| Southern California has a vast array of streams | | | | stay on these best. There are also small salmon |
| running through its mountains which are stocked | | | | egg hooks if you chose to us salmon eggs as |
| regularly with trout during the cooler months. | | | | bait, but you can also just put 3 eggs on one |
| Although we will be concerning ourselves mainly | | | | hook and save from having 2 types of hooks. For |
| with these 'stocked' fish, many of these streams | | | | weight, small lead 'split-shot' work best as you can |
| also contain 'native' trout which may be caught | | | | add and remove them as needed. Split-shot come |
| year round. In this article, we will be discussing the | | | | in many sizes, but it is sometimes easier to get |
| equipment and tackle needed to catch these | | | | the smaller and use what is needed than the |
| sometimes elusive fish. Before you can even | | | | larger and not be able to put the amount weight |
| begin, you will need a rod and reel (Although you | | | | you want. Lastly we will need some sort of bait |
| could just as easily use something as simple as a | | | | (although spinner bait and spoons can be used, |
| stick with fishing line and a hook?). Ultra-light tackle | | | | bait is easier in these small streams). Bait can be |
| is preferable, as it is smaller, lighter and more | | | | commercially packaged salmon eggs, cheeses and |
| sensitive than its normal (or heavy duty) counter | | | | other so called trout baits, but what I personally |
| parts. Fishing line comes in many pound (lb.) test | | | | found to work best is plain old Velveeta cheese. |
| ratings, but 2 to 4 lbs. test is best for stream | | | | You may also want to try corn, worms, live bugs |
| fishing as it is of a small diameter which makes it | | | | or dry flies- the choice is yours. Now for the |
| harder for the fishes to see underwater. This light | | | | fishing part, almost - but if you are 16 years of |
| line is also ok since most of the fish caught will be | | | | age or older, you will need to purchase a fishing |
| less than one pound. Many anglers find that a fly | | | | license for a small fee (this helps to pay for the |
| fishing rig works well too, but unless you have | | | | fish we are trying to catch). All that is left now is |
| experience fly fishing it can be a daunting task on | | | | to find one of the many streams that are |
| the small mountain streams. The only other things | | | | stocked, find a good fishin' hole and catch a few |
| we will need to begin are hooks, weights, and bait. | | | | trout for dinner. In the next part, we will cover |
| For hooks, treble hooks in the 14 - 16 range work | | | | some actual techniques for fishing the streams of |
| best for these smaller trout, and cheese baits | | | | the mountains of Southern California. |