When it comes to fly fishing in the spring, most folks are thinking about nice sunny days with a blanket hatch of aquatic insects covering the river. Our minds often wander to this place where trout are eating flies on the surface in abundance. This scene, while wonderful, is not always the case in the spring. Rainy, cloudy, windy days and muddy water are often the reality in the spring. But while these conditions aren’t great for dry-fly fishing, the high, dirty water pushes fish to the banks where they impulively eat a big meal. This is where throwing meat comes into play. Some flies work better than others in the mud, here are 5 of our favorite Spring time dirty water streamers!

Yellow Mini Dungeon

Yellow is a great color in green and even brown water. It shows up well and allows the fish to see your fly. Most of our area rivers hold an abundance of sculpin. The heavy head allow this fly to get down to the fish quckly in fast water. The Mini Dungeon is one of our go-to patterns throughout the year, and the yellow version just makes sense in off-color water.

White Mini Viking Midge

The White Viking Midge offers a great profile in the water, and the back hook kicks like crazy, especially during a pause after the strip. The thick laser dub head pushes water, which triggers a trout’s lateral line. Trout sense their surroundings through their lateral line and Mini Viking Midge will have them turning after your streamer.

Olive White Barely Legal

Another one of our go to flies. It imitates a small rainbow trout or other baitfish. Olive is another color that shows up well in dirty water. And the flashy chenille body and white marabou bottom will also get the fish’s attention. Fish also eat the Barely Legal as a food item as opposed to a predatory response like some of the larger streamers, so hookups are more likely with this slim pattern.

Gold Pearl Necklace

The Pearl Necklace offers the best of both worlds. The yellow and flashy body shows up well and the sparsely tied rear hook offers a great kicking motion. Add some flash and a conehead and this streamer gets down in the higher water flows and is very apparent to the trout.

Black Mongrel Meat

Black-colored streamers are arguably the best in off-color water. The dark-bodied Mongrel Meat contrasts the green or brown water quite well. Think of the gold flash as an additional trout-luring bonus. It swims great, is easy for the trout to see and offers a substantial meal. When a fish hammers this, hold on, you may have hooked a good one.

Stock up on all of these streamers and many more at our Bozeman fly shop before heading to off-colored rivers this Spring!