Thursday, October 14, 2021

Small Streams....Why?

I fish small streams for a variety of reasons, many of which I have documented in the pages of Small Stream Reflections. Primary factor that has me going back to these little blue lines is that I don't have to do the right thing, you know that thing that's written about in so many publications like match the hatch, the right tippet size, a 8' rod, no a 5'5" rod and so forth. Me I just pick up the rod that's usually closest to me and my little sling pack with one box of flies and off I go. Now do I have super times on stream, well sometimes. But every outing carries so many rewards, and they're not always measured in amounts of fish or size of fish but instead the pure pleasure of fishing that is allowed to shine through.

So join me on a recent outing and I'll tell you of one of those rewarding days fishing a small stream.
 

 

A group of soft hackles, reversed tied that don't match any fly on the water, who cares.
 

 

Such areas are tricky, who cares. Cast the fly and let the current and the fly do the work.

Rewards.....never anticipated but whole heartily welcomed. This my friends is about as beautiful a small stream wild brook trout gets. Tough as nails, and the fly did not match any hatch. It does not get any better friends.


27 comments:

  1. That is exactly what I love about the streams of the Driftless Area. Nice fish by the way.

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  2. What a reward indeed! You are the master of small streams. Brookies in the fall are so amazing.

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    1. The River Damsel
      Thanks
      Emily you are quite generous. Their fall spectacular wardrobe is hard to beat.

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  3. Perfect fly (kebari) for a perfect stream stream, presented by the perfect angler!

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    1. Tom Davis
      Thanks
      Tom that fly has accounted for some lovely trout. I have to work a couple of wild brown streams and see what effect that fly has on them.

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  4. Wow! What a fish. I am completely on board with enjoying the freedom of exploring a small stream and experimenting with what works in all the different little pieces of water that are encountered along the way.

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    1. Shawn
      Thanks
      Shawn explorers at all times. Try something new, be it fly or retrieve or one of those places where you kind of think there's a trout but you sort of reluctant to cast into....do it man.

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  5. Beautiful fish and flies Alan. Authors can give us reasonable advice that sometimes will tip the odds of a take in our favor. BUT- last weekend after textbook dead drifting an Irish Mayfly without any takes I decided I would change to a PTN. Reeling the Irish Mayfly back across strong current was producing a wake like a speed boat when POW! A large Rainbow grabbed and hooked himself. Clearly he didn’t read the book.

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    1. Dean F
      Thanks
      Dean I know you are aware of that old saying "advice is worth what you pay for it"...Now that big mayfly was a suitable meal and that rainbow was not to be denied. Great job.

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  6. What a great brook trout! I have yet to try a reverse hackle pattern but may just do so seeing your success. Thanks for the pictures!

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    1. NJpatbee
      Thanks
      Pat thanks to Tom Davis for introducing me to this pattern. They are fun to tie and as you can see they get it done.

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  7. Hi Alan

    I love small streams for their intimacy and close quarters fishing - the fish are rarely more than a couple of rod lengths away.
    I was on the little river Leven at the weekend and managed 12 good grayling in two pools that were not much bigger than an average size living room. Sport like that I why we fish these tiny brooks and creeks.

    Oh and BTW, that is a cracking Brookie there 👏👏👏👏

    Take care and stay safe

    Alistair

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    1. Alistair
      Thanks
      Alistair 12 grayling that's one heck of a day. Never pass up promising water no matter how small it looks.

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  8. Alan, what is the body material on the kebari's? It's wonderfully translucent. The brookie is spectacular.

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    1. mike
      Thanks
      Mike the head is red silk, and the body is regular Uni-Thread. The Uni is 3/0 220D...I drop a bit of Zap a Gap on a bodkin to seal the wraps at the bend. The zap a gap will bleed into the thread and give that "true life" effect.

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  9. A rebel and a hell of a Brookie fisherman.

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    1. Mark Kautz
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      Hey Mark I'm now in the Johnny Yuma camp. Good company..

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  10. Alan, I am totally amazed by the size of that brook trout out of a small stream! I am like you, I appreciate each and every one, but my gosh, that is a memory maker right there! I am glad you were the one who caught him.

    Best, Sam

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    1. Sam
      Thanks
      Sam certain streams produce brookies of this size. They are wise and usually tough to fool except this time of year. Like the white-tail buck caution is out the window when it comes time to renew.

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  11. hi Alan just a couple of weeks ago I gave fly tying classes in my club to the youth and taught them how to tie that fly pattern Sakasa Kebari...

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    1. Armando Milosevic
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      Armando those young people had a great teacher, lets hope they stay with it. Our commitment to youth can never be underestimated.....it's a good fly to teach and to fish.

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  12. Alan,
    Great Brookie!
    Small streams big rewards!

    Humberto

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    1. Achalabrookies
      Thanks
      Humberto small streams can and do produce those special fish. We had a good rainfall season this summer and that helped these brook trout immensely.

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  13. Alan
    So true of a statement in the passagwe of this post; you never know what you will encounter from one fishing trip to the next. That's what makes us keep going back time after time.
    That particular stream looks like it might have a brown hiding in it? Thanks for sharing

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    1. Bill Trussell
      Thanks
      Bill in the second stream pictured I have tangled with a few nice browns. That lower area has a mix of browns and brookies.
      Thank for that bluegill filleting video on your blog. I just may pay a visit to a pond today or at a point this week.

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  14. I love this post. I like fishing brooke streams for the same reasons. The tactics don't have to be exact. Brook trout are very aggressive fish and will give you a lot of room for error as long as you don't spook them.

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