How would you approach this situation?

[ditchbanker]

OK, so I live a few minutes from the local pond. Nothing great but a handy place to go for a quick outing when you can't go further and need to get out. The ponds are regularly stocked as is the stream that runs between them. I don't often fish the stream in that area because it's hugely overgrown with russian olive trees. Further down it opens up quite a bit and subsequently gets fished a lot more.

Anyhow, I needed to get out the other day so I headed down. My usual spot at the inlet to the pond was taken. I decided to move elsewhere rather than just elbow my way in like most folks do (gotta love that, don't you?) I decided to explore the stream a little. Found a likely little spot where there was a little guy feeding on the surface (which surprised me given the time of year) but didn't have anything that interested him. Likely nothing I had for the surface was small enough.

Decided to explore a little more. The stream was about 8-10 feet across and a couple feat deep. I spotted a gap in the trees about as wide and watched for a minute. Saw a really nice trout for the area, over 12", slowly float downstream from the Russian olives (which are thorny and grow all the way down into the water), hang out there for a minute and then move back up under the olive trees. I'm still fishing with a casting bubble and spinning real until christmas and knew that, given the small area I had, the casting bubble would have scared the fish away in a heartbeat.

Is there a way to target fish in an area like that with a fly rod? He probably moves down that far occasionally then moves back upstream, so he likely won't see anything I tempt him with unless he happens to be right there, in which case it would be very easy to spook him because I'd have to drop it about right in front of him. Any input on this to help out a new guy?
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[cpierce]

Is it possible to sneak in close into the olives and reach with a 9 ft fly rod? If you can, then just dab a fly on the surface close to the area, not necessarily right in front, but off to the side a bit. Or you could do a swing cast from downstream maybe?

You might try a short leader in tight brush, it really depends on the situation and your fly rod length.
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[ditchbanker]

Thanks for the reply. Next time I get out there I might have to take a picture. I didn't dare the other day. The banks were steep and there was melting snow turning the bank into mud. Pretty tight quarters, though.

It's a lot wider than some of the pictures of the places you fish, but the trees growing over the water make it difficult.
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[cpierce]

The over head trees are the pits! They make it nearly impossible to cast anything. A short light rod helps if there is enough room to cast anything at all. That is why on the small bushy streams I was fishing, I used such a short leader. With the overhead branches you can't even lift your rod up. A small side arm or bow and arrow cast might also work. I hope you have waders and can retrieve your line out of the bushes!!!

The problem I have seen with the bubble is that it sometimes spooks the fish when it lands in shallow water. But ya gotta work with what you have. Soft as possible and just barely to the side, if he wants it he might move over and investigate.

Can you get a nymph or something to float down and under from upstream? Tricky not to snag up though.

Good Luck!
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[ditchbanker]

I've tried floating a nymph under, but haven't done more than a foot or two. I'm pretty sure that's a recipe for lost flies here.

I think that after I get a fly rod I can at least dab out that far and hope to get him when he moves briefly into the open. On days where he's feeding on the surface it makes since he'd spend an increasing amount of his time in those openings.

This isn't a life or death question, just more of a curiosity how someone else would deal with it. I dealt with it by looking around, realizing I would almost certainly fail with a bubble, admiring the fact that the fish was smart enough to thwart me and moving on.
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[riverdog]

The dabbing as mentioned is a good choice. I don't know if you can wade upstream from below and cast from the stream below. The other choice to cast from that spot is to use a slingshot cast. Takes a little practice but not more than most techniques. Here's a youtube video demonstration. You can do it overhand as shown or in other situations an underhand technique is productive.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3dSvl9LK8ao
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[flygoddess]

Cpierce has been fishing allot of the streams, so great advise there.
I have even walked up the creeks before. Casting up stream and letting it drift toward me.
Usually, down the middle, the trees are more out of the way.[]
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[cpierce]

Sling Shot cast must be the official name. lol [laugh]That is what I was meaning when I said bow and arrow cast. I have never known before what to call it, other than desperation in motion! [shocked]
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[ditchbanker]

As always, I appreciate all the help. I've never heard of that slingshot casting before. Looks interesting. I might even be able to try that with my spinning rod. One way to find out.

Reference walking upstream, 1 olive tree can often grow all the way across the stream. I wouldn't be surprised if, on both sides of the hole I'm talking about, an ant could use a tree to cross over the whole stream without getting wet or maybe even jumping. I'll have to take a couple pictures on the way home from work tomorrow if I get off work on time. That's a big if right now, though. Also, if it keeps snowing like it is right now, common sense might dictate not walking down a steep stream edge.
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[riverdog]

FG has just spent the last 6 months sitting on a float tube where there aren't any branches once you get 20 ft from shore so ignore her for now[]. She'll hit Millcreek soon and recall all the dang brush that gets in your way. What I meant about wading up if possible is if you can even get 6 inches of clearance over your head you can usually get some sort of cast off. I realize this isn't always possible. Last little stream I fished there where stretches that not only I couldn't get through on the stream but some parts even my dogs had to go around for 10 - 50 yards- just too many branches in the way. dabbing and slingshot was the only way I fished and some spots just too hard to get to no matter what.
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[flygoddess]

True enough on the Tube/toon, but I fish 3 to 4 days a week and the hubby doesn't go with me. Already hit Millcreek on regular basis...[]

Still use the flip up stream. Don't need to go over head, just a little up flip.
Of course, flipping it across stream and wiggling line our while it floats down works.

(I don't guide on stillwater)[cool]
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