Streamers for Fall Trout Fishing

Fall Trout Fishing With Streamers in Pennsylvania

TROUT FISHING | FLY FISHING

January 4, 2016 by FISH THIS Staff

Summer is slowing coming to an end. Fall brings with it cooler water, which means trout fishing is back on. Streams that made it through the low water and high temperatures of summer still hold trout. Gone are the glory days of spring and early summer where "Match the Hatch" is standard lingo. Dryfly fly fishing is limited to warm afternoons with a few select bugs, an a trout's diet moves to underwater. Streamers are just what you need for fall trout fishing on the fly. 

Streamers work the best in the fall when trout are feeding below the surface. These flies are versatile. Different types of streamer patterns such as sculpins, minnows, and wooly buggers mimic most forage bases and can also be fished shallow or deep.  

Streamer Fishing for Fall Trout

Streamer fishing is not what most think about when talking fall fly fishing. Mastering streamer fishing is about getting down to basics. No need to worry about that long, super light tippet you had in the spring. Switch over to 2- to 3-feet of 5X tippet to improve casting and to get the fly in front of the trout better. Casting also becomes simpler, depending of course on the size of your streamer you are fly fishing with. Casting is more deliberate, making sure you get the fly in the hole or ripple rather than to a dime size spot for a rising trout. Either dead-drift the streamer through the bite zone or more typically strip line to bring the streamer through the water. Try different retrieve speeds (and even floating) until you find what the fall trout are interested in. 

Picking the Right Streamer

Picking the right streamer pattern depends on the water you are fishing. Choose streamers tied in marabou or rabbit fur for added action in slower water and larger streams to attract bites from fall trout. Streamers with bead heads or streamers like the Clouser Minnow work well in fast water and smaller streams. Color is not as important. Dark colors in stained water or white and light colors in clear water work well. Getting the streamer in the feeding zone of the trout and making it "dance" is more important.

Every fly angler has a few streamers in the box, hopefully your Tacky Fly Box, but most rarely use them. As fall nears, get those streamers to the front and tie one on for some great fall fly fishing trout action.