Stalk those small, wild brown trout on overgrown streams till you are so close you can almost touch them. Wishing your 7 ½ foot 4 weight rod was a foot shorter you flick a tiny dry fly under or through the tangle of branches towards the rise and watch until it disappears in a tiny swirl. A short fight ensues from a surprisingly strong, fully grown 10 inch fish with beautiful bright red spots. Of course you let him go to fight another day. Interested in a trip to Dartmoor?

Small stream fishing uses light weight tackle for delicate presentation at short range and short rods for casting in and around bushes and trees. We don't recommend this kind of fishing for beginners as it requires good casting skills. If you feel ready then you will want a 8 foot rod or shorter for a 4 weight floating line or lighter. Any simple lightweight reel is adequate - no need for fancy drag systems here. Attach a 4' or 5' furled leader and 3' to 4' of tippet (4x down to 6x). Take a variety of dry flies in sizes 14 down to 18 (and plenty of spares to replace the ones you will lose in the trees).
If this is the style of fishing for you you can now read more detail about the tackle options in Choosing your tackle.