Many smallmouth anglers have found that fishing for bronzebacks at dusk and after dark can be awesome.

The fly angler can take advantage of these same conditions and cash in on smallmouth feeding frenzy, especially during a full moon.

Streamers For After Dark Smallmouth Fly Fishing

Streamers, big ones five inches or longer, which have a lot of movement, are preferred by the trout that feed in the full moon phenomenon.

Streamers usually are intended to imitate baitfish or leeches. Rabbit or Arctic fox strips make excellent streamers within minutes at the fly tying vise. Colors that fish well after dark are black, tan, rust, red/white and chartreuse/white with some flash and weight added as bead, cone or dumbbell eyes.

When wet, these rabbit or fox strips undulate in a seductive manner that a big fish can’t resist chomping as it swims by.

Easy Streamer

Hook: 1/0 streamer hook, short shank, wide gape, heavy wire, barbless.

Thread: Red 3/0 waxed.

Eyes: Tungsten bead, silver or gold cones, silver or gold dumbbell eyes.

Flash: Gold, pearl, silver and red Krystal Flash.

Body: Tan or black rabbit/Arctic fox.

•Attach a bead or cone head by sliding up hook shank to eye of hook. Don’t worry about securing the bead or cone. The fur strip will be jammed behind either choice, so the heads will not slip off when fished. Dumbbell eyes need to be attached by “X’ing” thru and around hook shank, approximately one eye length behind the eye.

•Attach thread on hook shank just in front of the hook point. If using dumbbell eyes this step has been done.

•Tie in three to five strands of flash material. Gold, silver and pearl flash compliment the basic colors. Red is used as to imitate gills or a bleeding fish.

•Cut a three to five inch strip of tan rabbit or fox fur. Tie this down over the flash material with the curve of the hair facing away from the eye of the hook. Leave one to two inches of hide facing forward. This will be tied down as soon as you whip finish the wraps just done.

•Re-attach thread behind the bead or cone head, pull the hair strip forward and over head. Tie down where hide seems tightest. Make sure your flash material is lined up beneath the hide strip before tying down.