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If an angler wants to have success fishing small streams, especially ones that contain spooky trout such as central Alberta's Stauffer Creek, North Raven and Prairie Creeks, stealth can be one of your best assets, here's a few tips:
- Always approach the water downstream of where you are to begin fishing.
- Be aware of where your shadow is and keep it off of the water as much as possible.
- Stop and observe the stream before getting in, you don't want to spook any fish that might run upstream and spook others.
- Start with your first cast close to yourself and gradually work the cast out longer, resist the urge to make your first cast into the juiciest part of the run or pool.
- Make as few false casts as possible and make them off to the side if possible. When false casting your line will spray water that has the potential to spook fish. Roll casting can eliminate false casting and should be part of the small stream anglers arsenal.
- Keep a low profile, if you are on the banks you will probably need to be on your knees a fair bit. Always remember that most of a trout enemies attack from above so therefore any movement from above the water can spook them.
- Avoid bright colour, bright coloured fly lines can spook fish, use lines that are "dull" in colour, Moss Green is much better than Optic Orange.
The same goes for your clothing, avoid bright, avoid white. - Wade slowly and gently, sound travels better through water than air and crashing upstream at a million miles an hour will send a sound wave alarm ahead of you, SLOW DOWN.
- If your there, are other anglers downstream of you? Try to avoid kicking up mud and silt that will travel downstream and spook the fish that they will coming up to. When you are finished your angling get out of the water to walk back downstream, while wading back down the creek in the water may be the easiest way out it will spoil the water for anyone else for several hours.
I hope these tips help you catch more and larger trout on your next small stream adventure.
