Author Topic: New to Euro Nymphing (Read 1589 times)

Jim Hosgood · « **on:** January 20, 2011, 03:26:08 PM »

I just ordered a Cabela's CZN rod and plan on learning this technique when the weather breaks. What are some common pitfalls that beginners fall into?? Should I start out with a backing sighter or coiled mono?

Thanks for any info

Zach Bearden · « **Reply #1 on:** January 20, 2011, 03:48:52 PM »

Sighters are personal preference. I started out with straight mono, went to backing (found out it wasn't comp legal), tried a curly (couldn't get that goofy thing to stay), so I just went back to straight mono.

Make some leaders with each and figure out what you like.

Bill Steudler · « **Reply #2 on:** January 20, 2011, 07:22:45 PM »

Zach is spot on with the sighters. Sighters are a big preference and everyone is right, it all catches fish. The biggest thing I see when I am guiding is clients failing to stop the rod tip high enough to gain contact with your flies quickly. Another thing is emphasis on the "drag" portion of your drift. You do not actually want to "drag" your flies. It is common for guys to "drag" their flies too much. I prefer to let the flies work while maintaining loose contact on my flies allowing them to work through varying currents.

Aaron Laing · « **Reply #3 on:** January 21, 2011, 02:13:24 PM »

Think of "leading" your flies rather than "pulling" them, and you'll get an idea of what Bill means by loose contact (hope you don't mind the analogy, Bill). The point about being in contact with your flies the second they hit the water is crucial as well--in fact an absence of contact at any point is a killer. Another beginner pitfall is not recognizing the take--it becomes second nature over time, but learn that any hesitation or subtle change in the drift could be a take.

I've only been at the nymphing game for about four or five years now, and I can honestly say that if you want to improve you've got to be thinking while you're on and off the water. Read everything you can on the subject, visualize the flies in the water, question yourself about your depth, drift, presentation, etc., and always try to take home something new from every outing. It's a great learning experience. Have fun.

Aaron

Alain Barthelemy · « **Reply #4 on:** January 21, 2011, 05:07:59 PM »

Jim,

Good luck on your learning journey. I assume you are completely new to European nymphing and not a competitive angler. This is a rich subject, full of opinions and advice.

(1) Use a straight backing sighter, about 6in long, made from 20lb orange Dacron. Don't fool around with the splice loops, just loop the ends with Double Surgeon's loops.
(2) Fish strictly short-line, in the Czech style, under your rod tip. Follow the drift with your rod tip.
(3) Fish with two heavy flies on about 6ft of 4X below the sighter. Tie the dropper with a Triple Surgeon's knot.
(4) Fish in moderate depth runs with good current, but avoid turbulent water.
(5) Concentrate on a good drift, and assume there are fish to be caught.

Once you hook up, your enjoyment will keep pulling you up the learning curve to other methods.

John Killinger · « **Reply #5 on:** January 21, 2011, 09:24:58 PM »

Curly sighters ROCK...they are the best, most sensitive and you can float them. I don't see any other way...

Jay Looper · « **Reply #6 on:** January 23, 2011, 11:08:33 AM »

I am going to try to list the resources I found extremely valuable on European nymphing. The will be listed in order of importance and also coicidentally in order of introductory to advanced progression (in my view).

1. The European Nymphing with Jack Dennis and Vladi DVD. This video gives the history and good demonstrations of the techniques associated with euro nymphing. For 30 bucks, you can get the video and 6 nymphs tied by Vladi. http://www.snakeriverbooks.com/index.php?app=ccp0&ns=prodshow&ref=FP01

2. This link does an excellent job of giving an overview http://www.snakeriverbooks.com/index.php?app=ccp0&ns=prodshow&ref=FP01

3. At this point in the learning process, I had a pretty decent guide named Dejon

take me to show and teach me the technique in action.

4. I read the book Czech Nymph and other related fly fishing methods by Karel Krivaec. It is expensive and hard to find and not an absolute necessity to learning techniques, but would be outstanding for those who want to tie their own patterns because it shows an absolute plethora (yes El Guapo I said plethora) of them.

5. Also, how to build a coiled mono sighter is very helpful http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SPH3hRG7OYc

Well, I am by no means an expert at Euro nymphing (actually extremely novice relative to the talents and skills of this forum), but the techniques I have mastered have given me exponential confidence and abilities on the water and increased my catch rate tenfold.