When �I were a lad,� most of us started out brown trout fishing on small streams, usually with a worm. Today, the situation has changed; most game anglers begin with rainbows in still waters and wild brown trout, particularly in small streams, are a bit of a mystery. If you haven�t yet tried the charming experience of a 7 foot rod and a box of flies in your pocket, no pressure and the whole day in front of you on a brook....well you really should. This is fishing at its most carefree and my wife often says: �Go and fish a small stream tomorrow - you always come back in such a good mood!�

A small stream is in some ways a microcosm of a big river, but instead of just a few pools, you might have 50 or more miniature ones to negotiate in a couple of miles, each presenting you with new technical problems: where might a trout lie and how can I present a fly to it? Accurate casting at close range is at a premium. It�s generally not about fly selection and choosy fish, but about a stealthy approach to extremely wary fish, some of which may be a lot bigger than you think. The best news of all is that the Wye-Usk Foundation roving voucher scheme gives us access to around 50 of these small stream beats in some of the most glorious scenery of the Welsh border country - you just buy the vouchers in advance, find your way to a beat you fancy and post them in a box before fishing.