Posted: Thu 04/08/10 10:04 pm Post subject: Czech Nymphing: Rigging, Tippet Size, Line Etc?
I would like to start czech nymphing because it looks like it would be very effective for the waters I fish but I just wanted to know what you use for a mainline and what size tippet you use for the droppers off the mainline?
Thanks
Posted: Fri 04/23/10 4:37 am Post subject: czech nymphing
TroutPredator.com has a pretty cool message board on european nymphing, it's moderated by Aaron Jasper who is very knowledgeable on the subject. They also have some you tube videos on tying flies, rigging, and on the water techniques. I personally use about 6ft. of 20lb down to a triple surgeons knot with 4x and tie my first dropper on the 4x tag end, and then about 20 to 30 inches of 4x to the heavier of my two flies - over all the leader is 8-9ft long... it's not pretty, but it's simple and you can rig quickly standing in some heavy current. I put the heavier of the two flies at the end of my terminal tackle, that helps the leader stay straighter and keep me in contact with that fly, some guys do the opposite so that they can have two flies at the same depth, but then your leader has a bend and strike detection is a little tougher. We have large freestone rivers up here (northern vt) with pretty high gradients and large boulders and lots of plunge pools so shorter leaders with heavy weighted flies work much better...but there are plenty of times when a longer leader (up to 18 ft) will work esp. in deep fast runs...these aren't much fun to fish but are deadly effective.
Posted: Fri 04/23/10 4:47 am Post subject: czech nymphing
Hey, I also just wanted to mention that you should check your state regs before european nymphing...especially Spanish or French nymphing...many states do not consider it "fly fishing" if your leaders are beyond a certain length (usually 16-18ft) and/or if you fish with multiple flies. This is especially true on "fly fishing only" waters. Just thought I should mention that. Good Luck!
Can I ask you why you don't think that Czech nymphing is fly fishing? What about high-sticking or the Brooks Method? Do you consider strike indicator (bobber) nymphing to be legit? What about the use of split shot? Do you reject nymphing as a whole? I ask, not to make you angry, but I often find myself running afoul of people who say that I am not really fly-fishing - shooting heads and sinking lines are not fly fishing, clouser minnows are not fly fishing, pursuing anything other than trout with a dry fly isn't really fly fishing. To me Polish/Czech (and more so the Spanish/French) nymphing contains every element of our sport that is important to me: a careful stalk of wary fish, precise imitation of natural foods, careful placement of cast, and total concentration on each drift. That the fly line isn't cast means only that we are even more in the fish's element and the closeness of presentation is to me akin to turkey hunting where the sport is in getting very close to your target. Curious to hear what you think.
certainly. I don't want to offend anyone, or make anyone angry. But in my opinion, it just doesn't feel like fly fishing to me. I understand you are in the fishes element, but you aren't casting the fly line, with a fly, to the prey. I believe the entire aspect of having the line pull the fly through the air, is part of the entire soul of it. Finding that rhythm, feeling the load of the rod, making amazing casts in tough to fish currents. Heck even if you are only roll casting, it's still something to me.
Is indicator and nymphing fly fishing? Sure, as long as you are actually making a cast and reaching for the fish. using the fly line, the fly rod, the leaders, the imitation to actually cast towards a fish.
I trully feel, again I don't know why, I can't put my finger exactly on it, but czech nymphing reminds me too much of when I was young tying some mono to the end of a stick and dangling it through the brush to get at sunfish. I know czech nymphing is not that, but to me it is too close to it.
now surely you can think of hundreds of reasons why, and ask for an exact definition of what fly fishing is, etc. etc. I don't have that answer, and to each their own. To you czech nymphing is fly fishing... to me it's not. It's a very opinionated thing.
As long as we are out there, respecting nature, enjoying ourselves, and enjoying our arts is really all that matters. again I didn't want to ruffle anyone's feathers. but czech nymphing doesn't amount to fly fishing for me. It is a technique, and a style all in it's own.
anyway i apologize for the post high jack was not my intention. in fact i had zero intentions or thoughts while posting.
No apology necessary...I was just curious. I sometimes hear different opinions as to what is/isn't fly fishing and I get curious. My grandfather used to have a steel fly rod with what amounted to an antique baitcasting reel with braided cotton line and fished worms with that rig while also owning a spit cane fly rod/pfluger medalist and dry trout flies...but it was all fly-fishing to him. Every so often a new fly comes out that wiggles or jig like a lure, new fly lines and rods are developed so that casting a single-hand rod 90+ feet routinely isn't a problem, and reels that fight the fish instead of the angler knowing by feel exactly how much pressure to apply are now commonplace...I wonder if he would recognize any of this as 'fly-fishing.' I would suggest that we re-post this thread as a new subject...but I'm scarred the board would crash with everyone putting in their two cents!
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