bucktail streamers

[tuck's luck]

Anyone who remembers the good old streamer days on Seneca should know that they are back. You can't go too fast with them and the salmon crush them on the overcast days with a chop on the water. Dig em out and have a ball

[Nessmuk]

Please tell me more about bucktail streamers on the Finger Lakes and how you rig them.

I have fished tiny bucktails on streams but am new to trolling on lakes. I have Bates book and will have to check to see if there is anything about trolling.

Are traditional bucktails effective in lakes other than Seneca (Hemlock/Canadice) ? What patterns do you use? Sizes?

Have you tried any streamers? Tandem streamers?

[ioiosoiwork]

Freshwatermodels, I use a 4/0-5/0 EWG worm hook, & I tie them "Thundercreek" style, reverse epoxy head, but I imagine any style bucktail tie would work seeing as how they all represent "minnows", just think sawbelly/alewife size, I know your a fellow tyer ( the Thundercreek series is now on-line and still in print) Key is the white belly I think, anything goes for the top, greens chartreuse, blue........I had good luck on Keuka with them behind a grease trap style set-up

[Lively1]

Not speaking from a lot of experience but I imagine the choice of fly is much less important than the rigging and the presentation. A white/olive marabou streamer or a white/silver clouser would probably work fine. Thundercreek is another all-around style that works.

About the rigging, what I remember being told is if you use a floating line with fly rod, add a good long leader of 8 lb mono - maybe 8-10 feet? and add a couple of split shot a few feet in front of the streamer.. (I might substitute a sinking line or sink tip if I had one, I suppose).

I also hear trolling speed is considered very important for LL.. (Not sure how you manage that in a rowboat or kayak..)

Would be great if someone who's 'been there- done that' would share some of the 'how to do it' here.

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Also - I bought an assortment of 'traditional' tandem trolling streamers about 10 years ago from a guy in Maine, and I have occasionally trolled near shore from my rowing canoe with fly rod, and caught some smallmouth.. this is on Keuka but I'm sure same would work in other Finger Lakes. One advantage of these trolling flies is that they use wire to link the two flies, and some have beads on the wire, which gives them some weight to make them sink a bit deeper. Something to consider if you plan to tie some of those. Though clouser or conehead flies are probably equally if not more effective.

[hermit]

I've whacked them pretty good with rabbit streamers too... tied tandem or with just a hook in the back. Black/white, olive/white, some flash etc. I've used a fly rod before but now just use my trolling rods. Couple of big split shot/trolling sinker or a Jet 10, works great in the spring.

[ray koziatek]

The original name was "woodchuck" Invented by Walter Allen of corning NY. Years ago when he took Ill his wife had me clean out the garage,and sell the tackle and split the procedes. I still have many of the hand tied by Walt down cellar 2.00 each plus shipping if anyone is interested....

[Nessmuk]

Freshwatermodels, I use a 4/0-5/0 EWG worm hook, & I tie them "Thundercreek" style, reverse epoxy head, but I imagine any style bucktail tie would work seeing as how they all represent "minnows", just think sawbelly/alewife size, I know your a fellow tyer ( the Thundercreek series is now on-line and still in print) Key is the white belly I think, anything goes for the top, greens chartreuse, blue........I had good luck on Keuka with them behind a grease trap style set-up

Marty,

Tyer no more! I tyed because I couldn't buy the trout flies I wanted at local shops when I needed them. Now I would just order them on line or from eBay! A fellow from Maine lists tandem streamers on eBay.

I am familiar with the thunder creek series and they are sweet. Just had a short look at Bates book and there is a section on trolling. Streamers/Bucktails might be a winning strategy for ice-out and spring.

Grease trap style?

I was thinking in terms of setting them up with a leader attached to the hook on a Sutton spoon sort of flasher style?

Jack

[ioiosoiwork]

Jack, a grease trap is a "gang" minnow style of mylar minnows flasher made by Big Weenie http://www.bigweeniebrand.com/Home_Page.html , there other styles out there too, 6 pack schoolies, made by Luhr Jenson, the Stinger company makes 1 too, that's what I use because that's all Hills, Valley's & Streams had at the time, but they are all the same concept. Hope this helps

[Nessmuk]

Marty,

All that stuff to get the fishes attention? When I think trout I think in terms of spooking them with all that stuff. They must have a prey drive like my springer!

Jack

[BrookTrout]

I know that buck tails work amazingly well for salmon in streams up in Maine, and they were very effective in Champlain as well. I always carry a box and like to mix them into the spread. My favorite has always been the Green Ghost.

[tuck's luck]

The flies I am talking about originated in Amsterdam, N.Y. and were used on Champlain and George. The halloween, grey ghost, popsickle, perch, etc are extremly good. Nothing against the great Wally Allen but his woodchucks were tied and used for bass although they do occasionally catch trout. through the years there has been many imitations. Some work, some don't.

[Nessmuk]

Assuming that LT hunt perch, what is a good fly to imitate perch?

[Big Dave]

Assuming that LT hunt perch, what is a good fly to imitate perch?

Not sure about lakers , I expect they eat anything, but Browns and Landlockes love small perch. Esp. when the alwifes have gone deep.

[Sk8man]

Dave,

Over the years when I have fished the lakers on Seneca at the north end in the shallows (March and April especially) a good number of the large lakers (8 pounds up) have had small perch and sunfish as well as shiners in their stomach contents. They are "oportunists" in every sense of the word :>)

[ioiosoiwork]

google search "what is a good fly to imitate perch?"

[Nessmuk]

google search "what is a good fly to imitate perch?"

Does this Google fella troll them? I hadn't considered bass type flies and that makes me also think in terms of a rapala or similar lure which isn't a bucktail streamer and of topic.

Jack

[ioiosoiwork]

google search "what is a good fly to imitate perch?"

Does this Google fella troll them? I hadn't considered bass type flies and that makes me also think in terms of a rapala or similar lure which isn't a bucktail streamer and of topic.

Jack

GAWWWWWWWWWWD I can't wait till EVERYBODY'S fishing again

[Sk8man]

We are kind of a desperate bunch aren't we?

[Nessmuk]

Huh?

[skihead]

Walt Allen was a great man and had a lot of "know how" on the Finger Lakes. My dad and I fished with him many years and his streamers are worth their weight in gold! Glad to hear that he's still remembered and folks are still using his gear. I still have a few of those kicking around

[Nessmuk]

Walt Allen was a great man and had a lot of "know how" on the Finger Lakes. My dad and I fished with him many years and his streamers are worth their weight in gold! Glad to hear that he's still remembered and folks are still using his gear. I still have a few of those kicking around

It would be nice to see some pictures of these streamers and how they were tied. Always nice to continue the knowledge.