Bow river streamer setup...help

[jeprli]

What kind of setup do you guys use for streamer fishing the Bow?

I have a 6 weight rod and a weight forward floating line on it, sometimes it is bothersome if there is extra wind and it keeps pushing the line across the surface it or during higher flows when you have to mend the line constantly to keep the streamer down deeper.

I would like to avoid using splitshots since they don't really help but rather add another obstacle to deal with,.

So my question is, what is the most comfortable solution you have found for streamers on the bow?


Seems like my setup with a 6ft leader doesn't work so good during day but mostly during low light and into the night.

Most fly sites on internet recommend double taper weight forward, or just a double taper with different rates of sinking. I'd like something to keep the line bellow the fast surface layer but not to stick to the bottom right away.

Any help is appreciated!

[Scott N]

I'd suggest picking up a second spool for your reel or even a second reel and pick up some sink-tip line. I find it a lot easier than trying to cast with splitshot. As you probably know, sink-tips can be bought with different sink rates, depending on if you want to get down deep quick or not.

[Doc]

I prefer a fast sinking tip so I get my streamers down quick. That way they are in the strike zone for at least 3/4 of the drift.

Cheers,
Doc

[ericlin0122]

dont need to buy second spool, just buy different rate of sink tips as Doc suggests.
too much splitshots can be dangerous. if that thing hit your rod, ur rod can break.
i use my 5W rod to cast streamers a lot this summer, overcast & rollcast. In windy days, I prefer rollcast.

[ÜberFly]

Sink tip(s) will give you much more versatility when fishing different depths and currents, or you can load up a separate rod/reel with an intermediate or full sinking line (as I do) which makes switching between much more convenient... For the Bow, as an example, I tend to cut my "Streamer Express" line back to 10' or so when fishing weighted streamers on my 6 wt (I have the 15' section looped up so I can add it on if necessary). I also have a 4' section of lead core looped up as well that I can add to my floating line of my 5 wt, as well... Many different options for you, you need to decide what's going to work for you and your casting style, rod/reel set up, personal prefereneces, etc.

P

[superspud]

I prefer to use a sink tip on a extra spool with a long tip. mine is 20, i find it keeps the fly in the strike zone longer

[fishstix]

I also carry an extra spool with my sink tip line on it. Its quick to change out a spool. If im using a big streamer, i'll use 6-8 feet of leader, and if i have a small one on , i shorten it. 3 to 6 feet.

'da stix

[Christofficer]

Get a sink tip, way better than fishing with floating line and shots. I use a fast sink tip, always, the only time you need anything else is fishing suspended fish in lakes. In which case there's a number of different slow and medium sink lines you can buy. Most of the time when fishing the bow I only use a 1 1/2 foot leader, sometimes a 10" leader if the water is fast. I find myself fishing streamers more than anything these days, nymphing doesn't quite do it for me anymore and I'll only use dries a few times a year maybe. So if you're like me and find nymphing boring, go for a sink tip. If not, you can buy one of those looped lines that come with different sink rates so you can quickly switch from floating to sink tip.


Oh, you'll probably want a weight forward line.

[jeprli]

Thanks a lot guys, you cleared it up for me a bit.
I'll stick with my weight forward floater in combo with a 12' sinking section(got a few different ones, 7ips being the heaviest). Don't really have money to spare for a new reel and line at the moment, will sort that out during wintertime

Christofficer i'm kinda the same way, avoiding the nymphs and chucking streamers instead. It is a good practice for me, come spring i should be fairly good at casting dries.


Thanks again everybody!

[Rick.]

Not to disagree with the above replies but there is nothing wrong with using a floating line for streamer fishing on the bow. I do it all the time and when they are taking streamers it is half the fun to see them charge your fly. I should say that I'm in the water casting as close to shore as possible and then stripping it back about 15 feet and recasting. If I was just dragging a streamer then I use a couple or three split shots to take the fly down to the bottom. When the split shoots hit you in the back of the head there is no better incentive to improve your casting. Best of luck. Rick.

[flyguyd]

Deja vue flash back to the days of chuck and duck....lol