Favorite small stream tactics

[mgliss]

This winter I have spent most of my time on a few southeast Idaho streams. Besides a few instances when there was a good midge hatch I have used nymphs and a few streamers.
I like to fish a lightly weighted rubber legs in tandem with a midge larva or other smaller nymph pattern under a strike indicator. On smaller creeks like Birch creek, I fish a parasol emerger with a trailing nymph and I seem to do pretty well. I have also trailed a nymph behind a larger dry fly but haven't been too successful during the winter.

[terry13111]

Whats your guy's favorite rod weight for small stream trout and why?

I like the 3. The trout feel bigger and i still have some versatility in fly size. But, I have caught a lot of trout on my 5's, even in small streams, so I am stuck between the two.

[Poke 'Em]

3 wt at the biggest. I think my next rod will be a 6' 1 wt.

[clarkman23]

well, the lightest I have is a 3wt graphite rod. I'll fish that most of the time unless I feel like a little extra length in which case I'll take my 8' Steffen Bros. glass...come to think of it my 3 didn't get used but a handful of times last year...I need to rectify that and get out and explore more...

[Gigmaster]

Well, the area is great, but my house is the old Post Office. It's sort of a run-down 4 room shack. Everytime I go outside people keep handing me mail......(LOL) They don't deliver mail here anymore. I have to go to the current Post Office at the bottom of the mountain to get mail.

That just proves nothing is perfect (but this is close).

WOW! I still think my Idaho backyard is great, but you're in paradise. Way to go!

[Gigmaster]

The back porch doesn't overlook it, but's it's just a few minutes walk. Mill Creek is at the back of the house.

I would like to have my back porch overlooking Jack River Falls!!!

[JohnScott]

Whats your guy's favorite rod weight for small stream trout and why? ...:

My preference is a medium fast action 7'6" for 3 wt, which is mostly what I used the past two years. Just for this year, I am committed to fishing an 8' for 5 wt bamboo rod exclusively, and so far it has been just fine on most of the smaller water I've fished, but a bit of overkill on the smallest fish !!

I've also got a medium fast 6' for 2/3, which happens to really like a DT4F line, which I've fished with a DT3F line. It's a fun rod, just not quite as nice to cast as the 7'6" 3 wt.

WHY ?? The 7'6" will cast to / reach any water I want to fish on a small stream. It handles the smaller flies, single dries and nymphs and small streamers, and combinations quite well off a thread furled leader with a floating line. It will also nicely handle a class II full sinking line with medium size streamers when called up for that kind of duty. It will deal with the little brookies and the big bows equally well ( I've landed a number of 21" bows with this rod and it wasn't nearly maxed out ). But most importantly - it's FUN.

John

[terry13111]

I am making the switch to furled leaders this year. I have a 3-1/2' one on the way for my 3 weight rod. Adding 3-5 feet of tippet should give me a good small stream set up.

[sharps]

The lightest rod I currently own is a 7'6", 4 wt. but it's graphite and hasn't seen the water in the last 3-4 years. I am in the market for a 7', 4 wt. 2/2 bamboo for our little streams. Currently I use my 7'6" Orvis, Madison, 2/1 for a 5 wt. most of the time.

Vic

[Wednesday Caster]

I too love small streams but find that though the fish are skittish, they are very opportunistic and will attack as soon as a dry taps the surface...a "whopper" from my secret spot!