Nymphing

[Nick Williams]

Hey I'm tryin to expand my understanding of techniques and I'm wanting to see how everyone, if you do, fishes with nymphs, i.e., favorite nymphs, favorite rig to use, ect. Any advice is awesome as well!

[Wayne SW/MO]

If you are talking about fishing on flows a natural drift is the most productive way to fish. You can use an indicator and that will work, but you'll catch more fish with a free drift and using line attitude as an indicator.

[Nick Williams]

If you are talking about fishing on flows a natural drift is the most productive way to fish. You can use an indicator and that will work, but you'll catch more fish with a free drift and using line attitude as an indicator.

Yeah, that is definitely what I'm talking about. I've never considered not using an indicator. That is one of the parts I always have trouble with though, it either comes off or I feel like it is too big/bulky to feel anything and that it is changing the way my line drifts in the current.

[Ham]

I love fishing WITH an indicator, but the indicators themselves almost always get on my nerves one way or the other. I do try to use the smallest indicator I can that will stay visible while what ever fly(s) and hanging below it. Lately, I'm pretty loyal to Floatmaster stuff.

I fish the White and Norfork rivers. I use the standard stuff that works here. Zebra midges, PT's, Prince, GRHE, Copper Johns, Scuds, sowbugs. Egg patterns October thru April or anytime the water has some stain to it.

[Arofishing]

I gave up on indicators, despite many on here telling me, especially as a noob, that I was better off using one. They are just too cumbersome and inevitably come off and/or lead to tangles. I spend almost as much time maintaining my line as I do fishing when I use one. Since I've stopped using them I haven't noticed either an increase or decrease in fishing success. In other words, I catch just about the same amount of fish as before but my line is in the water more.

My procedure is

1. cast

2. aggressive mend

3. keep as much line off water as possible to reduce drag

4. smaller mends as needed

5. watch line intently for changes in behavior

6. set hook early and often, which 3/4 of the time amounts to me "catching" changes in drift or rocks

Favorite nymphs include rubber leg stone (goldish/blackish) and prince nymph. If on the NFoW I use 9ft 4x. If on Crane I'll use 5x or 6x 9ft.

[Wayne SW/MO]

5. watch line intently for changes in behavior

Yup, especially the leader. The leader will all most always start to turn upstream, as if it has quit drifting, which it has. You will pick up the bottom some, but learn to lift and draw the line under control. If an indicator isn't getting stopped because of bottom contact then you aren't where the fish are anyway.

Another option is to use a sharpie and color the end of your fly line.

always, always sharpen your hook so that you can literally snag some of the fish in the mouth.

[Greasy B]

Wow, you folks must be fishing in the land of OZ. Sure you don't need an indicator when you are standing next to the run your fishing and if the water is relatively clear and the lighting is right and the wind is not blowing and....... When I'm nymphing I typically have to deal with rain, sleet/snow, howling winds, a canoe, pontoon or river john spinning wildly out of control, one hand on an oar, paddle or tiller one hand on my rod flipping, rolling flicking my fly out, poor lighting, glasses that are full of water drop/fish slime and frozen fingers that hardly grip enough to mend. I use a bobber and a big bobber at that. Maybe one of these days I'll be on the river when everything is perfect but it hasn't happened yet.

[Chase Replogle]

I often fish with an indicator. I like the simple yarn indicators with a loop on the end. They are easy to add, easy to move, and can be clipped smaller if the water is smoother. If your just getting started nymphing, there is nothing wrong with using an indicator. In fact it will probably help you learn it alot faster. Its all relative. Do what works best for you and what you enjoy.

[Jack Jones]

Nick, I wish you the best of luck. I've tried with indicators such as palsas, thingamabobbers, and the lightening football shaped twist-ons. I've also used the teardrop shaped/toothpick indicators. No matter what, I've always found nymphing to be a difficult activity for me to master. Maybe I don't notice the changes, or notice in time. Maybe I don't use enough weight to get down quick enough. Either way, I usually stick to streamers and topwater these days.

None of this is meant to dissuade you, it's just my experience. I would recommend finding someone to go nymphing with and observe/learn from them in person. Might be easier. I've done plenty of observing, but still looking for the time and person to go with who can enrich my experience personally.

[ness]

It's kinda hard to give a single explanation of how to nymph. Water depth, current speed and direction, fish species, your skill all come into play.

I'd agree that not using an indicator would be ideal, but a lot of folks (like ness) can't see the dang line in most conditions. So, I like to stack the odds in my favor with an indicator.

Typically, you want to get the fly down quickly to the bottom but have enough buoyancy in the indicator that it just floats in the surface. That means you need the balance between fly, weight and indicator to be just right. Since stream depth and current can change within a few feet, it's nice to have indicators that are easy to adjust up and down.

Cast the rig well above the suspected lie for the fish, and mend upstream to slow the sunken fly to the speed of the water at the bottom (which is traveling slower due to friction with the stream bed). The fly should settle into the right spot and bump along. If it sinks down directly on a line with the current, it's probably a snag -- but give a gentle hook set anyway. You'll get a feel for how it's riding, and let the snags go after a while. Anything else (sideways, slight sink, whatever), set the hook. Move the drift up, down and side to side to cover the area, then move on.