How to Fly Fish: A Beginner’s Guide to Streamer Fishing for Trout

If you're interested in catching large trout, get yourself a few streamers.

It's hard to go wrong with a Woolly Bugger. | Photo by Jasper Taback.

When you think of streamer fishing, salmon and steelhead likely come to mind. The bulk of a trout’s diet is insects, not the larger prey that streamers imitate – but that doesn’t mean a trout won’t crush one under the right conditions.  

Why Streamers Work 

If you’re looking to catch big trout, there’s no better way than fishing a streamer. As trout grow larger, they start to experiment with food sources beyond the typical insect diet. Baitfish, minnows, leeches, crayfish – they’re all on the menu, and streamers are made to imitate them. 

When to Fish Streamers

Streamers are particularly effective in high, stained water and in low light conditions. When visibility drops, a trout relies heavily on its lateral line system to find food. Streamers create stronger vibrations than a nymph or dry fly would, making them easier for trout to find. 

Streamers are also a great choice for winter trout fishing. When fish are holding deep in the water column and not actively feeding, a heavy streamer will get to the right depth and can look too good to resist. 

How to Fish Streamers

There are two main techniques for streamer fishing: swinging and stripping. Both can be very effective, and it’s often the time of year that dictates which will be the best choice. 

Swinging a streamer involves casting directly across the river, then keeping a tight line and following the fly with your rod tip until it’s swung directly downstream of you. Stripping is just what it sounds like – bringing the fly back to you with short strips of line, making sure that you’ve let the fly sink first. 

Swinging vs. Stripping

Swinging a streamer is your best bet during the winter, when you want to cover a lot of water and present your fly right in front of a fish. During the spring and fall, when trout feed more aggressively, they’ll be more likely to chase a streamer that you strip. That said, be ready to try both techniques – you never know which one will pay off. 

Expand Your Fly Fishing Arsenal

There are plenty of trout anglers that only fish with dry flies and nymphs. They’re both great ways to catch trout, until they’re not. On the days when a smaller bug won’t buy a bite, or you’re feeling like catching a big fish, it’s great to know how to fish a streamer.