Streamer fishing advice for AR tailwaters
- This topic has 24 replies, 10 voices, and was last updated Sep 1, 2009 at 1:17 pm by
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Maybe the flies I’m using are too big. Do you fish the buggers thru a deep pool, and what type retrieve do you use? I was using a 26′ outbound type 4 shooting head.
I had a guide tell me once, “If you’re not getting hung on the bottom every now and then….you’re not fishing deep enough!”
Sink tips and weighted streamers.
I use a 26′ shooting head type 4 outbound line and 5 1/2″ weighted streamers. It’s like casting a wet sock.
JKilroy –
Those big articulated streamers were designed (mostly by Kelly Galloup) to use with sinking lines, being thrown at the banks during periods of generation, to trigger aggressive strikes from cover. They aren’t going to be anywhere near as effective being swung at low water.
If you already have a sinking head system, just float the tailwaters at one or so units of generation.
You would not believe the amount of fish I have caught over the last 20 years on streamers in falling water conditions in the AR tailwaters. Very, very productive time to fish submerge structure and near banks that are normally above water during times of little to no generation. Especially in times of prolonged heavy generation (most of 2008 for us), it seems like when the water pressure/levels starts falling, the fish are coming out of the deep waters and current breaks and are eagerly feeding. 20″+ fish are very, very common to be caught in these rivers. I would be heading to the Little Red myself this weekend if it wasn’t for a MSFF beginner fly fishing class we are taking out to a local lake that is full of hungry bass with plenty of room for back casts.
Streamer fishing has been a little slow lately… especially since generation has been cut back sharply.
The lower the water is, the smaller the streamer should be.
Tiny olive buggers (size 12-8) in between the clumps of coontail moss will work wonders with light tippet and split shot to sink it on high sun clear water days in the bigger pools where many fish are visible…gotta let it sink a ways before stripping in.
Nice fish, is it over 20″? Nice hat also, it looks like it keeps the sun off.
I guess the key with streamer fishing in these tailwaters are how the sculpins are behaving during the current conditions when you are out. I don’t know much about that, but it sounds like they are active when the water is down. I would also think they would be active during low times of low light.
JK
Zach what is the .56?JK
This may help on the 56er–a Tom Nixon fly. Wood duck for tail, doll wool for body. Contrasting color strip underneath, grizzly hackle. Zach may have something to add.
In order for me to hit the banks during generation you have to use a boat, am I correct with that statement? Is bank bashing productive as soon as the generate or sometime after the generation is steady?
One thing I forgot to mention, I was out Sat and I know where there is a very large brown, I’d say 24″ to over 30″ class. I’ve seen him feed and I tried to get him but the spot was allready loaded with bait fisherman. Anyways, I walked downstream and fished a while casting my XL flies with no luck. Came bad and most the dudes were gone except two older fellows. The one guy said one of the bait fisherman had the big one one and he broke the line, thank goodness or the fish would have been taken form the river. I’d really like to get that one. I have also seen 3 other ones along with the big one. Maybe I should go there some night.
I would really like to land a big one before coming home. I have till the beginning of October.
JK
Now I know why my efforts aren’t paying off. Time to change tactics and go with smaller buggers. I’ve been chucking the big pike looking flies hunting for big fish with only one hook-up.
JK
Maybe you need to be dropping a smaller bugger off of the back of these collossal flies. i do that a good bit on my 15′ sinker and usually the chasers take the small fly after being drawn to the larger fly in front (or behind).
I would not disregard swinging big patterns into deep holes that you generally catch fish in while nymphing. It has worked for decades and probably will continue to work when the bite gets tough.
You also have to remember that the Madison is a MUCH faster river and an extremely different river. There are a TON of sculpins that browns actively feed on in the late summer and fall, which makes patterns like the zoo cougar effective.
Simplfy, Subtle, and downsize.
As water clears, I don’t stop chucking streamers, but I do throw smaller, more subtle stuff.
I was using a 12 lb. tippet for the big ones which were 5 1/2″ long. They sure look good in the water.
I would have thought the smaller streamers the big fish would have not given the time of day. I also honestly think the real big fish are in the deepest holes and there are many on the Little Red. If that’s the case I can’t even reach them with my 26′ 240 grain shooting head.
This has been an excellent topic and I have learned some new tactics to try in the next 4 weeks. I want to thank everyone for all their wonderful input. Keep it coming. If I manage a big fish I’ll try and post it.
JK
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