Throwing a weighted streamer ( Darby creek chronicles)

[Streammagic237]

Good weather and not wanting to drive this week end found me spot hopping Darby creek both stocked and un stocked sections this morning ( full sun helped no one ) . No stonkers where hurt today by my hand as fall fish and red breasted where the big catch of the day .Practicing Swinging wets in the afternoon was just fun! , I did stumble into a pod of small mouth bass in full sun in frog water in the un stocked section , one being a true small water monster , 4 lb / 5lb range . My questions are one , are there any secrets to throwing a weighted streamer, as on my 5 weight I look like I never casted a fly rod, and 2 what should I be throwing , I spooked every fish in there but I also watched them ignore few different offerings , what are small creek bass looking for fly wise now?

Thanks .

 

[TimMurphy]

Dear Streammagic237,

What were you using for a leader? If you are fishing weighted streamers a shorter and heavier leader definitely helps. You are trying to get a fish to chase and attack so you can easily get by with a 7 1/2 ft 3X or 4X leader as the fish won't have time to decide to attack when you drag it past their noses. An added bonus with using a leader like that is that you can easily add a section or two of lighter tippet and switch to dry flies if the need arises.

I'm not saying you did this, but one of the problems I see often are people using a 9 ft 5X leader for streamer fishing. With weighted streamers you need to slow down your casting and a long light leader often doesn't have the oomph to properly unfurl at the end of the cast. I often use leaders made with nothing but Maxima Chameleon. Is a much stiffer material and it easily carries and transfers all the energy on the forward cast.

Regards,

Tim Murphy 🙂

 

[Bamboozle]

YEA, Darby!!!

FWIW - I like UNWEIGHTED streamers for places like Darby and even bigger warmwater creeks because it gives me the flexibility to fish the shallower water without snags'

If needed, I'll add some weight in the form of some Soft Lead, a split shot or a threaded & pegged brass bead or cone head RIGHT at the eye of the hook.

And listen to what Tim said regardless...

 

[Mike]

Very nice fallfish pic.

 

[poopdeck]

I fish generously size weighted streamers for creek smallmouth frequently. Two of my favorites are TeQueely flies and a generic zonker with rubber legs. I just caught a fly rod PB 20” creek SMB on the pictured zonker. I use a 6wt for creek bass. Your loops will be more open when fishing bass sized weighted streamers so don’t give too much thought about tight loops. As tmurph said a 7 1/2’ 3X leader is a good choice. I really like rubber legs on SMB flies and I like how the zonker moves in the water.

TeQueely Fly

Zonker

 

[gozu]

For Darby creek I've just been using just my own made from Maxima chameleon, roughly 36" #20, 24" #15, 18" #10 followed by a tippet ring. I usually just use 3x tippet.

Im right in Folcroft so I typically fish Darby a few times a week summer though the fall. Pulled some decent fish out of there, by Darby creek standards.

For flies I tie basically what poopdeck posted.

 

[Streammagic237]

For Darby creek I've just been using just my own made from Maxima chameleon, roughly 36" #20, 24" #15, 18" #10 followed by a tippet ring. I usually just use 3x tippet.

Im right in Folcroft so I typically fish Darby a few times a week summer though the fall. Pulled some decent fish out of there, by Darby creek standards.

For flies I tie basically what poopdeck posted.

Was out today on 2 spots , was absolutely loaded with fish second stretch bows browns and pair of goldens. Only one other person fishing . Wouldn't touch a fly , few follows that's it. Was very tempted to singe one up and hit walleyworld for12 pack Canadas finest wigglers 🤣

 

[Bamboozle]

FWIW - Section 02 (Above Glendale Rd upstream to Paper Mill Rd) was stocked Friday...

 

[Streammagic237]

FWIW - Section 02 (Above Glendale Rd upstream to Paper Mill Rd) was stocked Friday...

Yeah the ultralight might see some action one day after work this week 😅 seeing 4o plus fish and no takes is hard on my soul 🥲.

 

[Bamboozle]

If I had a nickel for every relatively freshly stocked trout I've caught on a Beadhead Prince Nymph or a white Beadhead Caddis Larva I'd have at least enough money for a few beers...

Give them a spin if you haven't already...

Oh yea, at one particular stocked stream I'll kill time on, I fish the Prince or Caddis Larva as a single or double under an indicator. Often, a VERY subtle occasional twitch and pause does the trick for stubborn fish and BOOM, down goes the indicator...

Bottom line, at times a dead drift can be overrated...