I have not done any fishing for seven years due to back problem,however i now got the fishing bug again and yesterday visited my local stream with my new fly tackle ,just a cheap rod and some line from mallarkeys {wish they sold new backs} had to catch the bus for gods sake ,but managed to get there.The problem is the stream is very overgrown no way of casting in any directon ,there are fish rising but its so narrow with high banks and over hanging trees ,The paths that were once well trodded have now grown over which tells me nobody fishes there nowadays so the fish are wild and never been caught .I know i can catch fish the way i always did (small float and worm ) but the challenge now is to catch one on the fly.I understand the correct way is to fish upstream (dry fly) and accross and down stream (wet fly) but because its so narrow and overgrown its inpossible.The only way i can think is fishing down stream just letting the current take the wet fly,I tried that but had no luck, I tried A dry fly but because you cant cast it just gets waterlogged in the fast water that feeds the pools ,what i would like to know is how should i be retrieving the wet fly etc. fast ,slow , I have been using red tags and pt nymphs plus a few spider patterns that i have tied myself , any ideas that would help an old man out be greatfully received

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"If I'm not going to catch anything, then I 'd rather not catch anything on flies" Bob Lawless.

get in and wade it, roll cast your way up stream with a dry (use some gink) or if they arent rising use a nymph

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Sounds like this is your little corner mate... you fish it how you like! The correct way is anyway you can present a fly to them fish in a manner that will not give them too much cause for concern. Get in there,have fun and let us know how you get on. Some pics would be good... of the stream and your fish

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Too much Saturn, not enough Moon.

Buzzers 2012


Fly Clips & Stands

It sounds a lot like fishing for the venerable brook trout over here in the US. Tiny, brush choked streams, never a clear back cast, etc.

As already advised, wading up the middle and using the shortest rod possible is generally the best approach. I've also undertaken a bit of--ah-hemh--habitat improvement work by carrying a folding saw and strategically removing branches to create better casting lanes near some of the best pools. For the health of the trees, obviously, poor trees.

Anyway, keep at it, you've got a gem there by the sounds of it.

Grouse

Can't offer you any useful advice on your questions, but FFS don't tell anyone where your stream is and get a smugler rod so no one notices you going down to fish it!

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You can only fish for so long before you have to throw a stick of dynamite in the river.

Thanks to everyone for the encouragement , in the past 30 years that I fished this stream it has been abused something cronic, a bag of cement was the usual trick for the morons who thought it was clever to kill evrything in the water ,I am very careful nowadays never to tell anyone that there are fish again in this stream, what i would like to know is when i float the wet fly downstream should i be getting takes as it drifting down or when i retrieve , sorry if this sounds stupid but I am new to this fly fishing lark, thanks again

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"If I'm not going to catch anything, then I 'd rather not catch anything on flies" Bob Lawless.

generally the takes would be on the drift, nymphs would struggle to swim against the flow, this would rouse the trouts suspicions, they are cautious devils., of course as in all fishing, never say never, it is possible on a slow retrieve you may get the odd take

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Agreed.
Remember that for wet flies a lot of the time you imitating insect larvae before they turn into actual flies and they are pretty much at the mercy of the current. They can move in the water under their own power, but only in small amounts, eg as they try to get to the surface to hatch. If you do a slow retrieve whilst the fly drifts, this is the sort of life you're aiming to give it.
(I think that's right!)

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You can only fish for so long before you have to throw a stick of dynamite in the river.

R,
If you tie up a fully hackled (from bend to eye ) black fly from a decent hackle , it will be almost unsinkable and look like the terrestials that overgrown streams produce . A bit of Gink will also help.
The practice the Catapult cast at home first.This consists of holding the the bend of the hook between finger and thumb of your non casting hand and tension the rodby pulling the fly back almost to your ear.When you release it , the rod will throw it into the tightest spots

http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b1...861-01-800.jpg

shows the finished cast
Regards
Rob

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on the banks of the River Dove-walking in Isaac's footsteps

.jpg[/IMG]http://i482.photobucket.com/albums/r...r/DSCN2818.jpg

I hope this works ,here is a pic of the stream I fish, as you can see its very overhung but in the dark lurks good fish.Perhaps next season

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"If I'm not going to catch anything, then I 'd rather not catch anything on flies" Bob Lawless.