Streamer Sizes For Trout

[sirocco]

Just wanted to toss this question out to the more experienced fisherman out there...

 

In general how long do you tie your trout streamers? From actual fishing situations, what lengths seem to be most effective for cutthroat, rainbows etc. (NOT bulls)? I'm trying to gauge the maximum size that, for example, a 16 or 18 inch cutt would at least attempt to eat.

 

I've been tying some 3 inch flies and I'm wondering if that might be too big.

 

 

 

[Flytyer]

When I tie them it is based on the hook style I'm using.......shank length will dictate the total length of the fly I will finish with. Remember that streamer hooks can run from 2x to 10 x or longer in length. In my opinion there is not set answer to your question as the variables create enough options to make what works for one species or condition to be not work for another.

[maxwell]

i fish 2-4 inch flies for all trout.. caught most of my biggest cutties on bulltrout flies and have hit some big browns and bows on bulltrout and pike flies too.... trippiest for me this year was fishing a 8-9" deciever on teh bow for pike and i figured i hooked a little one.. when a mid 20s bow came blasting out of the water with the fly in its mouth! blew me away... thing was over 1/3 its size! i havnt really ever tied or fished streamers smaller than 2inches..... even for brookeis this year a few buddies and i were hookin 10-12inch fish on # 6 streamers in teh 2inch range! lots of people do fish smaller stuff too.. opens up a better range of fish size for you too hook! on teh bow i almost always fish a 3-4inch range

[jksnijders]

 

I think I'd say I prefer around 3-4 " Woolly Buggers on 8-10 hooks.. Shouldn't be too big in my experience. Bigger obviously for larger bulls (Yes, I know not what you meant) but size being entirely dependent on head type, weight on shank, etc, so it stays proportional. I've been surprised a few times by the size of trout (Bows, Cutts) I've caught on streamers meant for larger fish. Big clousers and Bunnies have caught me average fish a few times... Pike on the other hand, have caught em small on hooks almost their own size as well numerous times.

[SanJuanWorm]

Reminds me Ron i gotta come get those streamers.

[agbff]

I was fishin for bulls with a 4-5 inch long pink rabbit strip fly with a stinger and caught a little cuttie around 10 inches. big flies for big fish so, small flies for little fish?

[Flytyer]

Another thing to consider is season......streamers basically imitate a baitfish so think about size just as you would pick a size of nymph ...the large specimens are usually found in the early spring and as the season turns to summer the size generally gets smaller ( new hatch)

[Guest 420FLYFISHIN]

i find it depends on the materials im useing. I only tie my radit strip streamers tp be about 1 1/5 - 2 1/5 inches but i'll make a 4 - 6 inche streamer out of Icelandic sheep hair

[SilverDoctor]

Another thing to consider is season......streamers basically imitate a baitfish so think about size just as you would pick a size of nymph ...the large specimens are usually found in the early spring and as the season turns to summer the size generally gets smaller ( new hatch)

 

Flytyer hit it on the head, you need to tie for the size of prey available at the time. I run from 1 inch to four inch patterns. Through the season size up for fry. Spend some time looking at the size of the baitfish at tie to it.