With streamer fishing growing more and more popular, the tying world has engulfed the opportunity to tie something new and innovative. Everyday on the web some new gaudy streamer is developed and is claimed as a ” must have” for any true streamer fisherman. While that could be very true, there are a lot of streamer patterns out there to choose from. We have made a list of streamer patterns that we the staff fish the most and have found to be the most effective for our local rivers.

Sculpzilla: Here in Western Montana a huge food source for predator trout are Sculpins. The big cone head on the Sculpzilla gives it a great jigging motion that resembles the swimming style of Sculpins. Sculpzilla comes from Solitude Fly Co. and comes in numerous colors. Our favorites are olive, black, and white.

Recipe:

Hook: #6 Gamakatsu Octopus hook
Head: Medium or Large X-Eyed Cones
Eyes: 3MM or 4MM 3D Eyes
Wire: Senyo’s Intruder wire ( Backing for better action)
Thread: Olive 6/0 Uni-Thread
Tail: Barred Rabbit Strip
Body: Pearl Red Hue Ice Dub Dubbing
Gills: Red Guinea
Collar: Tan Extra Select Marabou
Head/Fins: Tan or Grizzly Whiting Chickabou
Glue: Brush On Zap A Gap

Skiddish Smolt: Created by Guide Jeff Hickman, the Skiddish Smolt has become one of our top selling streamers. The original “silver” is still the most popular, but the brown and olive versions are not far behind. If you like watching your streamer zig and zag on the retrieve, then you should try the Skiddish Smolt. This is a awesome fly for Western Montana.

Recipe:

Hook: #6 or #4 Umpqua U301
Head: Large Tungsten Gold Cone
Thread: Brown 6/0 Uni-Thread
Over Wing: Brown Ostrich Herl
Body: Med. Red Vinyl Rib
Under Wing: Speckled Copper Flashabou & Pearl Mirage Flashabou
Collar: Pheasant Tail Ice Dub
Glue: Brush On Zap A Gap

 

Sex Dungeon:  Originally tied by Kelly Galloup and is a fish catching machine. Designed to look and swim like a sculpin but, can pass for any baitfish. This is arguably one of the most productive articulated streamers out there. Our favorite color patterns are yellow, olive, and black.

Recipe:

Hooks: #2 & #4 Umpqua U502
Head: Dyed Deer Body Hair
Eyes: Painted Lead Eyes
Wire: Senyo’s Intruder wire
Thread: Olive 6/0 Uni-Thread
Tail: Extra Select Marabou
Body: Ice Dub & Schlappen
Rubber Legs: Grizzly Barred Rubber Legs
Collar: Dyed Deer Body Hair
Flash: Pearl Flashabou
Glue: Brush On Zap A Gap

Sparkle Minnow: Coffey’s Sparkle Minnow is one of the newer streamers out their, but people have quickly caught on. The sparkle minnow is rapidly taking over slots in every guides streamer box. A couple of our favorite color combos are the sculpin and the JJ.

Recipe:

Hook: #6 or #4 Umpqua U301
Head: Large Black Tungsten Conehead
Thread: Olive 6/0 Uni-Thread
Tail: Extra Select Marabou
Body: Ice Wing Fiber
Flash: Krystal Flash
Glue: Brush On Zap A Gap

JJ Special: Originally tied by Jim Jones who spends most of his time fishing The Madison and The Snake River. This fly came to be by the idea of combining a Yuk Bug and a Bighorn Special. It then quickly became a hot fly all across Montana. We prefer fishing the size 6’s and 8’s.

Recipe:

Hook: #6 or #4 Umpqua U301
Head: Large Gold or Copper Tungsten Conehead
Thread: Brown 6/0 Danville Thread
Tail: Extra Select Marabou
Body: Large Brown Chenille & Grizzly Schlappen
Rubber Legs: Yellow Round Rubber Legs
Ribbing: Medium Copper or Gold Ultra-Wire
Flash: Copper Krystal Flash
Glue: Brush On Zap A Gap

Complex Twist Bugger: Brought to life by a fly tier name Clark (Cheech) Pierce. The name refers to the way the bug is tied using a giant dubbing loop. This is a fairly new fly to our arsenal, but is becoming a heavy hitter. Some of your favorite color combos are brown & yellow, olive & black, and white & grey.

Recipe:

Hook: #6 or #4 Umpqua U301
Head: Large Gold or Copper Tungsten Conehead
Thread: Brown 6/0 Danville Thread
Tail: Extra Select Marabou
Body: UV Polar Chenille & 2 different color Schlappen Feathers
Glue: Brush On Zap A Gap

T & A Conehead Leech: Another fly from the streamer master Kelly Galloup and this fly has been in his box from the beginning. This fly is very simplistic and is almost completely all marabou. This is one of our favorite leech patterns and comes in white, olive, and black.

Recipe:

Hooks: #4 & #6 Umpqua U301
Head: Large Silver Tungsten Conehead
Body: Palmered Extra Select Marabou
Wire: Senyo’s Intruder wire
Thread: Olive 6/0 Uni-Thread
Tail: Extra Select Marabou
Body: Grizzly Hackle Feathers
Flash: Holographic Red Flashabou
Glue: Brush On Zap A Gap

McCune’s Sculpin: A very simple sculpin pattern with a muddler style head. This fly is fished best either on the strip or dead drifted under a indicator. It’s hard to go wrong with marabou and rabbit, a deadly combo. Black, olive, and tan are our favorite colors.

Recipe:

Hook: #6 or #4 Umpqua U301
Head: Dyed Deer Body Hair
Thread: Brown 6/0 Danville Thread
Tail: Barred Rabbit Strip
Body: Grizzly Mini Marabou
Glue: Brush On Zap A Gap

Beadhead Wooly Bugger: One of the first streamers ever tied and it still produces fish bout every time we use it. Works great for a leech and can even be fished as a crayfish. Every fly fisherman should have at least a couple Wooly Buggers in their box.

Recipe:

Hook: #6 or #4 Umpqua U301
Head: Brass or Tungsten Gold Bead
Thread: Brown 6/0 Danville Thread
Tail: Extra Select Marabou
Body: Large Chenille & Grizzly Hackle
Ribbing: Medium Copper or Gold Ultra-Wire
Flash: Krystal Flash
Glue: Brush On Zap A Gap

 Barr’s Meat Whistle: Originally tied by John Barr and is very unique because it is tied on a jig hook. This fly has a very attractive jig motion while swimming and rides hook point up. Great for getting down deep with little to fear, as far as hooking up on the bottom.

Recipe:

Hook: #6 or #4 Daiichi 4630
Head: Gold Tungsten Conehead
Thread: Brown 6/0 Danville Thread
Tail: Barred Rabbit Strip
Ribbing: Medium Copper or Gold Ultra-Wire
Legs: Round Grizzly Rubber Legs
Collar: Extra Select Marabou
Flash: Pearl Flashabou
Glue: Brush On Zap A Gap