Clear water, abundant vegetation and shrewd fish; trout fishing in small streams or streams frequently can give satisfactions that go beyond the search for size or size fish. It often seems almost impossible that fish from 25-30 centimeters can thrive in pools and currents even when the water touches minimum levels, and yet just that side stone that creates a minimum of burrow and often the trout is below waiting for insects or other carried by the current.
How to approach this type of environment and with what equipment and tactics go to undermine small wild trout?
If we can say with almost absolute certainty that now in 2022 all the rivers and streams of the valley have been beaten almost meter by meter, the same does not apply to the mountain riali and small streams, many of which are virgins because of the extremely wild and inaccessible environment, often inaccessible also because of the vegetation.
Precisely for this reason our equipment will have to be reduced to a minimum and very light, whether we talk about spinning fishing or that we will go in search of the Pharaohs using the technique of dry fly fishing or nymph.
For convenience I divided by seasonal periods, because the water temperature and other factors such as the availability of food and the rub will affect the behavior of the fish.
Opening and late spring
Clothing: The temperature of the water in the small rii immediately after the opening is still quite low and even if not everywhere, often a pair of boots or waders are indispensable for not being in trouble. Being the water flow quite reduced, a couple of thigh waders (better with boot) will be enough to move easily; Then there are those who prefer neoprene for the insulation from the cold and those who instead opt for normal waders combining a good quality thermal, which will make it essential for the bust.
Above the thermal I always wear a long-sleeved shirt and a sweatshirt not too thick to be more agile during the fishing action, as well as a technical jacket, a wool hat and a neck warmer on days with colder temperatures. I remember that often trout tend to see us on the banks so it is essential to avoid the colors too bright and stay on the mimetic, imitating the nuances of the surrounding environment.
Fishing equipment and action: At the beginning of spring the trouts tend to stay in the dens seen the scarcity of hatching of insects and of food, seen the still very rigid temperature. For this reason the fishing action must take place by making the baits work as slowly and naturally as possible, whether you fish spinning or fly (during this period, except rare exceptions, a nymph). Fishing spinning at the beginning of the season I have always rewarded the tires, small imitations of worms (excellent gulp of berkley in natural colors) or camole, which tend to match a head with lead (0.8-1g) hidden on the hook to encourage a fishing action as natural as possible. All combined with a monofilament of 0.18-0.20, a very short ultralight rod to move easily between the branches and vegetation and a reel size 1500-2000. A nymph instead I usually opt for medium/ small nymphs, on the measure of 16/14, and depending on the situation and the certain day I decide which to use. Often at the beginning of the season the coats are not infrequent but with a good dose of patience, discretion in approaching the pool and the right fishing action (probing for good every possible den) it is possible to catch even in small environments fish coming out of the breeding period.
Summer and early autumn
After the spring period, the sun begins to warm up with a certain regularity going to completely change the vital rhythms of insects, fish and a little 'the ecosystem of the small creek.
Clothing: It is a practice that during the summer many fishermen take advantage of the heat of the city or the plain to take refuge in the undergrowth where the targets of this article flow, and where you create a series of variables for which the microclimate is gradually cooler. The channeling of air between the rocks, the forest that creates shelter from the sun and the coolness of the water will make our outputs definitely less boiling than fished in streams in the valley floor where the sun especially in the middle hours of the day can make much more unproductive every attempt and Definitely more lazy trout in biting our baits. During my outings in the small streams, especially if covered by vegetation, I usually use in addition to a couple of waders well breathable (not to find myself sweating like a marathon runner, with dangling tongue) and a cotton shirt to find myself even more protected from brambles, nettles and insects that with the heat abound especially in the wildest places. I can not deny that especially in the smallest spots and during the hottest days do not disdain a simple mountain boot with a long sock (to be clear, like a footballer) that keeps me covered up above the knee; It is a fairly good method but that allows me to stay cool not being a lover of excessive heat. A visor hat or Indiana Jones type and a pair of excellent polarized glasses will complete our exploration outfit.
Fishing equipment and action: The small environments, even if more temperate than other streams with more considerable flow, when the sun and the beautiful days become a constant become an almost continuous swarm of life. The water heats up and trouts are more likely to hunt even out of burrows, although we must not forget the importance of mimicry in this period. In fact, if we approach the spot with impetuosity and without caution every trout present at that point will go into alarm, and hardly we will go to make catches. Let us always remember to arrive on the pools going up the stream and not going down, since the trout (species hunting) have their head turned upstream so as not to miss any possible meal; The moment we peep on a puddle from above we will see and thwart the fishing action. With the warmer water then the trout will be stimulated to move more; as the metabolism will be faster and will be led to consume more food, surprising us with lightning attacks and decided on our baits. Spinning are great all the baits that can work in little water (since there will be less of spring, and some pools will be reduced to bone). Some examples are the martin in the sizes 3-4 red or yellow wasp, which since childhood in this type of environment have given me great satisfaction, or the emblazoned mepps 0-1 always being in the category rotating teaspoons. It is possible to use small minnow where there is enough water flow, in sizes from 3 to 5 cm happen to witness attacks of hungry trouts a little larger than baits! Among the best I can not mention the d-compact Smith, designed specifically for fishing in confined environments, or the timeless rapala countdown or floating in smaller sizes. As for the dry and nymph fishing we should get a fairly short rod, if the spot was very interspersed, from 6.3 to 7.6 feet in length are excellent compromises. As a tail I usually use a 3-4 depending on the fishing I have to do, and as a final tip a 0.14/0.16. As shoals if the trout boil can fit almost anything, the food competition is very high at this time of year and if the fish is hunting it will not be difficult to see it climb on the flies. Instead, as nymphs (I am not a purist of dry fishing, do not mind me but I find the nymph fishing in many ways fascinating and poetic) I usually stay on imitations of mayfly or caddis in sizes 14 or 16. In recent years, the so-called "spinfly", a hybridization between fly fishing and spinning, is also becoming popular, where to a normal rod ultralight with small reel are combined with fantasy nymphs of greater size than those used in fly fishing; I have not had the opportunity to try this technique ( 99% of my outings in the stream now I do the nymph or dry)but it seems to be very catching and effective in small streams as well as in streams with more flow.
Concluding remarks
Often this type of environment undergoes in some periods of the year important drops in the water level, especially in recent years due to rains increasingly frequent and indiscriminate and harmful levies in favor of agriculture. If we then add pollution and predators such as ichthyophage birds, often local populations of wild trout are increasingly in danger and, for this reason, it is necessary to implement a no kill policy and respect for fish and the absolute environment. Do not forget to get your hands wet before touching our friends pinnute (given the size often does not even need to touch them to take off their hook) and continue to keep in the best way small rii and streams, so that they can continue to be home to trout, insects, birds and amphibians!
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