What Exactly Is Nymphing?

[rainbowtrouttracker]

I have read Flyrodman's "Nymphing for Rainbows" and I am curious as to what exactly is it. Is it basically when you have more than one fly in the tippet spaced out to increase your chances of catching or am I mislead? Thanks

[flytyer57]

I have read Flyrodman's "Nymphing for Rainbows" and I am curious as to what exactly is it. Is it basically when you have more than one fly in the tippet spaced out to increase your chances of catching or am I mislead? Thanks

Nymphing is just fishing with a nymph.

A nymph is the larval or pupal stage of an aquatic insect.

[duckydoty]

Nymphing is fishing any type of fly that represent the nymph stage of and insect while it is in the water. Stone fly nymphs, dragon fly nymphs, helgramites, even sow bugs and scuds could be included in this. Sub surface fishing, usually on or near the bottom. People will run more than one fly to get a better idea of what the fish want or to get down deeper, faster, without using weight. Sometimes people will run a dropper that is a nymph off a dry fly. They use the dry fly as an indicator. You've read about people having the fish try and take thier indicator....with this method, you can catch the fish that wants to take the indicator.

[rainbowtrouttracker]

Thank you Flytyer57 I don't know why I wasn't thinking like that. What is the process in order to nymph?

[flytyer57]

Try these links for nymphing techniques.

Nymph Fishing Techniques

Orvis Nymphs

Fly Fishing with Nymphs

There is a lot more info out there if you search "nymph fly fishing techniques" at Google.

[rainbowtrouttracker]

Try these links for nymphing techniques.

Nymph Fishing Techniques

Orvis Nymphs

Fly Fishing with Nymphs

There is a lot more info out there if you search "nymph fly fishing techniques" at Google.

Thanks i really appreciate this

[ozark trout fisher]

I would suggest reading through all those links that Flytyer posted. They'll be more helpful than anything that I can tell you. But I'll give you a little of my own advice anyway, hoping that it might be helpful to you in some small way.

A good really basic nymphing rig is to use something like a #16 Beadhead Hare's Ear Nymph on a 10' leader with a 6x tippet,no strike indicator, and no split shot or other added weight. I am going to recommend that you start off with down and across nymphing. This is the first technique of fly fishing for trout that I learned, and while this is not the most effective technique, it will work and get you into some trout to give you some confidence before you go on to more complex nymphing techniques.

Pick a riffle or run that is about 1.5-3 feet deep, and flowing and a medium to fast speed. Cast directly across the stream-not upstream or down. Let the fly drift downstream until it is directly below. Always keep the line tight by stripping it in at the same pace as it drifts downstream, and you will feel all but the lightest strikes. When the fly has swung around and drifted pretty much directly downstream of you, strip it in a few inches, and let it drift back. Do this a couple times and then strip it all the way in and cast again. This technique does not allow for a truly natural drift, but it does kind imitate the process of an emerging nymph, and whether if its for that reason or not, it will often work.

Indicator nymphing is a little more complex (although it is not overly difficult to learn) requiring mending (mending means the process of lifting the fly line and moving it up or downstream to help get a dead drift) and quite a bit of attention to detail. On the contrary, this down and across with no indicator method is extremely straight-forward. You will feel all but the lightest of strikes (and in most other methods of nymphing, detecting the strike is half the battle)and mending skills aren't completely necessary, although they are helpful.

Good luck! Nymphing will open up a lot of doors for you as a trout fisherman. And just remember that the only way to really learn anything about fly fishing is to get out there and do it-articles, advice, and tips can only go so far.

[rainbowtrouttracker]

Thanks a lot OTF