Trolling Flies for Trout and Salmon

Fly fishing in the northeastern U.S. has a distinct flavor. While today’s fly fishing world revolves around dry fly mania mixed in with conventional nymph and streamer fishing, a unique subculture of streamer fishing still thrives in New England.

At the base of New England’s freshwater streamer fishery is a small fish known as the rainbow smelt, which attracts much larger sportfish that pursue it as a delicacy. For more than a century, anglers in this region have caught landlocked salmon and brook trout by developing special flies that imitate smelts. The flies are either cast to big fish in moving water, or trolled behind a canoe or boat in lakes and ponds.

This fishery is seasonal. Each spring, shortly after the ice goes out of the lakes, vast schools of smelts begin migrating to inlet and outlet streams to spawn in moving water. The large concentration of these forage fish draws in salmon and trout like a magnet, and they feed heavily on smelts. This is when seasoned anglers are most successful using streamer flies to catch fish near the surface and in shallow water. And that’s how these streamers, or “trolling flies” developed.

In “Trolling Flies for Trout & Salmon”, Dick Stewart and Bob Leeman provide a comprehensive guide to the “trolling fly” world. They describe how these flies were developed, how to tie them and how to fish with them. They also provide a vast reference to the most popular streamer patterns, including color photographs of 96 flies and the recipes for tying many more. Cover art and illustrations by Larry Largay are superb.

I’m not aware of any other book that provides such thorough information about this unique genre of fly fishing. In describing the history of how smelt-imitating streamer flies were developed, Bob and Dick tell the story of the origin of the Grey Ghost, the most famous of all such streamers. Legendary angler Carrie Stevens developed the Grey Ghost back in 1924, and when she won a national fishing contest in Field & Stream magazine by catching a huge brook trout on the fly, it became an overnight sensation. Other popular flies have interesting histories as well, and the authors describe some of the more notable ones.

In addition to fly information, the book also gives a brief overview of fish biology and habitat, and describes the different fish species that are caught using traditional trolling streamers. The authors have a firm grasp on the science behind this type of fishing, and communicate it clearly.

The book also describes the tackle and techniques used to effectively troll with streamers in lakes. Tips gleaned from this subject can be very useful for the angler who hasn’t yet mastered the art.

The most dedicated fly anglers like to tie their own streamers, and for those folks the book includes a section on fly tying. It’s not too in-depth, but provides just enough information for the practicing fly tyer to adapt his or her methods for tying smelt-imitating streamers. A great example is given, which describes the step-by-step instructions for exactly how Carrie Stevens tied her famous Grey Ghost. Many of the original patterns have been changed or adapted over the years, which can be a good thing. However, the authors caution that changing a fly pattern simply for the ease of tying can sometimes compromise the fly’s effectiveness by changing the way it appears to the fish. That’s why it’s important to pay attention to detail when tying these flies.

Dick and Bob each provide their top ten list of favorite streamers, and also include correspondence from well known streamer tyer Jim Warner, describing some of his patterns.

Finally, one of the most useful parts of the book is the extensive list of streamer patterns. Ninety-six of these are shown in full color, and recipes are included for many more. This is invaluable for the individual who wants to try tying and fishing different patterns that have proven useful for others. Like the authors mention in the book, certain colors appear differently in different water types and conditions, which means it sometimes requires strange looking combinations of colors to imitate a bait fish.

If you fish with streamer flies in the Northeastern U.S., you’ll be well served to pick up a copy of “Trolling Flies for Trout and Salmon”. I’ve already found it to be extremely useful, and I know it will be a valuable reference for years to come. I can’t wait to tie up some of the patterns from the book and try them out on the water!

“Trolling Flies for Trout & Salmon” was originally published in 1982 by the Stephen Greene Press in both hard and soft covers. The two printings sold out, and the book was not reprinted until just recently. It has been revived with a 2011 printing by Maine Outdoor Publications. The 1982 edition can be found on Amazon for a steep price.

You can order a copy of the 2011 edition of “Trolling Flies for Trout & Salmon” by sending a check for $21.95 (softcover) or $29.95 (hardcover) to: Bob Leeman, 22 Alan-a-Dale Road, Brewer, Maine 04412.