I didn’t get to the river planning to use a jig streamer. That’s the thing about fly fishing. Rarely, do things go as planned.
The night before I tied up several euro style nymphs I wanted to use. I checked the USGS gauges, and the flow and water temperatures looked great for the stream I wanted to fish. The stream I chose was one of my local favorites, a small tailwater in Southeastern Pennsylvania less than an hour from my house. It’s always a reliable option for me when I know I only have a few hours to fish. The last time I had been there was June. Since then, the dry, hot summer really took its toll on the stream. I was eager to see how the trout held up.
This stream normally gets a fall stocking, but many of those have been delayed this year due to low flows. If I was going to catch any fish, I would have to rely on hold overs and wild browns.
Adapt to the Conditions
My heart sank a little when I arrived at the stream. Something wasn’t right. The water was off color and seemed to be getting worse. I was baffled because we hadn’t had any recent thunderstorms, and the flow of the stream was where it should be this time of year. I suspected the construction upstream had something to do with the conditions.
Fishing muddy water is the worst. I thought about just going home and tying flies. Unfortunately, I didn’t have time to go to another stream. My confidence in the situation was low, but I thought I’d at least give it a shot with some jig streamers. The trout would need something they could see in the murky water.
How to Fish a Jig Streamer
I don’t normally do a lot of streamer fishing, but I have grown fond of using jig streamers. They are designed to fish using a tight line or euro nymphing rig. I like fishing with them because they don’t require any stripping. For the most part, they are fished just like nymphs–cast them upstream and stay in contact with them through the drift. During the drift, jig streamers can be animated with a subtle jigging motion.
By slowly raising and lowering the tip of the rod, the jig streamer can be brought to life as it’s drifted through seams. It’s important to not jig them too hard. The key is to stay in contact with them just like when fishing nymphs. Trout will often take them gently, which is why reading the sighter is so important when fishing them.
I like jig streamers because they are versatile too. If trout are not responding to them on a dead drift, they are easy to swing. Usually, the takes are not subtle if trout are hitting them on the swing. Sometimes it feels like they are going rip the rod out of your hand. More often, however, I get most of my action on them when dead drifting them.
Confidence Rising
This was one of those days. I found a stretch of water that was ideal for dead drifting jig streamers. Some overhanging trees provided shade from the rising sun. From the opposite bank, there was a few feet of unstained water that dropped in depth. Using a tuck cast, I landed the jig streamer as close to the bank as I could. With my line hand, I retrieved slack and got tight to my sighter before the jig streamer started to drop. To my delight, after just a few casts, I was hooked up. I was happy to have some success in the subpar conditions, but I was more excited to know that some fish had survived the brutal summer. My confidence was rising.
In a stretch of less than an hour, I landed half a dozen trout on a jig streamer. Most of the fish took it on the drift. One eager rainbow hit it on the swing, which is always fun. The jig streamer saved the day (or, at least the morning). Once the sun was fully up and the air temperature began to rise, the streamer bite died down. I was able to fool a nice brown on a brightly colored mop fly, but I was unable to replicate the action with the jig streamer.
Mystery Solved
On my way home, I solved the mystery of the muddy water. A tributary flows into the stream about a half a mile from where I was fishing. A construction crew was working on a dam removal project that was turning the tributary into mud. It all flowed right into the main stem of the stream. Above that point, the water was a clear as I had expected it to be. Had I realized that in the morning, I would have fished up stream, but in the end, I was glad things worked out the way they did. The muddy water forced me to adapt to the situation. I adjusted my approach based on the conditions and was able to find a solution.
Catching fish when the odds are stacked against you is rewarding. The short trip ended up being memorable because I was able to find success when my confidence was low. Had I fished upstream that morning, I may have caught more fish (the way I had originally planned), but this trip will stay with me because I was able to diagnose a situation and find a solution.
Fishing Jig Streamers
Tying a Jig Streamer
Spend more time on the water.
Have a great day!
Jeff Smecker
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