, Tactics

Here’s what I see: Too much guessing. Too much assuming that it’s not a trout rather than assuming that it is. So don’t guess. Set the hook. And set it hard.

If you’re trying to get long drifts, change that. If you’re trying to guess what’s a rock and what’s a trout, change that. If you’re trying to lift the nymph off a rock, and then you realize it was fish — bump buh-bump and gone — change that. I suggest a fundamental shift in your approach . . .

Leaders Relaunch in the Troutbitten Shop

Jul 19, 2021 | Announcements, Nymphing, Streamers, Tactics, The Mono Rig

Troutbitten leaders are back in the Shop. There are some unique features to Troutbitten leaders that make a big difference. These are hand tied leaders in four varieties: Harvey Dry Leader, Standard Mono Rig, Thin Mono Rig, and Micro-Thin Mono Rig. Standard Sighters are also available, and they include a Backing Barrel. The Full Mono Rig Kit contains each of the three Mono Rig leaders, three foam spools and a twenty-inch Rio Bi-Color extension.

All Troutbitten leaders come on a three-inch spool, making long leader changes a breeze . . .

The Tight Line Advantage Across Fly Fishing Styles

Apr 5, 2021 | Dry Fly Fishing, Nymphing, Streamers, Tactics

I first picked up fly fishing as a teenager, and I vividly remember the confusion. With time, I learned to cast the weight of the line rather than the weight of the lure, but I didn’t know what to do with the line after the cast. Sure, I learned about mending, but that never seemed to solve the problems at hand. Enter, tight lining concepts . . .

VIDEO | Fly Fishing the Mono Rig: Streamers — Episode 1

Dec 14, 2020 | Fly Casting, Streamers, Tactics, The Mono Rig, Videos | 54 Comments

In collaboration with Wilds Media, the long-awaited Troutbitten video series featuring Streamers on the Mono Rig begins today.

Episode One is an overview of the tactics and an exploration of what is possible when fishing streamers with tight line tactics. The video also covers the Troutbitten Mono Rig and the functions of its three main components.

Streamer Presentations — The Tight Line Dance

Dec 2, 2020 | Streamers, Tactics | 12 Comments

On a tight line rig, things are different. We keep line off the water — so it’s the rod tip that dictates the actions of the fly. Direct contact with the fly lends us ultimate control over every variable. With line off the water, it’s the rod tip that charts the course, the actions and all the movements of the streamer. And that . . . is a very big deal . . .

Stop Trying to See Your Streamer

Nov 10, 2020 | Streamers, Tactics | 12 Comments

Watching your streamer is fun. It’s educational, and it helps to dial in great action on the fly. But if you’re not careful, you’ll start moving the fly so you can see it instead of moving the fly to attract a trout . . .

Lost Trout Are Your Fault — Streamer Fishing Myth v Truth

Nov 5, 2020 | Fighting Fish, Streamers, Tactics | 8 Comments

A good streamer bite comes with a shot of adrenaline, especially when the strips are fast and aggressive. As we see a wild trout attack the fly, our natural reaction is one of excitement. We set the hook, and all too often we continue the fast and aggressive motions of our retrieve. The trout never has a chance to get back down through the water column, and we mistakenly fight the fish fast and near the surface. Unfortunately, that’s the worst place for a trout, if you want it to stay attached.

The Meat Eater Minority — Streamer Fishing Myth v Truth

Oct 26, 2020 | Streamers, Tactics | 47 Comments

Rarely does a population of trout fall all over themselves to eat a streamer, no matter how well it’s presented. And I think it’s unfair to advance the notion that fish are out there waiting to pounce on your streamer if you just get the presentation right . . .

Streamer Fishing Myth v Truth — Eats and Misses

Oct 21, 2020 | Streamers, Tactics | 13 Comments

Over time, over endless conversation, cases of craft beer and thoughtful theories, we came to understand that our hook sets were rarely at fault. No, we set fast and hard. We were good anglers, with crisp, attentive sets. The high percentage of misses were really the trout’s decision. We summarized it this way: Sometimes a trout misses the fly. Sometimes a trout refuses the fly. And sometimes a trout attempts to stun the fly before eating it . . .