How do I catch brook trout from a really small stream

[Chaz]

Always make sure of where your shadow is before approaching any lie. I like to go for the big guys first, the king of the pool. But I always look at the tail out for runts that might spook the rest of the pool before I can get to the king.
I never put the fish back in the pool or run I catch the fish in, I let them go at my feet or behind me. They will work their way back up, but they will often catch their breath first. I've seldom had a trout come right out of the drop at a fall, but they will rise soon after the fly goes past the foam.
For pools with overhanging branch or a root wad at the head I go for that after checking the tail. Of course conditions dictate how I approach the entire stream.
Preferably I want the sun over my right shoulder, it makes the trout have difficulty seeing me because of glare, but I've got to keep the shadow off the water.
I'm usually using a long leader and tippet, 10 to 12 ft.

 

[BREECHESANGLER]

You could get a really short rod that is basically made for tight streams or you could do what I did when I was younger before I got a tiny rod. Take your shortest rod you have up in the area you want to fish and take it apart halfway. Now just cast with the line in the guides. When you hook into a fish, brookies are so small you can just pull in line to get them to you. It may sound funny, but it worked for me when I didn't have a tiny rod.