Fishing a small brook - how?

[Cumbrian]

The following URL will lead to to one of my web pages, showing pictures of a small brook that I have access to via my club.

homepage.mac.com/bmw5/PhotoAlbum13.html

I have only flyfished stillwaters and have no idea how to approach fishing this brook. The straight stretches tend to be very shallow, and no more than 3-4ft wide, with deeper 'holes' on the bends. Casting is VERY restricted in most areas by trees and undergrowth (or should that be overgrowth). Some 'holes' have tree trunks across them at water surface level which would appear to make these impossible to fish sensibly - they appear to me to also be the best holding areas!

Anyone have any advice as to how to approach fishing this brook (there are some brown trout in there I am told and it is sparsley stocked).

Thanks in advance.

[marcel]

I sometimes fish in Germany in a place that looks a lot like the water on your picture.
At first I would not believe such a shallow water could hold any fish but there are some surprisingly deep holes present.
These undercut banks, bends and treeroots hold roach, gudgeon and the odd trout.

Usually we just let a nymph drift through the deep holes, a small strike indicator keeps the nymph at the proper depth.
Normally there is only space for the odd roll cast.
With a carefull approach fish can be caught.

[Exerod]

I've fished a couple of Somerset brooks that size. The best advice on fishing a water that small is to start now, in six weeks time it will have nearly vanished under the nettles and brambles.
Try creeping up to the pools and dangling the fly straight down on the surface while keeping out of sight. Better still dangle a worm

Tight lines

Andy

[thewickedpickett]

looks a lot like my local stream. if anything it looks more accessible.

i use a 7ft greys rod with a wf4 floater. best flies are goldheads or dries if they are rising. i normally only roll cast and fish each pool selectively, you only get a few casts normally. on my brook deepish still holes are better than the streamy water. its best to get on the river when its got a bit of water and in my case colour in it. my local brook seems to fish really well when its well up.

you should definitely give it a go, its really great challenging fun.

[rrw35]

I would also consider a green or other unobtrusive coloured line when fishing very small brooks.

A matt rod helps on a sunny day, IMHO.

As TWP says, on some pools you only get a few casts before the fish spook.

A bit of colour in the water after rain definitely helps.

[Duncan]

Very similar to parts of the upper Dove, as others have stated a short rod, dark clothing and stealth! Be prepared to be crawling along the banks.

[richardw]

Hmmm...

This is a little different from the general view but it works for me...

Rod between 8 and 9 feet long for a #5 line and as dull as a stick
Line WF6F in mahogany brown (not a #5 but a #6!)
Leader about three yards
Clothes drab brown, hat with full brim and very drab indeed, polaroids essential to see fish between you and the ones you see rising (you have to catch these nearer fish first before you can deal with the further fish)

Technique consists of keeping back from the water's edge (hence the longer rod), sitting and lying down to cast, sitting and lying down to wait for spooked fish to recompose themselves and start rising again. Fish at close quarters (hence the #6 line because you may have only a foot of fly line out of the tip ring so it needs to be heavy enough to make the rod work). Use a dry fly that looks like a bushy mouthful - Double Badger, Cotton's Black Fly, Red Hackle (tied Palmer style), Sedges... Why use this kind of fly? Cast one of these into a bush and you have a chance of it coming free. Cast a nymph into a bush and all you do is leave behind a bird and bat trap.

I cut my teeth on brooks like this and found that a longer rod is more often a help than a hindrance, especially if you have a decent fish on that runs towards the root of the bushes you are hiding behind! The long rod lets you push the fish away from you and you can lift line up and over obstructions more easily with the rod nearer 9 feet long than the rod of 7 feet long.

richard

[thewickedpickett]

interesting approach richard. A few of the guys who also fish my brook would agree with you on the longer rod as it definitely allows for more control and more effective roll casting.

I also should add i use very simple easy to tie goldheads as i lose so many on the river. the trees shine gold on a sunny day.



i would put money this holds good fish.

homepage.mac.com/bmw5/.Pictures/Stour/IMGP0441.jpg

the really narrow bits will be very challenging but the above bend with a bit of stealth wading should be very doable. you might well be surprised what it holds and if its under fished they might be more obliging.

incidentally a night out lamping the river will greatly help you plan your attack and let you know if you are wasting your time

[Cumbrian]

Thanks to all who have replied. I look forward to experimenting over the coming months. Just off to find some dull, "crawling around in" gear, I've got the hat ;D

[dryflyaddict]

just thought I'd reply with yet another tactic, I fish the Nadder in Wiltshire alot, it's upper stretches are extremely small, with lots of deep holes and overhanging trees. I've found that a short short rod works well for me, I use a temple fork outfitters 6' 2 weight but with a 3 weight line. I normally fish small dry flies on these parts as there is less chance of sacrificing hooks to tree roots and underwater snags. I've found a size 18+ balloon caddis skated across the surface a bit really brings the fish up.

The cover provided by the steep banks and trees makes the lighter line work well for me and given the average size of the fish in there I'm not too worried about hitting a 4 pounder or anything (I expect theyre there though!).

Admittedly a long rod would be nice for certain holes, in fact maybe I'll take two rods in the car next time and swap over to try some different places.

Check the photos at nadder-diary.net to see what the upper stretches look like (photo's labelled Wardour).

Malcolm

[richardw]

Lovely little river, do you have a keeper? It would need very careful professional decision making on where to cut and what to leave, but I'm pretty sure the water could be more productive of life (including fish) if some work was done to reduce overshading. Getting a mosaic of light on the river bed is the first step to getting ranunculus to flourish. Life simply burgeons forth once healthy ranunculus beds spread over the lit portions of the river bed.

The trick is to do all this work without spoiling the intimate nature of the river.

richard

[easky]

between downstream nymphing and upstream dry fly you should be able to access a lot of the water - as some of the other guys say get out now before the nettles etc grow up

The other corner pool with the fast water at the head also looks a good spot.

tight lines

E

[FlyBri]

Some portions of the wey and the whitewater look like this. I tend to prefer a 6ft 5wt fiberglass rod which loads easier than graphite. Also would differ from RW in that I genuinely believe that when you don't have a lot of line out the DT will cast and roll cast easier.

Lastly, if wading is possible, get in the river downstream and cast upstream - I think in a brook this small, down stream fishing may not be the way to go. The work your way from pool to pool quietly.

Bri