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Hodge36
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- Sep 22, 2010
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I have read that small nymphs work the best in winter but i also read to use streamers because the fish would like a big meal. Which one of these is true?
pete41
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You aren't gonna catch many Mobys on minis-but the pyramid effect will determine the size/number ratio.
Translation-if the water holds enough bigger fish to be worth concentrating on its up to you to decide which way to go but if you want to compromise a size 8 black,brown or olive woolly worm fished as a nymph might be a good choice.
Translation-if the water holds enough bigger fish to be worth concentrating on its up to you to decide which way to go but if you want to compromise a size 8 black,brown or olive woolly worm fished as a nymph might be a good choice.
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Fishidiot
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Hodge,
Both are true - although you're right, it does seem confusing.
Here's why they're true.
Nymphs and streamers imitate different food stuffs. During winter, water is often very cold and clear and when fish focus on nymphs, what they are eating is often small. Part of the reason for this is many nymphs are smaller in winter because they haven't had as much time to grow. During clear water periods, fish are often selective about size and small nymphs are often closer to the actual size of what the fish are eating.
Streamers, since they imitate fish, are a different case in point. Small prey fishes are often quite large in winter having been born the previous year. By late spring and summer you've got a bunch of new young of the year beaitfish - but in the fall and winter they tend to be bigger. A trout in winter, although usually fairly inactive, will chomp a baitfish if the opportunity arises, epsecially sculpins. Streamers work year round but a lot of guys use other stuff during the warmer months when hatches are more prevalent. Streamers should be fished fairly slowly when the water is cold (below about 42 degrees F).
Both are true - although you're right, it does seem confusing.
Here's why they're true.
Nymphs and streamers imitate different food stuffs. During winter, water is often very cold and clear and when fish focus on nymphs, what they are eating is often small. Part of the reason for this is many nymphs are smaller in winter because they haven't had as much time to grow. During clear water periods, fish are often selective about size and small nymphs are often closer to the actual size of what the fish are eating.
Streamers, since they imitate fish, are a different case in point. Small prey fishes are often quite large in winter having been born the previous year. By late spring and summer you've got a bunch of new young of the year beaitfish - but in the fall and winter they tend to be bigger. A trout in winter, although usually fairly inactive, will chomp a baitfish if the opportunity arises, epsecially sculpins. Streamers work year round but a lot of guys use other stuff during the warmer months when hatches are more prevalent. Streamers should be fished fairly slowly when the water is cold (below about 42 degrees F).
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Stone_Fly
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- Sep 13, 2006
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For the record both are correct, but for my money I catch more big fish during the winter using streamers. I usually dead drift them and strip line a couple of times during the drift. I mend the line a lot. Mending is the method of getting extra line off the water. There are differnt techniques but they all do the same thing. The key is the allow enough slack on the water so the fly drifts naturally while getting enough line off the water to get a good hard strike without breaking the line. I strip in the extra line after mending. That what works best for me.
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Hodge36
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When the wether is more like PA weather and not the south pole i will go out and try my luck with streamers, then switch to nymphs
