Going down the rabbit hole...and loving it!

[wgmiller]

I used to chuckle at "comp" guys and the "Euro nymphing" rage that swept the fly fishing industry. Then I started trying it and found myself enjoying it way more than I thought I would. I don't have all the gadgets, gizmos, and goodies that would make me a full convert (yet), but I'm getting there.

For years when I would go out fishing, I'd sling up a wooly bugger, move some fish, land some fish, and consider a couple fish outing a good day, or worse yet, a skunking. Nymphing was just something I did underneath a strike indicator (bobber?) and really wasn't highly interactive. Oh, and I'd dry fly fish or toss terrestrials when conditions presented themselves.

Somewhere along the way I tried "high stick/tightline" nymphing and started to notice more success. I was getting more bumps, strikes, missed fish, and landed fish. Suddenly my outings became more productive and I saw my catch rate go up. Then I crafted some "Euro" leaders and started using heavily weighted flies and things got really interesting. Now I find myself tying weighted jig hook nymphs with plans of tying "Euro" styles soon (Perdigons, etc.).

So I ask you, have you converted from your old ways to this style of fishing? If so, has it transformed your time on the water and success rate? For me it was an internal struggle of sorts, because I don't want to become focused on "numbers, numbers, numbers", but it's really hard to beat the success that comes with this highly interactive style of fishing. I still keep streamer, dry fly, and other styles of fishing in my quiver as different situations call for different techniques. but would say a majority of my fishing is now done using "contact nymphing" techniques.

 

[lycoflyfisher]

I have found that dropshot nymphing allows you to use a wider range of flies as your not dependent on the weight of the nymph for the appropriate fishing depth. Also you almost never lose a nymph as you just pull a split shot off the tag. I do think that I will likely purchase a longer rod specifically for nymphing as next rod.

I too was apprehensive about "euro" nymphing, but I think it had more to do with the "trout bro" culture than the technique itself. Contact nymphing in its various forms is an effective way to fish regardless.

 

[Canoetripper]

I took a course on this type of fishing with TCO in State College and learned a lot. Prior to that my only other experience with nymph fishing was indicator nymphing twice with guides in Colorado.

I do a little bit of everything like you which is why I have four fly rods rigged and ready in a four fly rod carrier on my Jeep Liberty. I have all of my father's and grandfather's fly rods and can't possibly fish with them all every time I fish.

My focus right now is to just be a better fly caster so my primary fly rods are rigged with two bead head wooly buggers and two soft hackle wet flies.

If there is surface activity, I will try my best.

I do like catching trout(who doesn't). I will give it a go with my euro nymph rod before moving on to the next location.

Right now I have a Brood X Cicada with a nymph dropper just in case I am in the right place at the right time in the western Poconos, which is where I will be next weekend.

 

[hooker-of-men]

If conditions force me to nymph, I balance my shame by deducting two fish from my daily fishing score for every fish caught on a nymph. If a leader over 15 feet is used, that's probably a deduction of 4 fish per fish caught.

Best to be careful, or you'll end up in negative numbers.

 

[jifigz]

I have tightlined/high sticked a lot but I've never "euro nymphed" I will drift nymphs on a tightline with a bit of fly line sticking out. No sighter material and it's all feel. My typical nymphing is done with short, controlled casts with a lot of weight underneath a yarn indicator. I fish this close and controlled and still catch a lot of fish.

I don't want to euronymph..I don't want a 20 foot leader that sticks me to nymphing. I want versatility.

I fish with another forum member here a lot and he euronymphs..some days he catches more than me, some days I catch more than him, but I am able to adapt techniques easier than he can, and fish more types of water.

 

[HeavyWater]

In college in the nineties I took the fly fishing class. After that I just wanted to fish nymphs like Joe Humphreys. Somewhere around 2008 or 2009 I started reading about Czech nymphing and watching videos and taking classes. And then that’s all I did for years. All day. And in the evening if a hatch happened I would throw dries. Def good numbers and a lot of fun. And at times the large fish are in that heavy water with the feed bag on.
I recently had a couple years of very little fishing. Been back now. And more enjoying looking for risers and throwing dry flies. I still hit the heavy water with a “mono” rig and sighter. I think I’m getting too old to wade real heavy water. Or lazy. It’s a lot of fun though.
Cool thing is with fly fishing: there’s a lot of ways to do it. Something for everyone. Some would not even consider some of the “euro nymphing” “ fly fishing”. I don’t care how others do it.
I also want to note that there’s some theories out there that the very beginning of Czech/euro nymphing was started by Joe Humphreys. He fished competitions in Europe. He also worked with Cortland to develop a “mono” leader that I think never came to market. But I think he fished those competitions and won and they copied his approach.

 

[Tigereye]

I fell for the euro bug about 5 years ago and wasn't very successful at first. Booked a guided trip to learn a the style and found success but was still not consistent. Then over the years I realized that certain waters ie Lehigh did not lend itself well to the technique. The shortened distances you can fish effectively, really moderated the success. Indy nymphing allowed me to fish more water more often and hence my success rate was reflected in the number of fish caught..

Now for the smaller waters,, euro is tuff to beat for numbers of fish caught. I know I caught fish in conditions that would have skunked me had I used the indicator. For the smaller waters I fish, euro is undoubtedly the way to go.

I have since morphed a system where I use a drop shot mono rig, a hybrid of Kelly Galloup x Dominic Swentosky, adding an indicator on larger waters. Because I don't competition fish, by adding a sinker or 2 to a dropper, I can dial in on depth pretty easily without carrying a myriad of differently weighted flies of the same size and style. I can fish an 18 PT in five feet of deep fast run 20 ft away easily by adding weight to the rig. I can fish the 2 foot tail out of the same run by simply removing some weight.

 

[DGC]

I can't prove it, but I suspect the euro nymph trend has garnered quite a few anglers that otherwise would have made just a passing attempt at fly fishing, simply on the basis of how successful an angler can be in short order. The rod tapers are a new development. Yes, 10 ft 4 wt rods were around 20 years ago. I built one in 2001. But it is nothing like these new tapers. These euro tactics have built on Humphreys and others, and their effectiveness simply can't be denied.

I fish 8.5 ft split cane almost exclusively, either dry fly or dry dropper. But there are certainly times when I know quite well that a 10 footer would let me do things that my shorter rod just can't.

As for the competition side of it, I don't see the appeal but to each his own.

 

[wgmiller]

DGC wrote:
These euro tactics have built on Humphreys and others, and their effectiveness simply can't be denied.

I can't agree more that a lot of what we're seeing today was built upon by the previous work of others. In some ways fly fishing mirrors life in that we're constantly evolving and learning new and better ways of doing things. The quest to "build a better mousetrap" is what drives mankind to explore new ideas and constantly improve.

Lots of valid points have been made in this thread thus far. I certainly agree with the notion that contact nymphing is better suited for certain types of waters than others. Small to medium creeks and rivers seems to be where it really excels. I can't even begin to imagine taking on a waterway like the Lehigh with it!

 

[ryansheehan]

Nymphing step 1, admit you're not good enough to catch fish on dries.....

 

[McSneek]

ryansheehan wrote:
Nymphing step 1, admit you're not good enough to catch fish on dries.....

Feeling the exact opposite Ryan. Dry fly fishing is far easier than nymphing for me.

As for spooling my reel with amnesia and adding 20’ of leader - to each his own but I have no interest in doing that.

 

[Lkyboots]

I get confused when anglers talk about fishing nymphs. I can tell you I've been fishing weighted nymphs without a strike indicator using a 9 foot pole and leader for over 50 years. I always just called it fishing. Never had anyone teach me how to fly fish but learned by trial and error.

 

[jifigz]

Lkyboots wrote:
I get confused when anglers talk about fishing nymphs. I can tell you I've been fishing weighted nymphs without a strike indicator using a 9 foot pole and leader for over 50 years. I always just called it fishing. Never had anyone teach me how to fly fish but learned by trial and error.

That's what good anglers do. You figure out how to fish to please yourself and how to catch fish. You don't need a strike indicator. You don't need a 20' leader with sighter material. But there is a time, place, and type of water where one style will probably outperform others.

 

[Swattie87]

jifigz wrote:
But there is a time, place, and type of water where one style will probably outperform others.

And around the next bend in the river is generally a different type of water where a different technique will work better. That’s what I’m learning more and more and trying to become more versatile with. Not being stubborn and fishing what I’m most comfortable with, but trying to become more comfortable with the things I’m not. This has lead to more deep, heavy nymphing and dry/dropper techniques the last few years, where historically I’d just fish a streamer, or a dry alone. It’s been working and I’ve been catching more fish in conditions and water types where I’d typically struggle with a streamer or just a dry.

The biggest difference I’ve seen between different fishing styles, is the type of hat you’re supposed to wear. I wear the same beat up UA baseball style cap with a curved bill regardless, and I’m sure that’s not helping any.

 

[ryansheehan]

McSneek wrote:

ryansheehan wrote:
Nymphing step 1, admit you're not good enough to catch fish on dries.....

Feeling the exact opposite Ryan. Dry fly fishing is far easier than nymphing for me.

As for spooling my reel with amnesia and adding 20’ of leader - to each his own but I have no interest in doing that.

Hank Patterson

 

[evw659]

This post got me to thinking... I have progressed in a pretty similar way as the OP. When i started 10 years ago, i mostly used light nymphs with split shot on a short (8-9') tapered leader with no sighter. Did that for years, then had a brief stint with indicator nymphing. Maybe 5 years ago, i read about adding a sighter and using tungsten beaded nymphs: easier to guage depth of nymphs on each cast and detect strikes, and your flies get down quicker. Made sense to me, so i tried it and started catching more fish. I was still using the same basic 9' leader.
In the spring of 2020, i was not having as much success; i attributed a lot of that to the insane fishing pressure on my home river during the pandemic. So i started reading more about euro nymphing, and came across a presentation by Lance Egan on Youtube, which was an eye-opener for me. I tied the leader he recommends (ends up being about 16-20'), and a year later im still using it exclusively for nymphing, and catching fish more consistently. Ive even lengthened/lightened it a bit. I just get better drifts, as the weight of the fly line isnt pulling the nymphs towards me.
I still prefer fishing dries over difficult, pressured fish tho. Its just more rewarding to me, and i catch my biggest trout that way.
Its been a fun ride so far, and you never stop learning!

 

[larkmark]

There is no wrong hat but some are darn funny looking.

 

[JeffK]

I have done euronymphing on and off for 20 years now and find with the more refined techniques (lighter leaders, drop shotting etc) I get more feel with the nymphs and it is more fun. Whenever I high stick with my normal rods it just feels clumsy and I don't get much enjoyment. Learning from guys who are good at euronymphing has helped me enjoy it more. It's not just the success rate, it is also getting more control and feel for the fishing.

Still love dries though, especially when a long accurate cast is called for. In many ways dry fly fishing is easier - mostly because you know where the feeding fish are and you are working in 2 dimensions. When nymphing I need to imagine where the fish are and try to hit the feeding lanes. When I do that I catch plenty of fish and it has the challenge of fly fishing - having a target and presenting the fly to it. When I tire and just chuck-and-chance it success and fun go way downhill. I rarely lose focus when I see rising fish. Something about rising fish gets the adrenaline going in a way nymphing doesn't.

Yesterday fished the Brodhead with a buddy who is a good nympher. He brought two rods, a 10' 6" nymph rod and a dry fly rod. I felt like doing the dry thing and only brought one for dries. In the afternoon the dry action was a pick for smaller fish while my buddy was slaying them with nymphs, including some real pigs. Had to try nymphs, but without the better equipment it felt awkward and I only managed two hookups. Then dusk came and I was doing well and my buddy was just doing OK, even though he switched to dries. Plenty of fish close and far away. I just love pushing the distance I can catch fish on dries. In the end we both caught plenty of fish and had a great day out.

 

[troutbert]

Lkyboots wrote:
I get confused when anglers talk about fishing nymphs. I can tell you I've been fishing weighted nymphs without a strike indicator using a 9 foot pole and leader for over 50 years. I always just called it fishing.

I've also fished nymphs without a strike indicator for over 50 years.

It would probably not be called "euro" nymphing, because I'm not using a specialized rod, line, and leader. And I don't always use a short, tight line. Often I have more line out, and use reach casts and mends, which are slack line techniques, not tight line techniques.

So, if you fish nymphs without an indicator, and you're not "euro" nymphing, what is the name for that?

You might call it "old school nymphing." Which is how people fished nymphs from the time it was invented up to about the mid-1970s, which is when indicator nymphing became popular.

Skues, Leisinring, Joe Brooks, Schwiebert didn't use indicators, but weren't really "euro" nymphing either.

In the pre-indicator days, people just called it nymph fishing.

 

[Swattie87]

What kind of hat are you wearing? Much easier to tell that way IMO.