Fly Fishing

Chasel

Hey
I have been fishing for about a year now and I am just getting into nymphing. I am having a little trouble getting my nymphs to drift naturally and i was wondering if you could give me some tips on the different ways to get a good drift, such as casting techniques.
Thanks.

Matt1515 · Location: Greensboro, NC

I had trouble at first as well. There are lots of factors that go into good nymphing but I'll share a couple that really changed the game for me. The first is to master high sticking. Casting nymphs over a long distance never really gave me many results. If you can be stealthy, this is my favorite way to nymph. Follow that leader with the rod tip and flip it back at the end of the drift. What changed the effectiveness of high sticking for me was the length of leader and tippet. I was using a 7.5 ft leader and 14-20" of tippet on a short rod. Now I use a 9 ft rod, a 12 foot leader, and 12- 15" of tippet. I rarely get out more than a foot- a foot and a half of fly line. By not having the fly line on the water, it eliminates drag that might be affecting your drift. I know these things are simple, but once I adjusted from my old tacticts and gear, my effectiveness went up.

Tyler · Location: Manchester, VT

Are you nymphing on a small stream or a larger river? Long line nymphing with an indicator can be a great way to cover water, especially if you fish two different nymphs. In small streams the high-stick method works well. Casting two nymphs and an indicator can be a pain, but as long as you keep casting to a minimum and open up you loops it isn't too bad. I will try and explain how I would make the presentation:

You will want to cast the rig upstream and slightly across. Your first cast shouldn't be too far out into the run, remember you are covering water so your subsequent drifts will slowly work out to the middle of the run and toward the far bank (depending on conditions and skill). As the indicator comes toward you strip in fly line. You may have to make mends depending on current speeds. As the indicator begins to drift by you can raise your rod tip and then try to lay a small loop on the water downstream of the indicator. This loop helps keep tension on your indicator / leader and helps in detecting strikes. As the indicator drifts down feed line into the current to extend your drift. At the end of your drift take up your slack and let the fly / indicator swing. Once it has sat in the current a few seconds give a couple quick strips to a comfortable length of line to cast. From here the easiest cast is to water haul the rig upstream.

Your indicator is generally located up you leader 1.5 to 2.5 times the water depth. This is dependent on several factors (water velocity, weight of flies, location of fish in the water column...) so don't be afraid to experiment. [Note: this will not be an absolute dead drift, as surface current will be faster than the current your nymphs will be drifting in. None-the-less, it is damn effective.]

This was just a quick overview, and I hope it is not too confusing. It is easier to explain and learn on the water when you can see how line management effects your drift.

MassTeach · Posted: Mon 03/31/08 7:59 am Post subject:

Hi guys,
Just a few questions on some of the points already made.
First, what knot are you guys using to go from your tapered leader to tippet? I've tried the double surgeons knot but couldn't get a very strong connection because of the leader taper...am I doing something wrong?

Second, what strike indicators are you guys using? I've been just starting my system off with a dry fly and then rigging nymphs as my dropper, but wondering if going to an indicator would be more effective.
Thanks,
Zach

AvidDavid · Location: Long Island, NY

Massteach:

Having followed these threads for several years (including the threads on the affiliated sites) I learned that the problems that you may be having with the double surgeon's knot are often solved by using the triple surgeon's knot (instead of going through the loop twice, you go through a third time). There still may be an issue with too much discrepancy in size between the leader and the tippet.

As far as indicators, there is a big difference between individuals in what they prefer for indicators. Some like the styrofoam indicators that float forever, others like yarn so that it seems less artificial, still others prefer the dry fly. F&FWest has a fair amount of space devoted (including a video) to the use of the "balloondicator" a small balloon that can be tailored to what ever size you want... and the cost is quite affordable. I prefer the styrofoam twist-on indicators that come in several sizes and are easily moved so that you can reposition them when you fish water of different depths. I am often a amazed at the way some brookies attack my fluorescent indicators.

There are several threads on the various sites (F&F, F&FEast, F&FWest) and you can use the search facility to find them. Have a blast nymphing!

AD

Tyler · Location: Manchester, VT

Triple surgeons is definitely the best, and don't be afraid to go for four with light tippets.

I like Frog Hair football indicators. They don't sink and cast reasonably well. I also like to fish the dry w/dropper. I will be experimenting this spring with throwing two indicators, one large yarn and one small foam. One will act as a tool for mending while the other is for strikes. Will let you know how that works.

NeverNervousDave · Location: Kenosha, WI

I've been nymphing steadily for about 7 years and most of my fishing does focus on small streams. I can speak to that.
I use the high sticking technique but with a slight modification. I carry a couple of reels with me for a quick change out. I have one reel loaded with 4lb. test (gold in color makes it easier for me to see) monofilament which acts like one gigantic leader with about 12-24" of tippet at the end. The other setup is more traditional with a long leader and tippet material.
The mono rig gives me increased sensitivity with quicker hookups. I've bagged many 2-4lb bruisers this way. And I'm very stealthy in my approach, crawling if I have to. The big negative is that this rig is nearly impossible to cast on windy days--but that's why I have my other rig with the traditional setup. Versatility is the name of the game when nymphing.
My effective reach is about 16-20 feet of cast using the flow of the stream to provide resistance at the end of the drift. Purists may scoff but this rig really does work--I was skeptical myself. Good luck on the water.

bfc06 · Location: Portland, Maine

chasel,

in my opinion, the most important factor in getting a natural, drag-free drift is line managment. what i mean by line managment is mending - changing the placement of your fly line/leader on the water, while keeping your flies floating at the same exact speed of the brook, river, whatever. mending allows your flies to maintain a drag-free drift over very long distances.

a very common mend is an upstream one, where you flip your fly-line upstream, above your flies, creating a upside down "U" with your line on the water. check out this article: http://www.stripermoon.com/articles/article16.html

mr. abrames puts "mending" into words much better than i. and although he is describing mending in regards to fishing for stripers with striper flies, the theory holds for trout, or any fishing as well. that article above has priceless information.

hope that helps,
jesse