newbie: brown trout on a small river

[Rev-O]

Hi All

I've just joined this site and am looking to learn.

For the past couple of years I've been freelining earthworm (plus a couple of split shot to give some sinkage) on a nice local small river. I'm after the brown trout (a fly-fishing club stocks the water a mile or two upstream).

But I'm just getting into fly fishing (I did some wet fly as a kid in Norway on the wide mountain streams). I'm also thinking of joining the club, partly to put something back and partly to master (or at least attempt to learn) the art.

My brother has taken me to some stillwater venues to teach me to cast but I can see that fishing on a very small and wild river will require different tackle and techniques!

My brother gave me an ABU rod and a reel (with some #4 floating line), plus some dry flies.

So I've looked on the web and bought some flies from "The Essential Fly" website - mostly little nymphs, as well as some light leaders. Was that a good thing to do? I've no idea!

And it seems I need to work on "roll casting" - well, OK, I think I can give it a go!

So: I need advice, tips, tricks - anything that will help me, please!

Cheers

Ollie

[Portland Pirate]

Just get out there and practice. There are plenty of helpful videos online, that will give you the basics of fly fishing.

I would say for a small river a number 4 set up would be ideal.