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More
about Fly Fishing...
Make a
promise to yourself: this year you’ll learn how to fish a nymph, the right
way.
Most fly anglers fish nymphs reluctantly and haphazardly; a last resort
after a variety of dry flies fail to bring up fish. The truth is that
nymph fishing is smart angling. Fish biologists have proven that trout in
rivers and lakes take at least 80 percent of the food they eat from under
the surface of the water. Take advantage, then, of the odds, and
learn how to efficiently and methodically explore with an appropriate
subsurface pattern the underwater and unseen holding areas of rivers and
streams for hungry trout.
Anglers who know how (and when) to fish nymphs tend to move quickly and
adroitly through good water, picking up fish almost magically. Their
techniques are personalized—some are even quirky–but the rhythmic and
persistent rock-and-roll approach to their subtle craft is enticing.
Midwestern fly fishers this year have new early-season opportunities to
fish their favorite trout streams and rivers long before the prolific
hatches of May and June. For the most part, when low water temperatures
retard aquatic insect activity on the water’s surface, trout eat nymphs,
and anglers who want to catch fish with frequency will sink their flies.
Lines and fly rods
Generally, both the fly lines and the fly rods you use for dry fly fishing
are suitable for nymph fishing. Choose, then, either a weight forward or
double taper fly line and feel at ease. After you have learned the basics
of nymphing, you might want to experiment with fly lines that have special
“nymph tapers” designed to compensate for the addition of weight to the
leader.
In most cases, floating fly lines are crucial to effective nymph fishing.
Being able to see the line clearly on the water’s surface allows the
angler to control its drift. The fisher also will learn to observe closely
the point at which the line sinks below the water’s surface to detect the
telltale signs of “taking” fish.
In our high-tech fishing world, there is a plethora of fly rods that are
suitable instruments of nymph fishing. Depending on the size of the flies
you expect to be fishing, pick a rod that is between eight and nine feet
long, from light (3 weight) to medium (7 weight) action. Most experienced
nymph anglers prefer a slightly longer fly rod, which, they argue,
provides better line control.
The leader system
Choosing an appropriate leader “system”—tapered monofilament leader, a
strike indicator and weight—is perhaps the most critical decision in
assembling the correct tackle for nymphing for trout. The correct leader
system will allow you to deliver the fly quickly to the subsurface areas
where trout are likely to be feeding. In most early season situations,
fish will be feeding both very near the bottom of streams and rivers and
near cover. They also will be facing upstream so that they can see food
brought to them by the current.
A leader that is nine feet long and tapered to 4X or 5X (approximately
four or five pounds test) is ideal for most nymphing on Midwest trout
rivers. The angler will want to carry a variety of sizes of split shot—BB
size and smaller. A soft, pliable lead also is available. A variety of
strike indicators are available commercially: sandwich-style press-on
indicators are most popular, but other styles, including strike putties,
do the job.
If you use a strike indicator as part of your leader system, you will be
able to detect of the strikes occurring under the surface of the water.
You also will be able to visually follow the progress of your fly’s drift
through the target area by watching the float of the indicator.
To rig your nymph system, attach a nine foot tapered leader to the fly
line with a nail knot. Press the strike indicator on the leader at a point
that equals twice the depth of the water you are about the fish; in other
words, if the water depth is three feet, press the strike indicator six
fee up from the end the of tippet of the leader. Tie the fly to the tip of
the leader with a clinch or improved clinch knot. Secure the split shot or
other weight to the leader approximately 12 to 18 inches from the fly.
If you wish to use a dropper (a second nymph) fly, tie about 16 to 24
inches of 5X tippet material to the bend of the hook of the fly you tied
directly to the leader, and tie the other nymph to the end with a clinch
knot.
Choosing the flies
Most nymph anglers use a variety of flies that are based on four of the
basic families of aquatic insects found in Midwestern rivers and
streams—mayflies, stoneflies, caddisflies and midges. Here are a few
common nymph patterns:
Mayflies—Hare’s Ear, Pheasant Tail, Zug Bug and Red Squirrel, all in hook
sizes 12 to 18.
Stoneflies—Kaufmann’s Black and Brown Stone, sizes 4-8; Tellico Nymph,
sizes 6-12; Anderson’s Brown Rubberlegs, sizes 6-10; small winter black
stonefly, sizes 14-18.
Caddisflies—Peeking Caddis, Green Rockworm, Deep Sparkle Pupa (Tan), and
Olive Soft Hackle, all in sizes 12 to 16.
Midges—An assortment of black, olive, cream, red and orange larvae, sizes
12-20.
Contemporary tiers are adding beads just behind the eye of the hooks of
many popular nymph patterns to cause the fly to sink quickly. These new
“bead head” flies are very effective, especially for the beginning nymph
fisher.
Above all, investigate the aquatic community of the stream or river you
fish. Before you make the first cast to likely holding areas, turn over
rocks and study aquatic vegetation to determine the dominant insect in
that stretch of river. Experiment with different patterns, as well—for
instance, a mayfly imitation with a caddisfly dropper—to increase your
chances of success.
Once you are confident that you’ve got the correct leader system, fly rod
and line, and understand what’s involved in fly selection, learn and
practice the various techniques of presentation. The path to skilled nymph
fishing is paved with good intentions: getting the fly to the fish where
it is eating is the goal.
The upstream drift
The upstream drift is accomplished by casting upstream of likely trout
holding lies (either directly upstream or slightly to the left or right)
and watching the strike indicator intently as it drifts downstream towards
you. Strip in line and if the indicator hesitates or stops, lift the tip
of your rod to set the hook. The angler can “soften” the drift of the fly
by creating S-curves in the line: wiggle the rod tip slightly just at the
end of the forward cast.
Across-stream drift
The across-stream drift allows the nymphing angler to deliver the fly to
fish at or near the opposite bank of a river. The tactic may involve
wading, or the across-stream drift can be made from the bank.
Cast across stream and several feet upstream of where you suspect there
are fish, mend the line upstream to reduce the chances of drag. Drag
occurs when the fly line is pulled downstream by the current, “dragging”
the fly behind it at a speed that appears unnatural to feeding fish.
Mending—flipping the line upstream of the strike indicator/fly during the
float—should ensure that the fly drifts downstream at approximately the
same speed as the current. It may be necessary to mend the line several
times during a long drift.
Down-and-across/downstream drifts
This section really involves two nymphing techniques: the down-and-across
swing and the down-and-across downstream drift.
One of the simplest nymphing techniques is to cast the fly across stream
and let the current carry it downstream until the fly line and leader are
extended and the fly swings toward the near bank. The idea here is that
the fly could be intercepted by trout on the unmolested downstream drift
or as the fly swings in the current—appearing remarkably like an aquatic
insect that is swimming towards the surface of the water to emerge.
When the angler needs to deliver the nymph directly downstream to nymphing
trout, the task is trickier. Downstream, dead-drift nymphing is one of the
most productive nymphing techniques because the fish will almost always
see the fly first.
When casting to deliver a nymph directly downstream, you will need to
concentrate on your target area. Cast your fly downstream but several feet
upstream of the target area and mend your fly line upstream. Lower your
rod tip and wiggle it back and forth and let out line. The slack line you
release will allow your fly to drift downstream without interruption (once
the slack line is used up, the fly starts to swing away from the target
area).
Another technique is to cast downstream to the target area and lift the
tip of your fly rod to “draw” the line, leader and fly back upstream.
Align the fly with the target area, then drop your rod tip and let the fly
drift downstream and over the target. Whichever technique you use, watch
your strike indicator closely to be sure it is floating smoothly
downstream. Lift your rod tip when a strike occurs.
Learning the basic nymphing techniques discussed here is essential to
successful fly angling, but it is only a beginning. Practiced nymph
anglers do just that, they practice, and you’ll need to also, to the point
that all of what you’ve learned becomes second nature. Once it does,
you’ll be able to cast and prospect holding lies efficiently and catch
trout often—and that’s the name of the game. |
