Belly Dancer - Brown Trout
Streamer fishing is a new kick for me. For some reason I am kinda an “anti hatch” kinda trout guy. There is nothing more irritating to me than a pod of trout keyed-in on any given bug. I actually get grumpy in a hurry. My MO is to cast whatever fly I already have tied on to the group, and if I don’t find a player, I just move on.
Big flies are my thing! Big meals. If 3 out of 10 fish will eat my big fly, I’d rather present my fly to 30 fish proper, and catch 9 and call that good.
My fishing theory is covering water and max efficiency. I could be totally wrong, but I think a trout will usually eat my fly the first time he sees it, or he won’t eat it at all. To me it just does not make sense to sit in a spot and play “chess” switching up sizes, colors, whatever, to try and talk some fish into eating it.
That’s where this new streamer kick comes in. A guy can cover so much more water in a given amount of time pulling a streamer. On top of that, it is usually the large, confident, and cranky big bastard that is going to move on a streamer.
Take Some Time to Look Around and Enjoy Where You Are
One thing that has been working decent for me is casting up stream and fishing the fly back to me. I have found this makes the fly swim really erratically as you strip to keep up with the current. (Erratic equals wounded in fish brains) Another thought is fish see it coming straight at them and the “fight or flight” instinct kicks in. My hope is the small ones flee and the big ones stand their ground. Also seems logical to assume wounded or shocked prey fish would be flowing down with the current.
These are all just theories I talk myself into while out on the water. Many experts have probably already proven or dis-proven this years ago, but when I do crank in a fish or two every now and then like this, it keeps the wheels turning in my head, and my confidence in the Belly Dancer strong. BH
Sorry you had to put the Beer down to catch this Brown.
Bryan Huskey lives in Idaho where he is a photographer, videographer, angler and plane restoration expert. More of his work can be seen at his video site or on his website which it opens with a red and white bobber making him awesome!
Belly Dancer is a great fry/smolt fly too.
Fish catching confidence is a great feeling, It’s amazing when a fly actually produces results. Now maybe your streamer fly box can go from like 20lbs down to 18 or something.
“Clickity click” says the bling Belly Dacer.
“Get in my belly” says the Brown Trout.
“Poured my beer out bending over to pick up a fish again” i said.
Second the smolt/fry pattern comment. Bellydancers kill in Alaska.
Another cool thing about ‘em was that 15lb. maxima on a straight, even pull will bend the hook straight, so you can fish deep into snags, wood and tundra turds without worry of losing your fly. if you do snag up, bend the hook out, retune/sharpen it, down a throatfull of brown and you’re back in the game.
A Black and Copper, size 4, fooled it’s fair share of pike for me last spring…