Euronymph tactics have become popular among fly anglers for several reasons. The patterns are easy to tie, rigging and casting are simple, and most importantly, the flies get depth faster than any other nymphing tactic.
When it comes to fishing below the surface, depth is paramount, and can often make the difference between a mediocre day on the water and a great one.
My mentor Joe Humphreys likes to say that the difference between a good nymph and a great nymph is a split stroke. In other words, one that gets his flies into the strike zone as quickly as possible and keeps them there during the presentation.
When it comes to streamer fishing (another subsurface approach), getting the flies into the strike zone (getting them deep) is just as important. That’s why these days I fish jig streamers on my Euro rig more often than I use traditional streamer tactics like those involving sinking lines and articulated streamers.
While I still find use for traditional streamer designs, I rely on fishing jig streamers for most of my streamer fishing.
These are the qualities I look for when buying or tying streamers.
the hook
My hook preference is for large competition hooks, without barbs, which allow a large tungsten bead to be placed. I currently use Fulling Mill FM5045 size 8 and 10 hooks, which allow me to tie streamers 1-3 inches long, the perfect size and length for my home waters. This hook tip is a fine needle, a necessity when jigging with most euro nymph rods, which have soft tips.
In traditional streamer fishing, most anglers are taught to cut the fly by hand on the line. But often when fishing a euro rig, the rod tip is used to set the hook, just as you would when setting the hook while casting a euro nymph. Longer rods with softer tips bend more during the hook. The greater the rod bend, the less force will be created to set the hook, making thin, sharp tips a prerequisite for success.
Remember, the thicker the point of the hook, the more energy it takes to get the hook into a fish’s mouth. This is why I use hooks like Fulling Mill’s FM5045 instead of preformed lead hooks, as many of these hook points are almost double the diameter and require more force to set the hook in the fish’s mouth .
If you’re trolling with a shorter, stiffer fly rod, the need for a thin hook point isn’t as relevant. If you’re fishing for trophy-sized trout, you’ll want to use not only a thicker hook point, but also a heavier fly rod.
However, I find my 11’3wt euro rod in combination with Fulling Mill FM5045 hooks (or similar) to be more than adequate for the medium sized trout I find in central PA.
The Pearl
Tungsten grains provide depth and control. When Euro streamer fishing, my preference is to fish a heavy streamer anchored near the bottom of the stream while using the beginner fishing rod tip to hold the streamer at the desired depth.
A key feature to staying in touch with your streamer during the up and down jigging presentation is to keep the line/leader tight throughout. I want the streamer to be heavy enough to maintain tension throughout the presentation.
Throughout the presentation, I raise and lower the fly with the rod tip, with little or no slack during the jigging motion. If you don’t feel that consistent tension with yours, you probably need a heavier fly. You can also add a small split shot near the jig head for extra weight instead of switching to a heavier fly.
The Materials
Use natural and synthetic materials that shed water. In the past, I used materials like wool and rabbit in my streamer, thinking that these materials would absorb water to help sink the pattern. Although these materials help sink the fly, they come at a high cost by introducing drag during presentation.
When Euro streamer fishing, the strikes aren’t always fierce, where the fish hits the fly so hard it feels like the rod is being ripped out of your hands. Instead, the strokes are usually soft, where you feel only the slightest strain during the presentation.
When fishing with materials like wool and rabbit, it can feel like you’re dragging a wet sock through water, robbing you of sensitivity during presentation. Instead, I prefer to use materials that shed water, allowing the pattern to slide and slide through the water with little or no drag.
I mostly use synthetic materials to achieve this, but natural materials such as bucktail and marabou are excellent choices for a smooth, sliding presentation. Using these materials will allow you to feel the softest hits.
The size
Go sleeker and smaller for depth. I look for or design template streamers very similar to today’s popular euronymph patterns – elegant and dense. These patterns are not designed for swimming with a lot of movement. Instead, its purpose is to get deep quickly.
The motion is created by the angler moving the tip of the rod up and down. I like to use single crochet patterns with a longer tail and rubber feet. Smaller single crochet patterns (say, the 1-3 inch range I mentioned above) fall faster than larger articulated patterns. The body and head of the template serpentine are reduced without unnecessary bulk.
There are endless options for achieving a slim profile, so use materials that create a jig streamer that you feel confident fishing with. Two of my favorite jig streamers include a modified Chuck Kraft Kreelex Euro jig and my Sculp Snack jig. By adjusting the size, weight, and color of these two patterns, I feel like I can cover almost any trout situation I encounter.
final word
What I love most about these patterns is their simplicity and ease of tying. Although we have focused on trout fishing patterns in this discussion, I have adopted the same concepts when tying jig streamers for other species of fish such as bass, walleye, carp and fins and all the musk.
I’ve still cast and stripped traditional streamer patterns, but when the fish aren’t so willing to chase their food, you have to take the fight to the fish. Building and fishing these simple jig streamers is one method of achieving success during these periods. Flexibility is the key to success and if you haven’t tried jigging streamers on a Euro rig before, I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised with the results.