The Central New York Fly Fisher

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Big Black Rabbit Streamer
by Matt Chapple

This has been a real good Late October/November fly for Salmon River Steelhead. It is fairly easy to tie and is effective in various sizes from 8 up to 2/0. The big soft rabbit strip and the soft webby hackle have great movement in the heavy currents of the Salmon River which make this fly come alive as it moves through the water.

This fly can also be fished in a few different ways which makes it extremely versatile. I have fished this streamer using a dead drift nymphing technique, or using a wet fly swing or stripping the fly as it swims. All of these techniques have triggered strikes from steelhead.

Fishing with Big Black Rabbit Steamer

Hook: Salmon Hook
Thread: Olive 6/0
Wing Back: Black Rabbit strip
Rib: Green Wire
Body: Dubbed Rabbit Fur
Collar: Black Webby Hackle

This is a fun fly to fish. Fish it deep with a sink tip as the water temperature drops, dead drift it through pools, runs and riffles or swing it up in the water column in the fall and experience some aggressive strikes from beautiful steelhead like this one that took this big black streamer in the fall of 2009.


Clarification of State Regulations Information and maps for area fishing waters: Salmon River, West Canada Creek, Oriskany Creek, Cayuga Lake Tributaries, and Sauquoit Creek. Winter fishing on Limestone & Butternut creeks… Patterns & technique What type of weight do you recommend when trying to get nymphs and wet flies on the bottom? Find out… What fish can I expect to find in the Salmon River in the summer? Find out… More tips & techniques>> Steelhead Winter Egg Patterns Egg imitations have proven to be very effective when fishing for winter steelhead in the Great Lakes tributaries. Fly Fishing Adventures …I was fishing on Limestone Creek and was walking on an island looking on both sides to see where I wanted to fish. All of a sudden I heard a hiss.… by Matt Kemp My Grandfather's Water …Never frustrated, never in a hurry he would work the water with a swinging fly, then a dry fly and he would catch trout with a smile or if one got off prematurely, he would laugh. So I would watch and gather ideas for the next stop because this was only the beginning. We would fish another spot after lunch… New York Atlantic Salmon The Atlantic Salmon is still regarded as one of the top game fish in New York They are known for their hard runs and incredible leaping ability which makes fishing for them an exciting experience. New York anglers can use a variety of fly-fishing techniques at various times of the year to fish for Atlantic Salmon… More on Catch and Release In the past I have received quite a few e-mails with stories of the sickening behavior witnessed on New York Streams. Education is the Answer. Learn more from the CNY Flyfisher. See all past articles in the archive>>	To see a list of all past articles, view our archive. Big Black Rabbit Streamer by Matt Chapple This has been a real good Late October/November fly for Salmon River Steelhead. It is fairly easy to tie and is effective in various sizes from 8 up to 2/0. The big soft rabbit strip and the soft webby hackle have great movement in the heavy currents of the Salmon River which make this fly come alive as it moves through the water. This fly can also be fished in a few different ways which makes it extremely versatile. I have fished this streamer using a dead drift nymphing technique, or using a wet fly swing or stripping the fly as it swims. All of these techniques have triggered strikes from steelhead. Hook: Salmon Hook Thread: Olive 6/0 Wing Back: Black Rabbit strip Rib: Green Wire Body: Dubbed Rabbit Fur Collar: Black Webby Hackle This is a fun fly to fish. Fish it deep with a sink tip as the water temperature drops, dead drift it through pools, runs and riffles or swing it up in the water column in the fall and experience some aggressive strikes from beautiful steelhead like this one that took this big black streamer in the fall of 2009.



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