| Everyone likes fly fishing in the open waters but | | | | Hareline product called Pseudo Marabou for the |
| fly fishing small mountain streams can be very | | | | streamer wing. This product is soft and quivers |
| enjoyable. The casting is easier and the trout are | | | | nicely in the water. The original pattern uses |
| sometimes larger. Small stream fishing demands | | | | bucktail for the wing. When the day is not going |
| pinpoint casting, stealth, and the ability to read the | | | | the way I would like, I tie one of these streamers |
| water. Choosing a fly for this style of fishing is | | | | on and it never seems to let me down. Why I |
| made easier by the fact that wild trout tend to | | | | don't use it exclusively? I like to see the exciting |
| be more opportunistic than their big water cousins. | | | | take of a dry fly. |
| This may be because there is less food and more | | | | You can fish these small mountain streams all |
| competition for it. If you stick with the most | | | | year long as they are not usually subject to the |
| common variety, such as caddis flies or small | | | | temperature rise that the larger open streams |
| streamers, you can have a stellar day. | | | | endure. After a rain the stream will be full of |
| Fly fishing small mountain streams doesn't require | | | | insects that have washed into it. Even when a |
| you to carry thousands of flies or lots of | | | | heavy thunderstorm passes over the stream, the |
| equipment. I have a friend who believes in order | | | | flow may increase from runoff and become a |
| to be prepared, one must carry every item that | | | | little cloudy but never unfishable. It will actually |
| you could possibly use and his vest feels like it | | | | become clear within an hour of the storm passing. |
| weighs a hundred pounds. At the end of the day | | | | To be successful you need to use a stealthy |
| he can barely walk. All you need is a fly rod | | | | approach as the trout not only see your |
| shorter than what most people use and some | | | | approach, they also feel your footsteps. You |
| traditional mayfly patterns, a few caddis fly | | | | must determine how you will cast to your |
| patterns and a streamer. You don't have much | | | | selected spot while staying low and out of sight. |
| room to dry off your fly with a false cast so you | | | | There is one stream that I climb a steep bank to |
| will most certainly need a bottle of your favorite | | | | study how the fish are feeding or lying. Then I |
| floatant for your dry flies. For best results, use a | | | | plan my attack. Hopefully it is a successful one. |
| silicone gel and a shaker floatant together for the | | | | Your life is made easier if you fish the stream |
| fly to float longer before re-application. | | | | upstream. Most of your casts will be the roll cast |
| For this type of fishing my favorite rod is a 7 | | | | since there is little room for a back cast. On the |
| foot 5 weight; however, it will be beneficial to use | | | | other hand, fishing upstream affords you the |
| a weight forward line that is one size heavier than | | | | opportunity to use whatever open space may be |
| what the rod is sized for. In this case I use a 6 | | | | over the stream as an area for your backcast. If |
| weight line on this rod. This will enable you to | | | | you choose wisely, a cast of less than 20 feet will |
| make shorter casts on the stream and the rod | | | | put your fly over the fish. If possible, study the |
| will load better. The need for a shorter rod arises | | | | stream from a distance. Anticipate where the |
| from the cover that usually occurs around small | | | | trout will be lying in wait for food. Bounce Elk Hair |
| streams. | | | | Caddis flies along the edges of fast current where |
| A small fly box that will carry a few dozen flies is | | | | the fish can't see you due to the turbulence of |
| all you need. In my box I have some mayfly | | | | the water. Trout will rest at the edge of the |
| patterns. Depending upon the time of year, they | | | | current just waiting for their prey to come by. |
| could be March Brown, Royal Coachman, and the | | | | Use delta wing caddis flies or flies that are |
| Leadwing Coachman, which represents the mayfly | | | | imitating injured adults in the slow pools. |
| Isonychia Bicolor. My box is mainly filled with | | | | So the next time the water temperatures are |
| caddis patterns which range from size 10 to 22 in | | | | too high in your favorite large stream, search out |
| colors of brown, green, orange, yellow, and black. | | | | the small mountain stream. It may be one of |
| The one streamer I rely on is a variation of the | | | | your best fly fishing experiences. You might even |
| Edson Tiger. I tie my own flies and I use a | | | | see a bear or two. |