When heading out for an evenings go at a local small water Trout stream, you might consider the following tips.

I suggest you use a Double Taper fly line versus a Weight Forward line. This fills up the spool a little quicker with less weight and is better suited for the many Roll Casts an evenings fly fishing on small streams usually requires. Also, use either an 8# or 12# backing line if you can find it. Not a real big deal but keeping the weight down on small stream outfits is useful.

Small stream fly rods do not normally require a very long casting stroke. A key to accurate casting with these short rods (5' to 7') is to execute both your back cast and forecast with a very short casting stroke, the shorter the better. Smooth acceleration to an immediate stop, almost like punching a wall, then hold the rod stopped until the cast is almost completely laid out....then drop your elbow (without extending your arm or body) to present the fly.

Another tip.........to increase speed and accuracy very quickly.....AS YOU ARE EXECUTING YOUR BACK CAST......OPEN YOUR 3 LOWER FINGERS......control the rod with your thumb and fore finger. (keep the back of the rod handle up against the fleshy part of your hand) HOLD THE ROD WITH THESE TWO FINGERS THRU THE BACK CAST. .........Just as you are finishing your fore cast......SHARPLY SQUEEZE.....THE 3 FINGERS TOGETHER AGAINST THE LOWER PART OF THE ROD HANDLE and your thumb against the top of the rod handle...... THIS GIVES A FINAL, RAPID ACCELERATION TO THE STOPPING of the rod.....SPEEDING UP THE LINE AND IMPROVING ACCURACY....TAKES A LITTLE PRACTICE BUT REALLY IMPROVES A CAST IN A TIGHT SITUATION.

Give it a try and let me know how it works for you...I call this "The Squeeze Cast"....tricky name I thought......Best Joe @ Castitagain.

Joe Loughran is a Federation Of Fly Fishers Certified Fly Casting Instructor. Owner/operator of Castitagain, a web centric Fly Fishing business and publishes "Casting About In Cyberspace, a bi-monthly newsletter. Can be reached at http://www.castitagain.com