My 10 month old son cradled safely against my chest in a Baby Bjorn, I stalked down the banks of the Lyell Fork of the Upper Tuolumne River casting dry flies for wild rainbow and brook trout at the eastern edge of Yosemite National Park. At almost 10,000ft. above sea level this is about as wild as fly fishing gets. The high mountain setting combined with the company of my son and lots of hungry trout... I can't think of a more perfect day as an angler.
If you're interested in creating great memories fly fishing small streams here's how you can make that happen.
Spend a few minutes and observe what's going on around you. Small streams can be tricky because fish will spook easy. Most often you're only going to get one shot at a nice looking piece of water.
When I first get streamside, I try to get into the rhythm of the environment. Look for rising fish and try to figure out if there is any kind of hatch happening.
Small streams give up their secrets pretty quickly but you have to take a minute to take it all in. Sometimes there isn't much to see. That's when you go with your best guess and be open to observations.
Most of the great small streams are off the beaten path. I've always been amazed by anglers that expect great fishing to be a curbside experience. The easier it is to reach a piece of water the more it gets fished. Small stream fishing gets better the farther you get from paved roads. Less traffic means less fishing pressure on any trout stream but it's really a factor on small creeks.
Don’t be afraid to walk a few miles to fly fish small streams. You have the opportunity for exercise, solitude and great fishing. Win, win, win!
Small stream trout get a lot of pressure from predators. It takes a little bit of time for them to relax and start feeding again. The key to fishing small streams
This one is extremely important. Small stream trout can be incredibly wary. They have limited water and cover so they have to be alert for predators at all times. Bears, Osprey, snakes, racoons...
There's no end to the list of animals that are trying to eat these small stream fish. They know that anything they can't eat is trying to eat them.
If you walk into a small stream like you own the place, fish will know you're there. That means you need to be stealthy. No sudden movements. Bad foot placements also alert all the fish nearby to your presence. If you don't want to spook fish be methodical about your movement.
If you're fishing with a buddy, communicate in hushed voices. Bass in your voice carries through the water. Small stream fish are used to the sounds of the forest and the creek itself, but your loud voice will send them darting for cover.
A trick I picked up from my Bahamian bonefish guides is to whistle and use hand signals to communicate when I'm fly fishing. You can have more detailed discussions away from the water's edge or near a riffle or rapid where the sound of moving water will cover your voices.
Staying quiet also helps you take in your surroundings. Being aware of what's going on around you always improves your fishing.
There's no need for a lot of impressive casting when you're fishing small streams. Using a roll cast will help keep your line from getting hung up on vegetation on the banks and will help you get your fly in front of trout that might be holding tight to the bank.
Roll casts will keep your fly in the water more of the time which means it's in front of fish more. As my dad used to tell me "You can't catch fish if your line isn't in the water."
The other option is to use a water-load cast. Since you're not likely to have a lot of fly line on the water using the water's current to help you load your rod is a good choice. To perform a water load cast, let the current sweep your bugs downstream. As your leader straightens out use the water tension to load the rod. Just like you are roll casting, make a quick flick with the fly rod and end up pointing at your target with the rod tip. Voila, you just performed a water-load cast.
Another cast you might want to learn is the bow and arrow cast. Essentially you use your rod like a slingshot by pulling your fly to flex It's a great way to present a fly into very tight places.
Since we know small trout (or even big trout in small water) are very wary, reducing the amount of times your line is overhead or hitting the water is a bonus.
There's not a lot of overhead casting in small stream fishing. False casting is likely to get you hung up in nearby trees anyway. In order to limit movement and increase the likelihood of keeping your flies, false casts should be reserved for wide open spaces and for drying a dry fly. Oftentimes you'll be fishing with your fly line and leader connection at or near the tip of your rod. Shorter casts that are accurate will catch more fish than long drifts when you're fishing small streams.
Big rivers hold more fish based on the sheer volume of water and food. Small streams have limited holding water. That means you'll have to cover more water in order to fish over more fish. Move often from location to location. Whatever you do don't get hung up.
I don't tend to linger in one spot for too long any time I'm fishing, but especially on small streams or creeks. Once you've put your fly through a pool or run several times it's time to move on. The vast majority of fish in a smaller streams will take your bugs the first or second time they see it or they won't eat it. Rather than spend an hour fishing one pool going after one fish. Move on and catch 6 fish on the next 6 pools or runs. There's something to be said for determination but on small streams they'll either eat or they won't.
Runs, riffles, and deep pools may all hold fish. They'll just be harder to come by in a small stream. The key ingredients are the same as when you're fishing big water. Small stream fish are looking for food, safety and shelter (from the current and from predators).
Riffles are faster water. They offer a great opportunity for food but don't necessarily provide safety or shelter since they are generally shallow water. During a hatch though, the transition from riffle to run is a great place to find feeding trout. Fast water provides more oxygen as well. Fish near riffles when stream temperatures get warmer.
Runs are my favorite place to find trout on a big river because they provide a little depth and good potential for food. In small streams though, they are often scrubbed clean of holding water. When fishing runs on small water anglers should look for submerged rocks and undercut banks. Those are prime locations for trout to hold.
A deep pool offers shelter and reduced effort but it's slow water meaning less food is being delivered. Good runs or riffles that dump into a pool are a great place to pick up big fish (relatively speaking) when you're small stream fly fishing.
The best way to fish small streams is by fishing upstream. This presentation technique means you will be out of the fish’s sight, at least as best as possible. Small stream trout are incredibly spooky, as they are conditioned to bolt at any sense or feeling of danger. Therefore, staying out of their sight will greatly increase your odds.
Staying behind the fish will better hide your movements and allow you to get closer to the fish. In addition to stealth, casting upstream will help minimize drag because you can stand in the same current as your fly.
When it comes to fishing small streams you'll likely be spending as much time out of the water as you are wading but the beauty of wading small streams is that you can get into position easily. In most cases even if the banks are choked with brush, it's easy to wade small streams. When fly fishing small streams, a methodical approach will spook less fish and allow you cover more water.
Drag ruins your fly presentation. The easiest way to defined drag is your leader making your bugs move differently than if you dropped them in the river without tying them to your line. Essentially they are moving different than a natural insect would in the current.
You can minimize drag by using shorter drifts and keeping as much line as possible off the water. If you keep pace with your flies by sweeping your rod tip at the same speed as the river your flies will drift naturally with the stream and hook and you'll land more trout.
High Sticking is the best way to control drag. It's also how the Europeans dominate the international fly fishing circuit. Most European trout water is small water. The anglers in the old country learn early to fish close, using a high stick method.
Just keep your rod tip high and track with your fly as it drifts naturally with the current. If a trout grabs your bug you're ready to set the hook and you're a lot less likely to miss strikes with this method.
The less disturbance you make the better. Remember fishing close and staying quiet is key on small streams. If you need to use an indicator for some reason make it small and white. White looks like foam and the sky when viewed from below the surface.
Simply put, a dry-dropper combo means using a dry fly on top with a nymph attached to the hook bend. Small streams are all about dry fly fishing for a lot of anglers. Even if you don't have a hatch going on fishing a dry-dropper combo can lead to great success.
A dry fly like an Elk Hair Caddis or small Stimulator for the dry fly with a small Prince Nymph or PT Nymph for the dropper has done in many a micro-water trout.
The combination of dry and subsurface flies will up your catch rate by offering 2 opportunities for each presentation. The dry-dropper is a classic way to to fish small water.
When it comes to fly selection for small stream fly fishing a small selection of flies will get it done.
For dry flies I would make sure I had enough Elk Hair Caddis and Adams in sizes #14-18. I'd also add an emerging caddis imitation as well as a mayfly emerger to my box.
For attractors, carry a couple Stimulators and a hopper or Chernobyl Ant in a size appropriate for the stream you're fishing.
Smaller is better than larger since small streams tend to have small fish. Freestone rivers tend to hold hungry fish. Even without a hatch trout will often eat well presented dry flies.
For nymphs I'd carry Prince and PT Nymphs in sizes #14-18, Hare's Ears and a micro mayfly of some sort.
Add in a caddis emerger of your choice and a small streamer like a Wooly Bugger or sculpin immitation and your fly box is ready to rock-n-roll.
Unless you're hanging them in the trees you shouldn't be changing flies often so a 3 or 4 of each bug should get it done on the average day.
I love wet wading regardless of the size of river I'm fishing. That said I love it even more when I'm fishing tiny water.
Waders can be extremely hot in the summer and they make it more difficult to climb over obstacles. In small streams, you will often have to get out of the water to move around obstacles.
Waders will also make it more difficult to get through streamside brush since you will have less mobility and more stuff to snag.
When you're wading in tight spaces bring a good pair of wading boots or sandals and have at it...Just watch out for snakes and berry bushes.
A fly rod that is too heavy will make it difficult to cast in a small stream. Choose a rod that is designed for the size water you're fishing. For most small streams, a 3-4wt rod will do just fine.
I've fished a lot of small streams with 3wt and 4wt fly rods and they've done great.
Rod length is a consideration. A long rod is easier to high stick with but a shorter rod navigates streamside brush easier.
A few things to consider packing would include a stream thermometer. Small streams can warm up quickly in the summer. Once the temperatures reach the mid 60's prolonged fights can harm trout. Be aware of water temps and fish appropriately.
A wading/walking stick can serve you well on the hike in, while you're wading, and if you have to make your way through the brush.
Polarized sunglasses are a must for spotting fish in small water. They're also great to protect your eyes against the sun, errant casts and particularly nasty riverbank brush.
Whether your ideal water holds rainbows, browns, goldens or brook trout, fly fishing micro-water is a challenge and a pleasure. It takes an angler back to their roots and reminds us why we fly fish. Sure, you may catch bigger fish on bigger water, but there's something special about fooling wild fish on their home turf. Give small stream fishing a shot. if you're like me, tight lines and lots of smiles will bring you back to the same spot over and over.
