What qualities must a streamer have to be alluring for rainbow trout that populate reservoirs?
The first factor that determines the fly’s effectiveness is the flexibility of the fly’s appendages. Streamers that richly vibrate and pulse when retrieved, usually appear as the most inviting prey for the trout. This plays upon their innate, acute aggressiveness. Consequently, it should not be surprising that marabou feathers are used specifically in the design of flies destined for fishing on the reservoirs. In more recent times, the palette of available and effective materials has been expanded to a myriad synthetic fibres and animal hairs: some of them are generally characterised by shiny or metallic colours and others are so soft and fine like the marabou fibres, but with a greater durability. There has been a sort of demographic outbreak of “new” materials. The hair of the Arctic fox, for example, has literally overtaken the field of medium-to-large sinking flies for trout and salmon. These materials allow creation of artificials that are extremely elegant, functional and durable, able to support the use of very dynamic and demanding fishing techniques.
Besides the fly’s flexibility, the appeal of a streamer can be remarkably increased by its colour. Fly tying books of the past century frequently espouse the use of a variety of black or white flies expressly invented for fishing on the reservoirs. The Appetizer, Jack Frost, Viva, and Black Lure are some of more popular exponents of this category of albinos and raven lures, and are likely to be effective in catching trout on a variety of different lakes.
Nowadays, however, a growing faction of fly tyers is inclined to use materials with colours that we could define as “modern.” We have seen the emergence of many fluorescent-dyed streamers, which are visible at extreme distances, and are highly suited for fishing on murky waters or in dull lighting conditions.
Curious to test the effectiveness of the artificials with electrical colours, I tried to elaborate on some of these showy flies - flies that I wanted to use on small reservoirs where I sometimes had difficulty in enticing the trout to strike. I created a sort of small crossbreed between a nymph and streamer, that I christened the Chartreuse Streamer Nymph. Structurally speaking, this fly is a simply nymph with a long and flexible tail. Because of the ballast, its barycentre is located forward and this makes the fly sink snout first. By retrieving it by jerks, the Chartreuse Streamer Nymph moves in the water with an up and down movement, provoking the fish to attack violently.
The first factor that determines the fly’s effectiveness is the flexibility of the fly’s appendages. Streamers that richly vibrate and pulse when retrieved, usually appear as the most inviting prey for the trout. This plays upon their innate, acute aggressiveness. Consequently, it should not be surprising that marabou feathers are used specifically in the design of flies destined for fishing on the reservoirs. In more recent times, the palette of available and effective materials has been expanded to a myriad synthetic fibres and animal hairs: some of them are generally characterised by shiny or metallic colours and others are so soft and fine like the marabou fibres, but with a greater durability. There has been a sort of demographic outbreak of “new” materials. The hair of the Arctic fox, for example, has literally overtaken the field of medium-to-large sinking flies for trout and salmon. These materials allow creation of artificials that are extremely elegant, functional and durable, able to support the use of very dynamic and demanding fishing techniques.
Besides the fly’s flexibility, the appeal of a streamer can be remarkably increased by its colour. Fly tying books of the past century frequently espouse the use of a variety of black or white flies expressly invented for fishing on the reservoirs. The Appetizer, Jack Frost, Viva, and Black Lure are some of more popular exponents of this category of albinos and raven lures, and are likely to be effective in catching trout on a variety of different lakes.
Nowadays, however, a growing faction of fly tyers is inclined to use materials with colours that we could define as “modern.” We have seen the emergence of many fluorescent-dyed streamers, which are visible at extreme distances, and are highly suited for fishing on murky waters or in dull lighting conditions.
Curious to test the effectiveness of the artificials with electrical colours, I tried to elaborate on some of these showy flies - flies that I wanted to use on small reservoirs where I sometimes had difficulty in enticing the trout to strike. I created a sort of small crossbreed between a nymph and streamer, that I christened the Chartreuse Streamer Nymph. Structurally speaking, this fly is a simply nymph with a long and flexible tail. Because of the ballast, its barycentre is located forward and this makes the fly sink snout first. By retrieving it by jerks, the Chartreuse Streamer Nymph moves in the water with an up and down movement, provoking the fish to attack violently.
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INSTRUCTIONS
To begin, clamp the hook into the vice jay and wrap along the front third of its shank a small piece of fine lead wire, creating the ballast structure. After that, tie in the red thread on the hook and wrap it around the lead turns, so as to make them join very firmly to the shank
Near the hook bend, fix two filaments of pearly Crystalhair, placing them so that they extend backwards for nearly an entire shank length. Over the Crystalhair filaments, secure in a small tuft of Arctic fox hair chartreuse dyed. Note that this tail must be one-and-a-half times as long as the hook shank
In front of the tail, tie in a piece of small oval gold tinsel. Next wax a short section of the thread and distribute on it a small quantity of Arctic fox hair chartreuse dyed. Compose a compact dubbing with the fingers of the right hand and wrap it around the rear two thirds of the hook shank
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With open turns of the gold tinsel over the abdomen, make the ribbing of the fly
From a grey goose feather, cut off a strip of fibres and tie it over the hook, placing it in front of the abdomen with the apexes extended backwards
Wax again a short stretch of the red thread and distribute on it a pinch of chartreuse Arctic fox hair. Form the dubbing and create with it the thorax around the front third of the hook shank
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Push the goose fibres forwards, placing them to cover the upper part of the thorax, and secure it just behind the hook eye
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Cut off the elytrums surplus, then, with a few turns of the red thread, compose the head of the fly and whip finish it
Uniformly distribute a light layer of glue over the head, to prevent the thread from untying itself and to increase the resistance of the Chartreuse Streamer Nymph
MATERIALS LIST
HOOK: long shank size12 to 8
BALLAST: fine lead wire
THREAD: red
TAIL: two filaments of pearly Crystalhair with over a tuft of chartreuse Arctic fox hair
ABDOMEN: chartreuse Arctic fox hair
RIBBING: small oval gold tinsel
THORAX: chartreuse Arctic fox hair
ELYTRUMS: a strip from a grey goose feather
BALLAST: fine lead wire
THREAD: red
TAIL: two filaments of pearly Crystalhair with over a tuft of chartreuse Arctic fox hair
ABDOMEN: chartreuse Arctic fox hair
RIBBING: small oval gold tinsel
THORAX: chartreuse Arctic fox hair
ELYTRUMS: a strip from a grey goose feather
