Tackle Tactics » Tips-Techniques » Adrian-Webbs-Trout-Tips » The Rewards of Small Stream Fishing
The Rewards of Small Stream Fishing
By Adrian (meppstas) Webb
I am sure that the majority of those who trout fish don't bother to check out small streams to see if there may be any trout in them. Well, for me, I am one who loves to fish these small streams as most of them that flow into a large river will have trout in them. When fishing small and out of the way small streams, you will come across quite a few log jams. Some of these logjams are small and quite easy to climb over or go around, if that's possible. Then there's the large log jams that can be a real challenge, especially if there's no way around them due to high riverbanks or heavy foliage full of blackberry bushes.
Log jams are just a part of small stream fishing. One needs to take the good with the bad at times and that's really the worst thing one needs to contend with. Yes, it can be tough at times, however it's also very rewarding when you catch your first trout in a small out of the way stream. The trout themselves are mainly small to medium size fish, with the occasional large one thrown in from time to time. Most of these small streams are worth fishing early in the season, when the water levels are still at a good height.
The trout fishing gear you need only needs to be light too. There's no need for a long fishing rod, large spinning reel, or heavy fishing lines. All you need is something like what I use, an Okuma Celilo Finesse 6' ultralight spin 2-6lb trout rod, Okuma ITX-1000 reel (or substitute with an Okuma Inspira ISX20B, Okuma Helious HSX-20, Epixor EXPT-20 or Okuma Ceymar C-10 spinning reel), a variety of Mepps inline spinners, Platypus Pulse Mono or Platypus Super 100 nylon monofilament line in 4lb and you’re ready to fish.
If the water is a dark tannin colour, use a gold or copper blade lure (a White Miller Bug spinner will work well too). If the water is running clear, then go for the darker colours such as the March Brown or Stone Fly Bug spinners (a black or copper blade spinner should also do the job too). Small stream trout can be very fussy, so don't hesitate to keep changing the lures as eventually there will be one that they will go for.
Once the warmer weather arrives and there's less rainfall, the water levels drop and the water temperature rises, so I don't bother going near the small streams. With low water levels the trout become very skittish. The slightest noise will send them darting off, even the sound of a small 1.5g inline spinner hitting the water is enough to spook them. Then there's those clear sunny days and low water levels, the worst days to fish a small stream. Full sun and low water do not go together so it's best to stay well away from them.
The only time that I will head back to a small stream during the warmer months is when we've had a couple of inches of rain that raises the water level. Plus, the rain does help to lower the water temperature, which helps to liven up the trout. It's best to be on the water at first light though because once the sun hits the water, the trout tend to shut down. Not only that, it's also too hot for me to be in a small stream in the summer months!
As the season changes from summer to autumn, the weather slowly becomes cooler, and the water temperatures start to drop. That's when I frequent the small streams a little more. Not only that we get a few odd days of rain, which brings the small streams back to life and the rise in water level seems to get the trout out and about again. I've had some very good spin sessions in these small streams, with catches of up to twenty trout being caught and released during the cooler months and higher water levels.
Small #00 (1.5 gm) Mepps inline spinners, such as the Aglia and Black Fury models, with black, gold, copper, or silver blades, really do well in the small streams, as do the White Miller, March Brown, and Stone Fly coloured Mepps Bug spinners. At times, when the water level is higher and running faster than normal, I will up my lure size to a #0 (2.5 gram) because the lighter 1.5g lure will not stay deep enough in the fast-flowing waters.
The other good thing about fishing small streams is that you have them all to yourself. Plus, they are so peaceful once you're in them. When it comes to small stream fishing you must be pretty good with your accuracy when casting a lightweight lure. In most of these small streams there's minimal margin for error when casting. A wayward cast up the stream will most likely cause the lure to be entangled in a tea tree or similar, so make sure you hone your casting skills before fishing a small stream.
I have fished quite a lot of small streams that I thought would have trout in them, only to find out they didn't. Had I not given them a go though I wouldn't have known and that would have bugged me. The ones that I have found and fished are well spread apart, which is good. Most of them do require some heavy bush bashing to reach the water and the bush bashing can be a little hairy due to the amount of tiger snakes I've come across over the years. In fact, one day I was struck on the hip by a tiger snake and thankfully my waders saved the day. It wasn't the snake's fault either, it was mine for not looking where I was walking, and I stepped on its tail.
This is just something that happens when river fishing and it's not only the small streams where one can comes across a snake, they're in and around all the rivers across Tasmania and mainland Australia. Keep this in mind and if you're walking through the bush, make sure that you keep your arms above your waist, so that your hands and lower arms aren't exposed to a snake bite. Remember, snakes don't hear, they go on the vibration on the ground, so stomp your feet every so often. That's what I do anyway.
Adrian (meppstas)