The Baby Doll White and Yellow Single Hook Streamer is primarily a stillwater fly fishing pattern, this effective streamer was devised in 1971 by Brian Kench for fishing on Ravensthorpe reservoir. It is taken by trout feeding on the fry of roach and other fish that have reflective flanks.

STREAMER WET FLY PATTERNS. Hook size 8 - $US each

This baby fish imitator should be fished with erratic but continuous retrieve. It is worth a try when trout are feeding on small fry in the margins, but performs better at greater depths where less light penetrates. It also acts as a reasonable imitation of certain large emerging sedge pupae when tied with peach or orange wool. It should be fished right on the bottom and given a twitching retrieve, an inch or two at a time, once every three or four seconds.

In dirty water, very poor light or when the fish are showing no interest, tie on a bright colored Baby Doll Streamer Lure, to give electrically charged retrieves. Towards the end of the season trout go on a feeding spree to build up strength for their annual orgy. More trout show cannibalistic tendencies at this time of the year than any other and eat trout fry (baby fish). These small fish congregate in areas that suit their needs like marginal weed beds or entrances to feeder streams. The streamer lure now comes into its own. These fry imitations flies are probably one of the leading Streamer Lures at this time.

FISHING STREAMERS IN SPRING FLOOD CONDITIONS
There are two things that work in the fly fisher’s favor when fishing streams and rivers in flood in the spring. The first is that because there is so much fast moving water around the fish are not spooked by wading fly fishers. The second is that the fish are on the feed again after winter. In the early part of the season you have to select a fly which will make a trout think it is worth spending the energy to attack it. It is still very cold. Try to work out where the trout are holding up. Trout turn to eating small minnows when the water is in flood as it is hard for them to detect insects to eat.

If the water is discolored tie on a dark colored streamer to lure the trout to an attack. There are a number of streamers you could try ranging from black zonkers, woolly buggers, matukas to black ghosts. Try sheltered area of the river first. Look for pockets of water that are not moving as fast as the main body of water. That is the best place to go hunting fish

Normally I try the traditional down and across presentation when fishing with streamer lures. In flood conditions I like to try and imitate the minnow swimming upwards, pausing and going to the bottom again. I do this by using the tip of my fly rod and lifting the fly up about one meter (one yard) and then down on a streamer lure cast up stream. It looks like an easy meal to the hungry full size trout. When you get a strike you know about it and instantly get a set hook as the fish is biting on a rising hook on a tight line. In larger rivers I wade downstream slowly and fish down and across. I use a slow six inch retrieves on a fly line with a moderately fast sinking tip with a rate of about three to four inches a second. Remember always take care fishing water in flood. Wear proper wading boots and a life vest. There are too many fatalities each year. Don’t become the next statistic.

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