A big part of fishing creeks is stealth. I guess it why I like fly fishing, and also still hunting. Being sneaky is a challenge I enjoy.

One thing to keep in mind. Trout face upstream into the current. That could change in an eddy, but the majority of the time they face upstream. So, you have to fish upstream. That way the fish has their backs to you. You cast past them, and let the fly drift naturally into them.

I suppose this would work for a worm too. I never fish with bait, so I don't know. If you use bait you should keep the fish. Most of the time they swallow the hook. That will kill them no matter how careful you try to remove it.

I wasn't really talking about brookies being hard to catch. Especially, in a small creek. I was talking about the big mature browns and rainbows in tailwaters. Like in those in the link I posted. They get a lot of pressure, and become very smart. They learn the difference between a natural fly and a fake one. The fake fly has to look natural in how it moves in the water. Which is hard when it's attached to your leader.

I love the challenge of fly fishing. First you need to know where the fish are holding. Then you have to figure out what flies they're feeding on. Then you need to present that fly to them so it looks natural.