13. How to fish tight, brushy streams (13 of 15)

It's really challenging to fish very tight, brushy streams with a fly rod. But the upside is that you may be the only one who ever fishes that spot with a fly or the only one that ever fishes it at all. In this kind of water, you probably never even fish anything but your leader. One way of fishing these streams is to dab, which is exactly what it sounds like. Sneak up to an opening and dip your dry fly under the water or drop a nymph into a tiny pool and jig it up and down enticingly.
Or put a small split shot ahead of a streamer and jig it into deeper pockets. Another way to fish brushy streams is with a bow and arrow cast. Pull out your leader and maybe part of your fly line until you have about the length of the rod outside the guides. Hold your litter off to one side opposite your ear, bend the rod back, and let fly by pointing your rod tip at your target.
It's that pretty and you won't get much distance, but sometimes it's the only game in town when you don't even have enough room to do a roll cast.