# Wade Fishing small streams



## lostspring (Jun 29, 2007)

If you were going to wade fish in a small stream would you
Wade upstream and fish ahead?
Wade downstream and fish ahead?


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## JJ Grandits (Nov 10, 2002)

I would wade upstream and fish ahead. A lot of fish face upstream waiting for food to be carried down stream. You also help eliminate sound and disturbing the bottom in an area you want to fish.


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## PyroDon (Jul 30, 2006)

we dont have trout in our area but I sometime wade fish for bluegill is some streams that appear too shallow for decent sized fish. Using an ultralight and crappie jig its amazing to get a pan sized fish from beside a rock or log that would barely hide a crawdad . 
Ive always had better luck walking up stream for the reason previously posted


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## Haggis (Mar 11, 2004)

My brother and I used to wade fish in Kentucky; we waded upstream; it doesn't muddy the waters.


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## farmerjon (Jan 7, 2009)

Depends. If you using a Fly you usually wade up stream. Cast and let the fly come back to you. Sometimes you work a pool from upstream. You should try to stay on a one side or the other so you wont make the water too murkey anyways. I have used spinners and had luck wadding down stream casting down stream and reeling back up to me.


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## Micheal (Jan 28, 2009)

I'd think that the answer depends on a couple of things:
Where you are on the stream - at the mouth or at the source?
What you are using as a "bait" lures, worms, flies, etc.....
How deep/shallow or slow/fast the water.
What the bottom is; mud, stone, clay, sand, etc..

I've fished both up and down stream, and usually take all the above into consideration starting out. But given my druthers, I prefer fishing going downstream, allowing the "bait" to drift into the pool, eddy, pocket, etc.......
Living near some super catch and release trout waters I've noticed that the fly fishermen/women always fish downstream - never asked why.


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## EX-BRAVE (Aug 5, 2008)

Don't know if you gottem where you live, but I tried that once here in Georgia and thought I was stepping on a log and it turned out to be a gator who promptly threw me about 10 ft. in the air. I there-fore let him have his space and gave up on that idea and decided the boat was the smart way. NEVER AGAIN !!!


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## farmerjon (Jan 7, 2009)

EX-BRAVE said:


> Don't know if you gottem where you live, but I tried that once here in Georgia and thought I was stepping on a log and it turned out to be a gator who promptly threw me about 10 ft. in the air. I there-fore let him have his space and gave up on that idea and decided the boat was the smart way. NEVER AGAIN !!!


That would keep me out of the water and way back from the shore. Man I love western ny


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## EDDIE BUCK (Jul 17, 2005)

PyroDon said:


> we dont have trout in our area but I sometime wade fish for bluegill is some streams that appear too shallow for decent sized fish. Using an ultralight and crappie jig its amazing to get a pan sized fish from beside a rock or log that would barely hide a crawdad .
> Ive always had better luck walking up stream for the reason previously posted


 LOL,I used to fish small streams or creeks for Robins or Redbellies and walked down stream.I caught a lot of fish and found the current kept my spinner from getting hungup.I have tried casting up stream but the spinner goes straight to the bottom and hangs. Eddie


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## charliesbugs (Feb 25, 2007)

I always fished upstream for smallmouth and used a Shyster made in Caldwell Id. they would spin slower then anything I ever used. I don"t think they are made anymore. I think at one time more fish were in the record book caught on a shyster then any other lure.


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## foxfiredidit (Apr 15, 2003)

EX-BRAVE said:


> Don't know if you gottem where you live, but I tried that once here in Georgia and thought I was stepping on a log and it turned out to be a gator who promptly threw me about 10 ft. in the air. I there-fore let him have his space and gave up on that idea and decided the boat was the smart way. NEVER AGAIN !!!


I like to wade fish a creek that goes into the Alabama River. Each bend will usually have a white sand bar on the inside of the turn. Most all of them have gator tracks and tail marks on them. These days, it's not that hard to find a gator track of a size you can put your entire foot insdide of. So, while I still wade fish the creek, I move as quietly as possible and keep to the shallow side. Whether up or downstream doesn't seem to be a problem, but I like going downstream better. I fish an ultralight with a silver spoon, rooster tail, a white jig with a cork, etc. Good bass, Blue Gill, White Perch or "Crappie", and if I get lucky with the drag sometimes a pretty good Stripe Bass.


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## jross (Sep 3, 2006)

Rule no. one for any stream. Sneak up slowly and fish the closest bank first before venturing up stream.


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## fishhead (Jul 19, 2006)

I think you'll find that fish are attracted to temporary muddy waters. It means food dislodged from the bottom for them. If you were to float a wet fly downstream in the cloudy water I'll bet you'd see some action. The guys who seine minnows in creeks will purposely stir up the bottom to bring the school. They call it the redtail stomp.


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