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3. Tandem Streamer Question

To all of those using Tandem Streamers....

Do you find your fly to fish better with weight on the back hook, front hook (or hook shank if you cut the hook off), or no weight at all and a sinking line?

I tied some grungy looking things last night in various combinations...testing them out this evening.

It all depends on what action you are looking for. I tie some with heavy barbell eyes and no flotation to get a nice jigging action. I fish those mostly with a floating line, sometimes a sinking line early season. I tie some with heavy eyes and a deer hair head so it rides mostly level. I fish these mostly on a sinking line, occasionally a floater. You can pair the line to whatever depth you need. Regardless of line, these stay pretty level, and produce a nice S curve (tail whipping back and forth). I also tie some with no weight and fish these exclusively on a sinking line. These stay level and some have buoyancy so they are like an anti-jig (dart down when you strip, float up on the pause). These will also produce an S curve when you strip as well.

It mostly depends on the water depth, type of water, time of year and the particular fish you are fishing to. If you are on bigger freestone type rivers this time of yeat, I would tie heavy eyed "jigging" flies and fish them on whatever line gets you to the correct depth. I would also tie heavy eyed flies with deer hair heads and fish them on a sinking line.

Unfortunately in my part of the country we can't fish trout in the Fall, so I miss some of the best streamer fishing of the year. Browns, yellows and a combination of the two should be killer. And there basically is no such thing as too big.

Hope this helps! Post pics...especially if you find some hogs!

P.S. I would never cut the front hook. Browns love hitting the head. Most times the back of the fly is hanging out of the fishes mouth and they are hooked on the front hook. I tie 4-6" clousers with a short shank hook and almost never have short strikes.

Kschaefer3...that is great advice to anyone getting in to streamer fishing. Thanks. I'll be throwing large (7-10inch) deerhair flies on full sink lines, 10wt rod, 2ft 40# leader. Basically, its a musky set-up.

My usual weighting on streamers is weight on the front hook, nothing on the back. I also use dumbbell eyes for hook up/down, or a conehead if it is a simple streamer.

I did really well last fall, but have relocated to a different part of the state so I'm excited to see what opportunities are around.

The link goes to one of the prizes from last fall...24''.

Oh, I see, you are going Arkansas tailwater style with the 10 wt. Are the flies you throw basically musky flies? Tons of reverse tied deer hair?

Sorry, I can't see your picture cause it's linked to fb. Work doesn't allow fb and it won't show on my phone either. 24" is a big fish though! I wish I was able trout fish still.

Ahh...I'll try and post a pic on here later when I'm home -- of the fish and the flies.

Yes - I'm basically throwing flies that are similar to Don Larson's creations if you're familiar with him. He is friends with Robert Tomes out near Hayward, WI. I brought a few back this summer when I fished with them both and am imitating the flies. Lots and lots of deer hair, big hooks, articulated, you get the idea.

Very cool, thanks! Can't wait to see them both. I will have to do some research on the gentlemen in question. I musky fish in and around Hayward very frequently, so I definitely get the idea :)


I usually use Brad Bohen style flies. Mostly because I steal old flies from a friend who ties that style. I tied my first musky fly yesterday though. It turned out super ratty, but I'll still give it a go next time I'm out.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-0f9SGxmMYs

Boys! Check this out...John Cleveland in this vid is a friend of mine. He has shown me pics of 20+lb Lakers with a 10-15lb Lakers tail hanging from their mouth. :)

He also showed me a pic of a guy with a two-piece rod lighter than the 9-10 weight versions he uses totally wasted and left in 5 pieces after it exploded.

:)

Spence

Kschaefer3....yes, similar flies to Bohen's is what I'm fishing.

Oldredbarn...wow - I checked out that link....it looks awesome. Put it on the bucket list for sure. The only time I've had a fish chase the one I had hooked was in Maine. It was a huge Brook Trout chasing around the 11'' Brookie I had hooked. Wild stuff!