Gettin' Skooled

Headed north last weekend for a Streamer Fishing School with Jon Ray and Ed McCoy of Hawkins Flyfishing. Knowing about my trip to Montana last Fall, Jonny taught me to streamer fish last year. And now I've done a week out West, as well as a solid half-dozen days in N. Michigan, I'd reached a plateau.

On the plus side, my casting distance and accuracy are solid. I can punch even some pretty good sized flies tight to wood or undercut banks with a fair bit of consistency. I have a basic strip retrieve that's serviceable. And, most importantly, I've got some nice fish under my belt on streamers.

But, now that I've done it a bit, I have some questions, as well as a clearer understanding of my weaknesses. For example, I see guides tie on streamers - sometime with a non-slip mono (or Rapala) loop and others with a standard improved clinch. I get that the mono loop allows the fly more motion. But why one over the other? Or what about grain weights? Why am I told to use a 200 grain on the Manistee, but that a 300 grain is required on the Pere Marquette?

And then there are my known weaknesses. I learned to address both during this class.

1. Hooksets. I miss fish I should have stuck. And because streamer fishing is largely sight fishing, I get to see the pigs I miss. Turns out, I've been playing steelheader and waiting to feel or sense the strike. Nope - not in this game. See the flash? Good, then make that fish wear it!
2. Line pick-up. Sink tips do what? That's right, sink. I've been finding that my pick-up just isn't there. So, I end up roll casting to bring it to the surface, then I pick-up and start my overhead cast. This both slows my opportunity to make carefully timed cast, and makes me work more. The fix was actually pretty simple. Strip in a bit to get tight to the fly, then pick-up. The result? No inbound rockets screaming straight at my head - or worse yet, the guide's.

I'm eager to put my newfound knowledge to work in the field. I've got a streamer float scheduled in early May on the Manistee that should be perfect. Hopefully by the time I get to Montana in September, I'll be ready to finally break that 20" mark!

-Sean-