Small Stream Fly Fishing Techniques

1. In the mid-90’s I spent my summers guiding in Colorado. The Gunnison area has many exceptional rivers and the fly shop I worked for specialized in float trips on the Taylor, East and Gunnison. The local guys usually guided the float trips and I did trips to the trophy water on the Taylor (the infamous “Hog Trough”) or small stream fishing. This was during the explosion of fly fishing. Fly rod companies were producing lighter and faster rods, new patterns were popping up, and float trips were the “new thing.” Sage, Scott, and Orvis were also beginning to experiment with smaller line sizes. The first 2 weights were produced, then the Orvis 1 oz. rod, then the Sage 1 wt. I found myself drawn more to the smaller waters, native cutthroats and little rods. By the end of my second summer guiding, I was “the small water, alpine guy.” Interest in this kind of fishing was growing and I would have at least two trips a week with clients that wanted to go catch native fish on their new Superfine or Scott. We would pack lunch and drinks and fish up the headwaters of one of the numerous creeks. A hand full of Humpies or Elk hair caddis was the whole fly selection (the Stimulator was just coming into vogue) and an 8 foot 5X was all the leader choice. In most locales we would start off catching rainbows and browns, and then segue into brookies and finally cutthroats. By the end of the day, we would be fishing pocket water in streams that you could often jump across; often in sight of the tree line and RARELY seeing another human. I remember one client that gave me a $100 bill for a tip (on a $275 guide fee) saying that it was the most gorgeous day in the mountains he had ever seen. He probably caught 70 to 80 fish that day and we had retired 7 or 8 Humpies that had been chewed beyond recognition. That trip to the Weminuche last summer really brought small stream fishing back for me. In the past few years, my trips to the Rockies had involved big rods, long casts, drift boats and huge streamers. While I caught some NICE fish (read that BIG fish) something was missing. You spend six hours in a drift boat and you won’t see much scenery. Cast here, cast there, strip fast and all of a sudden, the day is over and you’re drinking beer at the take out. Headed into DIA after my last trip to North Park, I realized that I had not caught a cutthroat during the whole weekend. Cutthroats are what really got me into small stream fishing. There was just something about catching a fish that I knew was native to the area. Many people still do not realize that rainbows, browns and brookies are not native to the Rockies. Rainbows are only native to Pacific coast streams, Browns are from Europe and Brookies are native to the East Coast of the US. Brook trout stocking in the Rockies has really harmed the native populations of cutthroats. The brookies will out eat and out reproduce the cuts – pushing them into higher stretches of streams were the brooks cannot survive. A version of this story is true for the East Coast as well. The introduction of rainbows and browns almost destroyed the native Eastern Brook trout in all but a few drainages. Now efforts are under way to remove non-native species from several streams in the Carolinas and Virginia and restore brookie populations. One of the best aspects of this fishing is the simplicity of tackle selection. Everything you need for a day of fishing can fit into a shirt pocket. Add some necessary gear to a day pack and you’re ready to go. Many small streams are also more accessible than most people realize – more on that later. Fly selections can be as basic or personal as you want. The aforementioned “handful of Humpies” is a pretty good place to start. Most of the small streams I fish in Colorado can be covered with a dry fly. Some #14 Humpies, Irresistibles, Elk-hair caddis, any of the Wulff family of attractors; you get the idea. Every once in awhile I’ll come across a deep pool or undercut bank that begs for a nymph or wooly bugger; but that’s rare. The key to fly selection is this: (1) it has to float well, (2) be durable, and (3) it must have at least a passing resemblance to natural food sources. Two or three savage brookie strikes and your elegant Adams will look like something you pulled out of your belly button. Stimulators are a wonderful pattern but very intricate. Below is the recipe for a great small stream pattern that fits all the qualifications. It’s tough, floats all day, and looks like a small hopper or a large caddis.

2. I’m not much on “My Top 12 Patterns for . . .” stories, so I’ll just leave this piece of advice. Stop by the local fly shop and ask which patterns would work. They’ll direct you to the small, out-of-the-way spots because they don’t make money guiding people to these areas or have leases there. If you plunk down the money for a dozen flies and a new leader, the quality of the information increases dramatically. Part of the fun of this is picking up great little local patterns. One of the old favorites in Central Colorado was an Orange Asher. It was nothing but an orange floss underbelly on a hook and a grizzly hackle palmered all the way up. Simple, quick to tie, and cuts loved it. I still have no idea what they thought it was but it worked. I tie a few every summer out of nostalgia (and also because it turns out to be a KILLER bluegill fly). Presentation and strategy are much more important on these waters than fly selection. This is another place where hiring a guide for a day can DRASTICALLY cut down your learning curve. Anyone can walk to a small stream that doesn’t receive much pressure and catch a bunch of little brookies. They’re hungry and not that bright. You can line them, crash your leader into the surface, wade right into the stream – they won’t care much and there’s always another pool right upstream. I’ve seen guys wade right into a stream that was 6-8 feet across and fish all the way up without leaving the water. And I can guarantee they didn’t catch the GOOD fish. Just as with any other form of trout fishing, the best thing you can do when you arrive at the stream is to get the rod out of your hands and watch for a few minutes. Are there trout actively rising? What are they feeding on? Are there fish in specific lies (larger fish) or sporadic rises from small brookies zipping around the run? If you can isolate a food source you can match a more specific attractor pattern. Why throw a Stimulator when the fish are obviously busy with Red Quills? Even though this is not “match-the-hatch” fishing, the larger brooks and cuts (and rainbows and browns) in these streams are large for a reason. Color in the fly selection is not as important as general shape and size. Everything is in miniature – including feeding lanes. Trout will not get that long to look at a fly and make the decision to strike very quickly. Before you make your first cast, you need to decide how you will fish the whole run. Most of these streams are broken into runs from 10 to 60 feet long, separated by riffles, drops, bends, brush, etc. Fish will be concentrated where they have the following: (1) some kind of cover, (2) food coming by in a regular fashion, and (3) a place where they are fighting as little current as possible. Combine all three of these and you immediately cut the amount of “fishable” water by half. These streams are usually very shallow – “cover” might be as simple as a depression that’s a few inches deeper than the surrounding water. Keep an eye on sunlight hitting the water. These fish will avoid direct sunlight at all costs unless there’s a big pay-off. Realize that the best (biggest) fish in the run will usually occupy the best position. Have a plan that maps out your position, casts, and line management BEFORE you start casting. Speaking of casting, rod selection is critical. Overhanging brush, roll casts, small feeding lanes and the necessity of straightening a leader with only 10 feet of fly line require a special rod. Your nine foot, five weight, fast action rod is not going to serve you well. This is the realm of the small stick. An eight foot rod is long for this fishing and I prefer 6 to 7 footers. A three weight is as large a line as needed. In this range, graphite may or may not be your friend. The shorter Scott G2’s and Orvis Superfines are wonderful small stream rods with actions slow enough to function in tight quarters. Budget conscious anglers can do little better than the 2 weight St. Croix Avid or TFO Finesse – both are great rods for the price. Fiberglass is making a comeback as a material of choice and in its new form makes some of the best small stream rods available. Check out the Scott F series or the semi-custom Steffen Brothers rods from Arizona. These are rods with FEEL! Bamboo rods were made for this kind of slow, methodical fishing and if you can afford one, have at it (just make sure you get one with a spare tip). You will find yourself doing little traditional casting in small streams. Most of the time some sort of roll cast is involved and several times a day you’ll be presented with a situation where a “bow and arrow” cast is the only solution. A bow and arrow cast is performed by holding the fly between your thumb and index finger of your “line” hand. Then, with only about a foot of fly line past the tip, you push the rod toward the target with the other hand (holding the rod by the lower half of the handle). The rod should flex up. When the aim is right you release the fly and the recoil of the rod should straighten the leader. No backcast. No rollcast. About as stealthy as you

3. can get with a fly rod. You are obviously limited in distance and more than one rod has been broken by a poorly executed “bow and arrow” – but it works! I cannot stress enough that you need to plan your presentations. This includes your casting. How much space do I have? Can I get a good back cast? Am I going to line trout? Will I have a better angle from the other side? These are questions that need to be on a loop in your mind. You neck should hurt at the end of the day from constantly checking your backcast space. Angler position is also crucial. Standing in the middle of the stream is a last resort. A large river will “hide” the vibrations of your wading – a small stream will not. If you step into a small pool, you will telegraph your presence to every fish in the pool. The small fish might not care but the larger ones will stop feeding and hide. Try to stay out of the water as much as possible. Slow down your motions and stay low. Avoid wearing anything white or brightly colored; you need to blend in with the surroundings. This brings us back to presentation. Say you are in a stream that is 8 feet across with bush on each side and a few overhanging tree limbs. The run in front of you is about twenty feet long with a great looking lie at the top behind a log and two boulders – the kind of set-up that just looks “fishy.” There are probably 2 or 3 nice fish in the lie at the top and then a dozen or so smaller fish in the more marginal water in the back half of the run. You could easily pick off a handful of the smaller guys in the back but eventually, the nice fish would get spooked. You can’t catch 5 brookies at the tail of a 20 foot pool and expect to catch the 11 inch cut at the top. If you could cast all the way to the top (watch that backcast!) you would “line” half the fish in the stream. Even a two weight line hitting the water in a foot deep run will freak out some fish. If you’re looking for the “trophy” fish, the only answer in this situation is to crawl along the bank (if brush allows) and shoot a bow and arrow cast to the head of the pool. Many small stream anglers wear knee pads over their waders. This should give you an idea of the usual position. Full waders are overkill (and a source of overheating) on these streams and hip waders will usually leave you with a wet ass at some point. Waist length waders are a great compromise. Depending on the length of the hike in, I will sometimes pack in the waders and change at the stream. Trail running shoes are a great alternative to heavy hiking boots and fit in the bottom of my pack while fishing. In summer conditions I prefer wet-wading these streams in a pair of shorts and wading boots with neoprene socks. I carry a pair of rain pants and a shell in my pack. I can always “layer-up” and sit out the inevitable Rocky Mountain afternoon thunderstorm. In the past I have always used a fishing vest with a day pack on my back. The combination of layers and straps wasn’t always comfortable but I had everything I needed for myself and client for the day. The new pack vest combinations are a great advancement – you can wear the combo together or each piece separately. Some of the new packs (like the William Joseph Exodus) have day packs with heavy-duty internal suspensions that rival anything you would find at REI. Many are hydration compatible which helps balance the weight of water carried. Having a pack is always a good idea because thrashing around in the high mountains and/or WAY off the beaten path requires some extra gear. I have been caught in sleet/hail storms in July in the Elk Mountains above Crested Butte. A friend and I once watched a digital thermometer drop from 77 degrees to 42 in 15 minutes (this while cowering beside a log during one of the most amazing thunderstorms I’ve ever witnessed). NEVER GO ANYWHERE IN THE MOUNTAINS WITHOUT A GOOD RAINSHELL! It could save your life or at least keep you from being miserable. I always have a wool hat and polypro gloves in the pack as well as a light fleece pullover. A small Ziploc contains basic survival stuff (matches, “space” blanket, small candle, compass, etc.). I always carry at least Fly Fishing Tips & Tricks a liter of water and if I’m going out all day, a few iodine tablets so I can refill from the stream. On the not-to-serious side I usually have a thermos of coffee and/or a beer or two (those little insulated lunch carriers that kids use make GREAT beer coolers!). If I’m packing out waders and boots at the end of the day, a kitchen trash bag keeps the soggy stuff separate. I would never be so bold as to name EXACT spots to fish, but I’ll give you some hints. Find the following creeks on a map of Colorado; Anthracite, Oh-Be-Joyful, Tomichi, Italian, Saguache, Little Grizzly, Upper Tarryall, one of the

4. many “Clear” or “Four-Mile” Creeks. This list could get long fast. If you’re going to North Carolina, look for the upper Mills River drainage. In Pennsylvania, find the Black Moshannon. It’s a different way to fish and a different type of reward. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder (or “fish-holder”). If your idea of a trophy is a 22 inch Brown then this might not be for you. But, if you want to see the most colorful fish you’ve ever caught, one that was born in the same water in which it was caught – then this a great way to fish. Pull out a topo map and follow those blue lines until the road ends . . . that’s where the real fishing starts!