Fly-Fishing 101: How to Catch Trout with Streamers

Score more trout by learning to use these big-meal-imitating flies

By Joe Cermele / Field & Stream

Streamer flies can mimic a variety of forage, but none is more common than baitfish. Unlike dry flies that match floating insects, and nymphs that look like aquatic insects in their larval stages, streamers are designed to fool trout looking for a bigger meal that packs plenty of protein.

Streamer fishing, however, is a vastly different style of presentation from casting patterns that imitate small bugs. The game with dry flies and nymphs centers around getting a natural, drag-free drift. Streamers, meanwhile, need to be brought to life by the angler by way of using retrieval techniques and working the rod to get them moving. They are more akin to lures you’d use with conventional tackle than what many people think of as traditional trout flies. CONTINUE