Polish Nymphing

JMP

JMP

Active member
Joined
Jul 23, 2011
Messages
141
I fished a section of the Little J Sunday using the Polish nymphing technique. I caught fish in sections I would normally pass using regular nymphing techniques. I just began using this method. I caught all but one on the point fly, most almost immediately after the fly hit the water. Only caught one on the dropper fly. I am convinced this technique works, and will continue to experiment. Anyone else have success with this method?
 
Just curious so I'm going to pester you with a few questions...
What is this water you would normally skip, look like?
What would you define as "regular nymphing techniques"?

If I remember correctly, Polish nymphing is a (very) short leader style of fishing. What do you do when you need to fish farther away from yourself?
Again, not picking on you just am curious as to your answers. Thanks.
 
gaeronf wrote:
Just curious so I'm going to pester you with a few questions...
What is this water you would normally skip, look like?
What would you define as "regular nymphing techniques"?

Excellent questions!

If I remember correctly, Polish nymphing is a (very) short leader style of fishing. What do you do when you need to fish farther away from yourself?

"Polish" cannot be differentiated from "Czech" so, no it does not utilize a very short leader. The Polish taught the Czechs to tight line and it has become a new fad.

Again, not picking on you just am curious as to your answers. Thanks.

Seemed sincere to me.

Seems odd to me. So guys from the US went to teh Europes to compete and got taught to tight line high stick which is something that has been done here in PA for many, many years.
 
jdaddy wrote:
Seems odd to me. So guys from the US went to teh Europes to compete and got taught to tight line high stick which is something that has been done here in PA for many, many years.

The Euros were doing it a hell of a lot better than we did it. IMO, czech style nymphing is a useful technique to learn. The amount of fish that you can catch in water that you may consider too shallow or swift is suprising. Indicator rigs, or heavier tight line methods just don't work that well in this sort of water but refinements of the Eurpoean techniques allow you to effectively fish these areas.
 
Where did you learn to do it? I stink to high heaven at nymphing so anything i can pick up which would improve my skills is always a good thing. Got any helpful videos or anything?
 
polish nymphs tend to have slimmer bodies than czech nymphs - with the poles using woven threads/braids, but both have a lot of lead or tungsten.

both are about getting your nymph or nymphs HARD on the bottom in fast deep flows - runs, if you like.

its very similar to fishing a worm with a weight - you are feeling for the bump, bump, bump, lift....strike !

 
geebee wrote:

both are about getting your nymph or nymphs HARD on the bottom in fast deep flows - runs, if you like.

That's true of what most Americans do when high-stick or tight line nymphing, but the Czech/Polish methods place emphasis on "just enough" weight and are geared towards fairly shallow water. A thigh deep run would be a pretty deep run for Czech/Polish style nymphing. The basic concepts are the same but the refinements and application make a huge difference. I've seen guys on this board disregard the Czech method because they see only the high-stick/tight line similarities of it without realizing that the differences in the techniques open up a lot more water that can be effectively fished. The biggest hurdle for most people seems to be the need to constantly adjust weight/flies when Czech nymphing. Most anglers are just too lazy and want a one size fits all rig/technique. Something that doesn't exist.
 
as a fisherman of polish decent, I take offense to the name given the technique and would like to change the name to "eastern European subsurface fishing technique.
;-)
 
I've been doing a lot of Ukrainian nymphing. I drink a lot of clear liquors with bread whilst astream and hardly catch anything. It'll be the next big thing. You'll see.
 
I will attempt to answer your questions. This was my fourth attempt at this technique. I did not catch any on my first two trips to the river. The water was extremely low and clear and no clouds in the sky. I know I spooked the fish. I caught one on my third attempt the water was even lower and again no clouds in the sky. Maybe I was more patient wading that day. I fished a section of the Little J that I am very familiar with. From my previous history, I fished an area I normally find success. Areas that I never caught fish, I typically pass so I can fish the prime lies. This time since it had rained and it was cloudy, I decided to fish the entire stretch. I caught fish in water that was 12" deep. I typically nymph fish with a tuck cast and strike putty as my indicator with short casts. My set up would actually be hybrid of Polish and Check nymphing. Since I am Polish, I chose Polish Nymping as the topic title. I attached about 40 feet of 20lb mono to the end of my fly line. Tied in a fluorescent green and fluorescent red sighters 8" long each. I attached 5' of 5X fluorcarbon and 30" of 5X fluorcarbon tippett. The dropper was attached at the juncture. A #16 bead head pheasant tail was attached to the dropper and my version of a #16 green woven bead head caddis worm at the point fly. When fishing, only about a foot of the 20lb mono was outside of the rod tip. I waded into the stream and flipped the rig up stream. I guided the nymphs down stream with the sighters above the water surface at a 45 degree angle. The purpose of two different colored sighters is easier strike detection. When you cast, the point nymph is immediately on the bottom. You can feel this bouncing along the bottom better than with a tuck cast. I caught several fish with in seconds of the nymph hitting the surface. I also failed to hook several others. Believe me, you feel the take and you can distinguish the take versus a rock. Yes, you will most likely loose more flies this way. I attached the 40' of 20 lb mono in case I need to cast longer distances. I have not tried any long distance casting at this time. There are many sites that explain this method. I will locate the sites I found most beneficial and post them.
Thank you
Joe
 
Here is a good source
http://www.bluequillangler.com/BQA-University/Constructing-a-Czech-Nymphing-Leader_2
 
Oh, I am familiar with the "European" methods of fishing (If you even want to discriminate names based on leader length). If your leader is over 40' it is not Polish. Fun fact, the Czechs got it from the Polish (I believe) and those are short leader styles of nymphing. Spanish and french style nymphing utilize a long leader (I would consider over forty feet pretty long). These methods you mention I do find to be effective in certain situations. However I believe that it is essential you can balance high-stick nymphing (more on that term later), indicator nymphing, and other types of fishing, properly.
The thing is, is I typically have my rod high in the air, so I call it high-stick nymphing. Helps to avoid the confusion (and tax on "Euro" products).
 
good job JMP.

one thing that I have been trying this fall and will continue to do next spring is catch fish in places that I have walked by in the past.

your post has given me more motivation to do just that, knowing that I will have to try to change up technique and delivery of those little nymphs, what ever the style is called as long as you can catch them that is all that matters.

you hit the nail on the head, get them flies on the bottom. I actually caught trout nymphing with dry flies. although I can't parallel park a train yet.
 
gaeronf wrote:
Oh, I am familiar with the "European" methods of fishing (If you even want to discriminate names based on leader length). If your leader is over 40' it is not Polish. Fun fact, the Czechs got it from the Polish (I believe) and those are short leader styles of nymphing. Spanish and french style nymphing utilize a long leader (I would consider over forty feet pretty long). These methods you mention I do find to be effective in certain situations. However I believe that it is essential you can balance high-stick nymphing (more on that term later), indicator nymphing, and other types of fishing, properly.
The thing is, is I typically have my rod high in the air, so I call it high-stick nymphing. Helps to avoid the confusion (and tax on "Euro" products).

gaeron has it, not surprising since he is/was a comp angler.

Here is a great primer for rigs, flies and methods of Euro fishing:

http://www.bluequillangler.com/site/european_nymphing_techniques/european_nymphing_techniques.html

Also, I agree with gaeron that, to be a complete angler, one should become proficient in all techniques. By far, the best book I have ever seen is "Dynamic Nymphing" by George Daniels. He discusses in detail nearly all methods of nymphing.

http://www.paflyfish.com/smartsection.item.263/book-review-dynamic-nymphing-by-george-daniel.html
 
gaeronf wrote:
Fun fact, the Czechs got it from the Polish (I believe)

O this is a fun fact alright. My Polish friends don't let me Czech buddy hear the end of it.
 
I adopted Czech style nymphing this year and I absolutely love it. All the Euro styles are fairly complex rigs and I find I prefer the the short leader, high stick technique to get the flies properly through the strike zone. I really have enjoyed it and had great success with it. Additionally, I feel it provides an easier way to search dirty or blown out water in a methodical pattern and absolutely catch fish you otherwise would have passed/missed.

It was particularly succesful in Yellowstone this year fishing blown out Slough Creek and the Lamar. No one was on the water except for my buddy and myself and we caught the big boys in muddy water using the Czech technique exclusively. Im convinced it allowed us to have a great day alone on usually crowded water and catch fish much bigger than if we were pitching dries...
 
I just want to make a quick point for the new guys reading this stuff. If you are bouncing and getting snagged on the bottom you have too much weight. You want your flies about 4-6inches off the stream bed. So if you feel constant ticking from the bottom, angle your rod tip up a little higher or lift your arm a little higher untill it is a smooth drift. Put those nymphs right in their line of sight.
 
PennKev wrote:
geebee wrote:

both are about getting your nymph or nymphs HARD on the bottom in fast deep flows - runs, if you like.

A thigh deep run would be a pretty deep run for Czech/Polish style nymphing.

thats interesting, when i've seen it done they were mostly thigh deep to almost top of their waders - like this :

51erIX68nnL._SS500_.jpg
image003.jpg


P9210070.jpg


SNB24152.JPG


thats when i thought it most effective - in fast deep water where you can be 3-4 feet away from the fish and you get HARD on the bottom.

thats definitely how they were fishing during the European Junior FF CHampionships because i watched it on TV over there.

otherwise - in shallower water you can just high stick a short line.

in the deep water, you lob upstream & drop the rod tip, raise it as it approaches you, then lower it as it passes you.









 
A “polish nymphing” is a term were not everyone may quite agree …well unless…I'm nymphing there

Polish woven nymph – may be correct but only when I tie them by myself

do you see on the "Wisla River" picture anybody “nymphing”... ?

PS: stay tune for my video on 100% polish woven nymph



“polish nymphing”
???

 

Attachments

  • Wisla River.jpg
    Wisla River.jpg
    83.5 KB · Views: 2
geebee wrote:

thats when i thought it most effective - in fast deep water where you can be 3-4 feet away from the fish and you get HARD on the bottom.

thats definitely how they were fishing during the European Junior FF CHampionships because i watched it on TV over there.

otherwise - in shallower water you can just high stick a short line.

in the deep water, you lob upstream & drop the rod tip, raise it as it approaches you, then lower it as it passes you.

Those would be extreme situations IMO and not typical of most of the water fished with the Czech/Polish methods. The water in those pictures would be what most traditional American tight-line nymph fisherman would seek out. Not saying you can't fish deep that way, just saying that the refinements of Czech nymphing are best suited to shallower, swifter water.

Also, one thing to keep in mind about competitions is that bobber style suspension indicators are banned so they are pretty much forced to fish a tight line in most situations. Just as strike indicators are not the best method for all situations, neither is Czech nymphing, but if you have to play by a set of rules...
 
Back
Top