Fly Fishing Small Streams

Picture this; you've spent some time hiking into a small stream in the back country. It's early morning, mist is rising and the midges that have been swarming around you are breakfast for the small browns you have come to catch. You quietly walk up to the stream, watching the swirls of rising fish. You tie a nymph onto your leader and step into the water.

A trout skids away from under your feet, its flight sending out warning signals as bright as any neon light. The feeding fish flee in response and you are left with a section of river devoid of all but the midges. Welcome to fly fishing the small stream.

Stop and look before fly fishing the small stream

Before you get into the water stop and look at what is in front of you. This is especially true when approaching the small stream. Trout are well camouflaged, especially when you are looking down into the water. (A good pair of Polaroid glasses helps here.)

I like to make my first cast well back from the waters edge. If there is little cover then I tend to use a long leader and lay the line on the riverbank, allowing only the leader to enter the water, as close to the near bank as possible. That way, if there are any fish lying close under the bank, I will have given them first look at my fly.

Reading the water of the small stream

The waters of the small stream are like those of any river, just on a smaller scale. The fish will be in the same types of water that they would be in if you were fishing any trout stream. When you are fly fishing the small stream, look for those areas that provide the fish with their need for protection from predators, relief from fast flowing currents, and access to food.

Fishing the pocket water

I like to use dry flies when fly fishing pocket water in a small stream. The fish will usually be holding out of the main current but close enough to grab any food that comes floating by, and a drifting fly is often too tempting to resist.

Often it is not necessary to match the fly closely to whatever is hatching. Instead I like to fish a fly that is visible enough for me to see in fast moving water. Something like a light elk hair caddis works well. When the strike comes I can see it and I catch more fish this way than missing the strike by using a less visible, hatch matching fly.

Fly fishing the small stream usually requires a more sensitive approach and a finesse that is not necessary in larger rivers. Experience and practice are the great tellers here. Ability to read the water is more critical as the fish are often more easily spooked than their big water cousins. But when you make your way home at the end of a successful fishing day in the back country you know that the time spent learning to fly fish the small stream has been worthwhile.

About the Author
Dale East is a long time outdoorsman and fly fisher and publisher of Fly Fishing Wyoming

---

Better Links Directory

Swordfish and Swordfishing

Generally an oceanic species, the swordfish is primarily a midwater... Read More

Nymph Fishing Techniques

Small stream nymphing is a very productive form of fly... Read More

6 Things You Must Do If You Want To Have The Secret To Catching More Trout

It has always been my private conviction that any man... Read More

Lucky Hat

Do you have a lucky hat?It was a beautiful warm... Read More

Three Main Trout Senses

An angler should therefore become familiar with the three main... Read More

Back To Fish School....Baitfish 101

Class Is In Session.... Baitfish 101Okay.So you would think that... Read More

Bass Fishing? Watch Out For the Gators!

Lakes in certain parts of the country contain more than... Read More

Reviewing the New Berkley Vanish Transition Fluorocarbon Line

The visibility of the line was good. As we were... Read More

Fly Fishing Rods ? Getting The Bends

Picking a fly fishing rod is a tricky endeavor. Do... Read More

Fly Fishing for Saltwater Salmon with Surface Flies

One of the greatest thrills in Pacific Northwest fly fishing... Read More

Fishing Fall Bass - Early Fall Fishing for Bass in the Northwest as the Seasons Change

You have just rolled out of bed, poured you coffee... Read More

General Overview About Trout Senses

When fly fishing for trout, it is of crucial importance... Read More

Fly Fishing Journals ? Keep Track of Your Trips

Fly fishing is addictive. Once you start, you'll never stop.... Read More

Hawaii Sport Fishing

If you're coming to experience Hawaii sport fishing, you have... Read More

From Personal Belly Boats to High Performance Racers - An Overview of Inflatable Boats

Inflatable boats, also called rubber boats or dinghies, have been... Read More

The Low Down On Worms

We all know that plastic worms are one of the... Read More

Orlando Florida Fishing - Redfish Capital of the World

When visitors think of Orlando and Central Florida, they imagine... Read More

The Fishing Mark of Mablethorpe on the East Coast of England

MABLETHORPE, is a beach resort on the East coast of... Read More

The Old Man And His Bluegills

I started fishing a little lake just south of Somerset,... Read More

Satisfy Your Thirst for Fishing ? 3 Parts to the Fishing Cocktail

Everyone who fishes either for sport or fun knows that... Read More

Do You Make Your Kids Fishing Experience Enjoyable?

If you take your children fishing with you, they can... Read More

Care And Repair Of Fishing Lures

Making fishing lures may be easy for the seasoned do-it-yourself... Read More

The Way Of A Bass Fisherman With a Fly Rod And The Way Of A Bass With A Fly

-----SIDEBAR------------------------------------------Older fly fishing classics contain a wealth of knowledge for... Read More

Something Is Buzzing And Its Not Bees

We all have used buzz baits and we know why... Read More

Catch Your Limit With These Fishing Supplies

Great fishing supplies are an essential when it comes to... Read More