Steamer fishing is one of the most popular methods to target large trout in the fall. As the temperatures cool, there are still plenty of opportunities to fish a streamer, you just have to change up your technique. As the water temps cool, the fish’s metabolism slows down but they will still be willing to eat a big meal. You just have to slow down how you fish your streamer. Once of my favorite ways to do this is to stand slightly upstream of the water I plan to fish. I will use a heavy fly for this technique and cast just above the pool before letting the current push the fly into the likely holding water. As the fly dead drifts downstream, I use the rod tip to slowly lift the streamer up in the water column, just a couple of inches before a pause and letting it fall back down to the bottom. Simply using my rod tip to basically jig the fly as it drifts downstream. This slower approach gives the fish more time to eat your fly which is needed in the colder water. It allows them to be lazy while still getting a big meal. Using a heavy fly here is crucial as you will be able to get the fly down deep which is where large trout hold in colder water temps, but it will also help you remain in constant contact with your fly which is important to feel the softer eats. This wont be an aggressive tug that many associate with streamer fishing, instead a subtle take, more often then not on the pause or the fall down. If you even see your line move funny, give it a set because a fish probably ate your fly as it dropped to the bottom. This technique can keep you fishing streamers all throughout the late fall, winter, and early spring.
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