Hello, I have been following this small stream forum for about ten months and today I make my first post.

The reason I have not posted before now, is because I have been taking your advice and trying to put it into practice. This is how I got on.

About a year ago I was attracted to fishing a small river in Derbyshire. I had the opportunity to become a member of a small syndicate who have access to about 4 miles of a Derbyshire Brook. One of the attractions is that it only take me 15 minutes from my driveway to being on the riverbank.

The problem was that I had not really fished small river/brooks before. Mostly I had fished still waters, although mostly on the Dry Fly. So, in order to progress I started to read my way through all the useful information on the forum. I then decided to take the plunge and joined the syndicate.

I started my odyssey by walking the brook to try and see spots where fish were rising and get a feel for the river. Initially I used my Normark County 8’ #4. It was ok but not quite what I was looking for. Having looked at the threads I fancied an Orvis Trout Bum 7’ . However, I was concerned that at nearly £400 it could be a risky purchase if I did not succeed on the small river. So, taking the good advice of ‘Mostyn’ and many others I bought a Vantage 7’ #3 for about £25, and a mill end #3 floating line from Mullarkeys for about £3.99. and do you know what....it’s brilliant. Nice crisp action lovely to use. So thanks for that chaps.

But would it catch me a fish? I went to the river with my new cut price outfit and after an hour or so I was into a small fish. OK it was only a small Grayling but I felt great, it proved to me, that at least in the case of this one little fish, my set up and presentation was OK.

On my next visit I fished most of the day with little success, I could see some of the fish rising but just could not get to them. The water was very low this year, however, late in the afternoon I had another small fish and this time a brown trout. So again progress was made.

So what is the point of my post, well just to say thanks to you all really. Because without the advice, I might well have struggled and decided that small stream fishing was just too hard and given up. I am however, confident that I will make further progress this year.

It is rewarding to be at the riverbank knowing that there are other like minded individuals like yourselves that freely give great advice. and who ‘get’ the philosophy and enjoy the meditation of small river fishing.

Pete

Hi Pete,

Nice report; and (excuse the Pun) looks like your hooked on small stream fishing! Here comes some more advise. The reason you could not get close to those fish in low water conditions is; they could see you! Stay low when fishing in those conditions, centre of stream is OK if your on your knees, sometimes you need to sit still for about 10, minutes or so! The wee fish gain confidence and return to the area your in. Also concentration on placing your fly in likely looking pools, riffles and back eddies, learn to side cast, flick the fly and learn how to skate your fly under the low bushes etc,

Just like reading a book; the better you read - the more you enjoy the book!

Same with a river or stream, the better your reading of it - the more successful you be at catching fish!

Great to hear your one of us small stream addicts.

M

Hello Pete

That was a fine first post to start your forum writings with. Mostyn has advised you well about those fish you couldn't get to. Your success coming with the brown trout later on was probably assisted by the lower light level of the late afternoon. Some of the best fly fishing to be had is late on. Stay there, if you can, until you can't see what is happening. Also you will find that you can catch more fish when sitting down to fish. There is a bit more about this here.

Have a great second season on your brook...

richard

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Who resides on the right bank of the Derbyshire Wye and is lulled to sleep each night by the mutterings of a weir, dreaming that "When the rivers and their inhabitants come first, we ALL win..."

Pete

Well done. We have a lot in common, I came to the brooks after the stillwaters and have just completed my first season as well.

In addition, to the good advice posted here, I would add my twopennorth of advice. Check out Mr Trout for one of his furled leaders. Having obtained one of these, my turnover and presentation improved immensely. Fish with someone who knows what they are doing, an hour with Dave Wiltshire teaching me to roll cast saved me a lot of time picking my fly out of overhanging foilage. And as mentioned by Mostyn and Richard, work hard on your approach. It is hard to do coming off the stillwaters, the time spent watching is never wasted and never boring. A few deep breaths before trying that killer cast aslo helps.

regards

Vince

Nice post - lots of fun to be had on those streams.

... and that's a lot of fun in itself; in fact we might consider running an informal smallest catch comp' next season .



PS - Not from my local; Diawl Bach will know where from though .

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Help fund the WTT study of the Softmouth

Thanks Mostyn and Richard for your encouragement. I have followed your advice Richard on your excellent Blog. I have fished the Peacock stretch (Derbyshire Wye) before but with no luck. So here's hoping I can serve my apprenticeship here in South Derbys before tackling it again.

Apologies for not responding sooner (I could not find my post!)

Can anyone recommend a good furled leader? Should I use one?

Pete

Hi Pete,

I suggest you try what VGB advised. I know I will...

Tight lines,
Johan

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Johan Janssens

Let me know when you are coming to the Wye again.

richard

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Who resides on the right bank of the Derbyshire Wye and is lulled to sleep each night by the mutterings of a weir, dreaming that "When the rivers and their inhabitants come first, we ALL win..."

The streams and brooks on these small stream threads look lovely and I can understand the enjoyment to be had from fishing them. However, may I ask a question? As I understand it, wild brown trout spawn in small streams and feeder tributaries, so are you catching juvenile trout that have not yet migrated back to the main streams (which the picture above seems to be) or are they just very underdeveloped adults due to the characteristics of their environment?

I love my local small stream. It's where I have learnt to fish. i have posted elsewhere on my recent 'best day'. Followed all the tips, likly runs etc and pulled out 8 Rainbows by fishing blind, but where they 'should' be. Challenging because I have lost too many flies to the stream..overhangs, boulders etc, but you learn that way. My casts have improved - many hours in a paddock too just practising not so much distance but accuracy. The photo is but a small section of about 7-8 kilometres of water.