[tim_y]

I hear you Java.

Don't worry, some of us are more purists that others (I'm by no means a purist), but the one thing we all share on hear is that we love to fish. I could care less how people fish, as long as they take care of the waters they fish. Heck, I sat on ice with Dobber and dropped shiners down off of tip ups. If that isn't bait fishing, I don't know what is. I do enjoy golf, but unfortunately, on most nice weekend days you'll find me on the stream.

[stimyg]

Are you fishing these small streams this time of year? For some reason, at the start of the season, I often get the urge to head to small streams. I guess I feel like, there aren't hatches happening in the rivers. And with small stream fish being so non-selective in general, I'm more likely to have luck with them. That's assuming the streams are not completely blown out by melt.

Of course a lot of this is in my head. I've only managed to actually get out a couple times, and have been skunked more often than not. But that's my thinking.

[Dusty Miller]

I like to fish small streams later in the season when the big water tends to warm up.

[stimyg]

And while we're at it... if anyone knows anything about small streams up in the Hancock area and would like to share, please PM me. I know a couple places, nothing too secret, and would be happy to privately share - but I'm always looking to learn more.

I'll tell you a small stream sort-of-story while I'm here. So last year I was trying to get to a spot I'd seen on a map, off an unplowed road. The snow was too deep for me to take my 4WD car. Since then I got an old 4WD truck with much bigger clearance, and was thinking about giving that spot a try this year. During the snowstorm couple weeks ago I decided to test her out in the really deep stuff, through my backyard. And proceeded to get totally, completely stuck. I tried digging out, but in the end had to just wait til it melted out. Guess that answered my question.

[RW]

stimyg, RW here,

I think it was John Gierach, in one of his books, that said, "Four wheel drive doesn't mean you can't get stuck, it just means you can get stuck in worse places."

rw

[stimyg]

RW, on 13 March 2010 - 12:49 PM, said:

stimyg, RW here,

I think it was John Gierach, in one of his books, that said, "Four wheel drive doesn't mean you can't get stuck, it just means you can get stuck in worse places."

rw

Definitely.

[Esopus Guy]

I would like to agree with Tele and add that, in smaller streams,specifically new guns out there that there is no better training ground. Watching your back cast so you don't get Charlie Browned and doing what you have to, to get behind or around a rock or other obstructions. You'll soon be pulling off casts that you don't even know the name of. I feel this way about a good % of books that are out there. I just read 2 by the same author that are so wrong it's not even funny.Talking about creek conditions and the like that were so far off base and incorrect.....Anyone can sit behind a desk and spit out books based off info they get from actuall fishermen but time on the water will educate you faster than flipping pages IMO.
Stimy, I fish 12 months a year. Hatches mmean nothing.When you learn that the faster you will grow as a fisherman. Don't follow tthe guys who sit and wait for the bugs to come off.That's being reactive and wasting precious fishing time. Trust me,I used to sleep on the banks and crack my eye's every half hour or so waiting on the hatch,some days it never came and I had wasted hours of fishing time for literally nothing. Trout eat all year everyday. Be proactive. If you know what should be going on then nymph that till the trout start rising if that's what your waiting for. Use flies of the constant drift and the bugs that are "In Season" as droppers ie. sulphers ect. A river is never blown out unless of course it's yoohoo and logs and junk floating by. If you can stand knee deep and see your feet your in the game. You just have to learn how to fish high water which can if done right be easier and more productive than at normall flow..

[tele-caster]

e-guy ... even though i've read my fair share, i don't put too much credence in fishing books ... there is simply no other way to figure trout out, other than to put yourself in their presence ... alot ... making mistakes, getting skunked, blowing presentations, snagging flies ... its all part of the game, and i think small waters amplify that learning curve - both in terms of rewards, and disappointment ...

that said, there are a few videos that i think are very good - 'bugs of the underworld' and the ozzy osovitch ( sp? ) series, among them ... the underwater video in the ozzie series just reenforces what i beleive - fish can live and feed virtually anywhere ... e-guy's experience in high water proves that out, as does my own success fishing 'vacant' water the 'wrong way' using 'inappropriate' patterns - especially on heavily pressured waters ... i love a full-blown sulfer hatch at foam line near the head of a classic pool as much as anyone, but ain't gonna read tolstoy bankside, waiting for one to come off ... the 'bugs of the underworld' series, gives you a perspective of just how magical something like a sulfer hatch is, from the trout's perspective ...

i'll throw this out there, too ... i think this forum is a great source of info, for both newbies and those of us that never even saw 'the movie' ... there are a few other online forums i troll trough from time to time, but this is the one i keep coming back to ...

tele.

[Esopus Guy]

Amen brother!!!

[tim_y]

I'm with you tele. A lot of books give you some great insight, but alot of the '6th sense' comes from putting it all together. The references are a great source for pointers and ideas, but you have to lose a couple of flies in the process.

[frankm205]

I think alot depends on what books or videos you're looking at also. I totally agree that nothing beats time on the water. I can't say enough for fishing through the winter months, as I learned so much this winter. As far as forums go you have to be careful who you listen to, what's their level of expertise? Hard to tell on a forum where some of guys run online to a web site find an answer then post it.
Good place to hear stories and meet people though!