When it comes to which streamer line, it doesn’t really matter which part of the world you’re chasing trout. It does matter the size and depth of the river! For my fishing and guiding I see wide range of sizes: Michigan’s Au Sable River mainstream above Mio dam, it’s branches (North & South) and the Big Waters & Arkansas’s White River and Norfork River. This is a wide range of water from the South Branch of Au Sable to White River! Yes you need a different streamer line but you sure don’t have to carried away with lots of lines as a few would lead you to believe.
Airflo is my favorite brand of streamer fly lines. That is all I use & sell and they produce a wide range of models to cover all types of rivers and lakes. My current inventory of streamer lines:
The best all round streamer line is the Airflo Streamer Max Short. Fast sinking head followed by intermediate and then a floating running line is just ideal line to cast and getting streamer down quick. This is my go to streamer line on the Au Sable in the Big Waters and in the North and South Branch. Very effective in low water on a large river like the Arkansas’s White River during low flows.
https://michigan-streamside.com/product-category/fly-lines/airflo-fly-lines/streamer-max-short/
In big rivers like the White River in higher flows the short just does not get down deep enough and stay down on retrieve. Superflo Shovel Head is my choice and with extra weight in tip of line it will get your big streamers down. This also the line I use in the Great Lakers for Lake Trout & Browns.
Streamer Max Long has a 40’ head and is basically like fishing a full sink line. Very effective for big rivers and those with long casts. Streamers will stay down on long retrieves.
https://michigan-streamside.com/product-category/fly-lines/airflo-fly-lines/streamer-max-long/
Big rivers with low flows – like the White and minimum flow! The Great Lakes for Smallmouth & Carp. Top water Smallmouth with bass bugs and surface streamer. Mousing on a big river or surface streamer. Sniper 4 Season is your line! Like it says on the box – throws big ass fly even further than you ever thought possible.
For those looking to test out a line just let me know and so many of them on reels! Cell is 989-889-5374 or kelly@michiganstreamside.com