Tips & Tactics
Fly fishing tips, techniques and tactics
Fly Fishing with Strike Indicators: Smoky Mountain Style
Ian and Charity Rutter of R&R Fly Fishing give us some pointers on fly fishing nymphs with a strike indicator in small mountain streams in their latest episode of Advice from the Guides video blog. High Stick Nymphing Video Filmed in the Great Smoky Mountains on Little River and Middle Prong of Little River, the Rutter’s demonstrate high stick nymphing, an effective method to fish fast pocket water often found in high gradient streams. High-sticking with an indicator is a great method for the beginner fly fisherman as it aids tremendously in detecting strikes that may otherwise go unnoticed. Tips [...]
European Nymphing Fly Rod Craze or Bandwagon?
Well I guess European nymphing, or Euro nymphing, is officially a craze with several major manufacturers looking to get in on the action with new longer specialty fly rods targeting the US market this year. European Nymphing Craze I’m not exactly sure when it happened but European nymphing techniques including short-line Czech nymphing, and long-line French nymphing and Spanish nymphing have started to enter the mainstream here in the US. As evidence of this, just look at the number of manufacturers selling 10-foot, even 11-foot, fly rods here in the US. European Nymphing Rods Here are a few of the [...]
[Video] How-to Make a Backing Sighter for a European Nymphing Rig
Add a little color to your European nymphing leader with a backing sighter and see strikes like never before. Learn how in this short video from Trout Predator Online.
Categories: European Nymphing Tags: backing sighter, euro nymphing, european nymphing, european nymphing leader
[Video] How-to Make a European Nymphing Coiled Mono Sighter
This quick video tutorial shows you how to build a coiled mono sighter used in place of a strike indicator when fly fishing with nymphs. (Click here to watch video on on YouTube)
Used in several European nymphing methods, including French nymphing and Spanish nymphing, a coiled mono sighter greatly increases strike detection.
What’s a Sighter
The concept of a sighter was introduced in our last post on how to build a French / Spanish nymphing leader where we introduced two types of sighters including a coiled mono sighter and a backing sighter.
How-to Make a Coiled Mono Sighter
Making a coiled mono sighter is very easy. There are 3 basic steps:
1. Wrap hard monofilament around a cylindrical shaped object
2. Boiled for 5-minutes
3. Freeze
The heating and cooling cycle sets a coil into the monofilament resulting in what looks like a spring made from monofilament. Watch the video for more details.
How-to Rig a Coiled Sighter
When French nymphing or Spanish nymphing the coiled sighter is typically tied in about midway down the leader. I prefer loop-to-loop connections for ease of use. Alternatively, you might use a Davy Wotton Leader Knot to attach the upper end of the sighter to the butt section of the leader and use a loop-to-loop connection between the sighter and tippet section.
Give It A Try!
You may garner a few strange looks when you whip out your coiled mono sighter stream side and even a few giggles as you begin to fling this thing about. But trust me; the laughing will stop when you start out fishing everyone on the stream!
I guarantee you will be amazed, that is if you are willing to give it a try.
The Beat Goes On
We’re in the home stretch of our European nymphing tutorial . Next up we’ll take a look at how to build a backing sighter and then we’ll finish out the series with a European nymphing fly rod review – yee haw!
Now stop reading this and go boil some mono!
p.s. If you get any snide comments from the significant other while practicing this Euro alchemy – share them with us using the comment box below, we all enjoy a good laugh!
p.s.s. If you would like a European recipe for a coiled mono sighter give Fishing on the Frontier – Part 14 – Improved Take Detection a read.
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Categories: European Nymphing Tags: euro nymphing, european nymphing, european nymphing leader
[How-to] Build a French / Spanish Nymphing Leader
[caption id="attachment_1181" align="alignright" width="399" caption="French / Spanish Nymphing Leader"]
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I’ve been experimenting with European fly fishing nymphing techniques including Czech nymphing, French nymphing and Spanish nymphing. The Europeans have been kicking butt in international fly fishing competitions for years using these techniques for fishing nymphs so I figured they were worth a look.
Czech Nymphing
In the last few posts we covered Czech nymphing, a short-line nymphing technique the Czech’s and Polish fancy, including how to rig short-line nymphing leaders. Czech nymphing is similar to what we call High Stick nymphing here in the states, albeit there are a number of differences that make Czech nymphing more effective.
French / Spanish Nymphing Leaders
Shown above is a French / Spanish nymphing leader setup, which is what really makes this fly fishing technique effective. Now bear in mind there is no set formula for this type of leader setup so I’d hesitate to call this typical but common to the French and Spanish nymphing techniques is the use of long leaders, and I mean long.
Generally, the longer the better when fishing nymphs for wild fish or fish that receive a lot of angling pressure. The leader setup can and needs to be varied depending on the type and condition of water you are fishing (e.g., speed, depth, clarity, etc.).
What’s a Sighter?
You’ll notice something called a sighter in the French / Spanish nymphing leader diagram shown above. What is it? Well, in competitive fly fishing the use of strike indicators added to your line is prohibited. To get around (I mean comply with) this regulation the Europeans often incorporate a length of color monofilament into their leaders to aid in strike detection. Colored Dacron backing material also makes a great sighter.
[caption id="attachment_1169" align="alignright" width="400" caption="Coiled Mono sighter"]
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As the use of colored mono in competition is frowned upon by some, the French took this concept a bit further and developed the coiled mono sighter. This basically looks like a spring made from monofilament.
The backing sighter or coiled mono sighter is tied in about half way down the leader and fished with a taunt line right above or at the water interface. Fished with properly rigged flies the sighter is super sensitive and will help you see even the most subtle strikes.
Spanish Nymphing Leader – Going Long
Accustomed to fishing for spooky wild brown trout the Spanish have taken long-line nymphing to an extreme. It you want to have any chance of catching one of the very elusive Fario brown trout that exist in the Pyrenees mountains, as Hemingway did in the 20’s, you need to use long (and I mean long) thin leaders, upwards of 30 feet!
To build a Spanish nymphing leader, take the diagram above and stretch it out to 25 to 30 feet, lighten up the mono used in the butt sections and extend the tippets down to 6x or 7x for use with lighter flies, both dries and nymphs.
If this sounds like something that is a pain in the arse to cast, your right! Kind of makes you wonder why they bother. I suppose the beautiful trout, stunning scenery and the challenge of it all has some thing to do with it.
How-to Cast a Long-Line Nymphing Rig
In short, it’s takes some getting used to casting these long-line nymphing rigs. Here are 3 tips:
- First and foremost you need a longer rod with a slower action than is typically used here in the states.
- Secondly, you need to slow down your cast.
- Lastly, you need to be patient and willing to practice.
This technique is not for everybody but is well worth it for those who persist (like most things in life – go figure).
French / Spanish Nymphing Fly Rods
As for fly rods, most of the Europeans use a 12-foot rod. This helps tremendously. In particular, the longer rod helps with line control and keeping line off the water, two elements that are important when fishing like a European.
I started Euro nymphing using an 8.5 ft rod and just about went insane. I went up to a 9-ft rod and it got a little easier. I am now using a 10-ft rod and am finally starting to get the hang of it but I see an 11-ft rod in my future (I’m just not so sure my wife does!).
I like How the French Do It (nymphing that is)
The French nymphing style, for me, was like Goldie Locks finding the bed that was not too hard and not too soft, but just right. A cross between Czech nymphing and Spanish nymphing techniques (at least as I understand it), the French nymphing style suits me well.
Fished upstream in a quarterly motion while maintaining a tight-line and leading your flies slightly ahead of the current, an 18-foot French nymphing setup (diagram shown above) allows you to keep some distance from the fish yet remain in good contact with your flies. Add in the phenomenal strike detection you get with the coiled mono sighter and you’ve got a winning combination!
What’s Next?
Next up we will delve into the mysterious world of sighters, including two video tutorials to show you how to build a backing sighter and how to build a coiled mono sighter. Lastly, we will conclude this mini-series on European nymphing with a review of fly rods best suited to the European nymphing style and more importantly where to get them!
Go Euro or Go Home!
p.s. If you enjoyed this article you might also enjoy these fine works of literature by fellows in the know:
The Challenge of Nymph Fishing By Paul Prentiss
Spanish Nymphing by The Blue Quill Angler
French Nymphing Review by Alain Barthelemy
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[Video] How-to Tie a Davy Knot
Davy Knot??
In my last post about rigging a Czech nymphing setup the Davy Knot was mentioned a few times and few folks asked the obvious question – what’s a Davy Knot. Watch the video and learn my friend (click here if you can not see the video above).
Field Tested and Super Strong
This knot was developed by fishing legend Davy Wotton and is a great alternative to the improved clinch knot for attaching flies to the tippet. It is also great for stepping down line sizes when building leaders as it is a very small knot that passes through guides well. It is a really simple but very strong knot (rated at full line strength). I’ve been using if for about a year now and have not had one fail.
Never Tie A Clinch Knot (again)
Practice the Davy Knot a few times at home and then give it a try the next time you go out. If you do, you’ll never tie an improved clinch knot again – guaranteed!
Go get em!
p.s. Knot demonstration by Zach Matthews over at the Itinerant Angler – thanks Zach!
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Categories: European Nymphing Tags: clinch knot, Czech nymphing leader, davy knot, Davy Wotton, knots
[Video] How-to Rig a 2-Fly Czech Nymphing Setup
A little intimidated by the thought of fishing 3 or 4 flies like the Czech’s do? So was I, and frankly it’s a bit of a pain in the butt. Not to worry though, a 2-fly Czech nymph setup works pretty darn well too.
2-Fly European Nymphing Rig
In this video tutorial (click here if you can’t see the video above), Aaron Jasper of Trout Predator Online shows us how to rig a 2-fly European nymphing setup that can be used with a Czech nymphing leader or when fishing a Spanish or French style nymphing setup.
A Simple Dropper Fly Setup
The setup as shown in the video is often used by the Spanish and French and consists of 5 feet of 5X fluorocarbon tippet material coming off a backing or coiled-mono sighter to an anchor fly. A second, lighter fly, is tied off a dropper about 20-inches above the anchor fly. We will discuss how to make and use a backing sighter and coiled sighter in our next few articles on Spanish and French nymphing techniques.
The same 2-fly setup can be used to build a Czech nymphing leader, only we would not need the sighter using this short-line nymphing technique.
Improved Surgeons Knot
The dropper fly is tied in using a double or triple Surgeons Knot, as shown in the video (I know it is a little hard to see), or an Orvis Tippet Knot can be used. When using a Surgeons knot I take the dropper tag and throw a half-hitch above the Surgeons Knot. This makes the dropper come off the leader at more of a right angle and helps reduce tangles. The Surgeons and Orvis Tippet Knots are illustrated at Orvis Animated Knots.
Note: When tying in the dropper make sure to attach the fly to the lower tag end of the Surgeons Knot. If you use the upper tag (the one going back toward the fly line) the knot will come apart. I learned this the hard way, several times!
Spanish / French Nymphing Techniques
Spanish nymphing and French nymphing, are they all that different? Find out in our next How-to article on European nymphing techniques by subscribing to The Fly Fishing Reporter Newsletter.
Enjoy!
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Categories: European Nymphing Tags: Czech nymphing, euro nymphing, european nymphing, european nymphing leader
[Video] How-to Build a Czech Nymphing Leader
Czech Nymphing Leader
Aaron Jasper demonstrates a Davy Wotton leader knot that can be used to construct a Czech nymphing leader. I attended Aaron’s Euro Nymphing Clinc earlier this year where he demonstrated how to build and fish a Czech nymphing rig. If what follows sounds confusing, trust me it’s not. It’s just hard to explain. If you get a chance I’d highly recommend attending a clinc like the one Aaron put’s on or getting out on the water with a guide who is proficient using European nymphing techniques. Until then, give this a try.
A typical Czech nymphing rig is 10 to 14 feet long and consists of:
- 3 feet 20 lb monofilament (Golden Stren is often used to aid in strike detection)
- 2 feet 14 lb mono
- 3 to 6 feet of 4x or 5X fluorocarbon to the first fly tied on a dropper (usually a smaller nymph)
- 18 to 24 inches of 4x or 5x fluorocarbon to the anchor fly (usually the heaviest nymph, e.g. Czech nymph) tied on a dropper in a 3-fly rig or at the end of the tippet in a 2-fly rig
- 18 to 24 inches of 5x fluorocarbon to the last fly in a 3-fly rig
The droppers are typically tied in with an Orivs Tippet Knot or a Triple Surgeons knot with a 4″ to 6″ tag.
The key to this leader setup is that it is built with smaller diameter mono as opposed to a traditional tapered leader, as is favored in the US, which has a thick, heavy butt section. The smaller diameter mono, and fluorocarbon tippet (which is heavier than other mono tippet materials), enable the leader system and your flies to sink quickly through the water column. This is very important when Czech nymphing where you typically use very short drifts and you need to get your flies down quickly as is often the case when fishing pocket water and heavy riffles where this nymphing method lends itself well.
Up Next French and Spanish Nymphing Leaders
Up next we’ll take a closer look at how to build leader systems used in the French nymphing and Spanish nymphing techniques as we continue our mini-series on European nymphing techniques. If you would like future articles on Euro nymphing via email sign-up for our weekly newsletter on the Fly Fishing Reporter homepage. As always, we welcome your feedback and would love to hear about your experiences with Euro nymphing. You can drop us a line using the reply box below or leave us a voicemail on our new toll free voicemail line 8-IFISH-1230.
Enjoy!
Categories: European Nymphing Tags: Czech nymphing, Czech nymphing leader, euro nymphing, european nymphing, european nymphing leader
Euro Nymphing: Czech Nymphing, French Nymphing, Spanish Nymphing
Czech Nymphing and Spanish Nymphing techniques, sometimes referred to as Euro Nymphing, are all the rage these days but what are they? Watch the video and find out.
(Click here to watch video on YouTube)
Czech Nymphing
Simply put Czech Nymphing is a short-line nymphing technique that uses an upstream dead drift presentation that is akin to what we call High Sticking here in the US. The difference being that the Europeans typically fish 3 or 4 flies off droppers tied 18” to 24” apart methodically combing the water with very short drifts (sometimes as little as 3 to 4 feet).
Watch the video again and you’ll see what I mean. Also pay attention to how taunt the leader is. There is no belly in the line and there is no line lying on the water. This differs significantly from many of the nymphing techniques popular here in the US and aids tremendously in strike detection.
Spanish Nymphing
Spanish nymphing is very similar but uses much longer leaders (up to 30 feet) enabling you to fish at greater distances than with the Czech method as is shown in this second video by Aaron Jasper of Trout Predator Online. Although the video is about how to set the hook when nymphing Aaron is using a long line Euro nymphing technique. He is even using a coiled mono sighter as a strike indicator. Look closely and you’ll see right where the line enters the water. The Spanish nymphing technique is great for fishing for wild trout or heavily pressured fish or when you just can’t get that close to the fish.
(Click here to wath on Youtube)
Equipment, Rigging and Techniques
In the coming weeks we’ll take a closer look at fly rods, leader construction, sighters (as oppose to indicators) and techniques that are specific to Euro nymphing and differ quite a bit from what we are use to here in the states.
If you would like future articles on Euro nymphing delivered directly to your email inbox subscribe to our newsletter on the Fly Fishing Reporter homepage.
Categories: European Nymphing Tags: Czech nymphing, euro nymphing, european nymphing, french nymphing, spanish nymphing
[How to] Use Google Maps to Find Great Fly Fishing Trout Streams
Google Map Junkie I’ll admit it, I’m a Google Map junkie. The amount of information Google Maps puts at your finger tips is insane! But before I load you up with a 997 Google Maps of the best places to fly fish in the United States, which I intend to do, I figured I ought to show you how to use the maps first. How to Use Google Maps I made this quick screen cast video to illustrate how to use the navigation features of Google Maps, including a hidden feature few know about, using one of the maps in [...]
Categories: Tips & Tactics Tags: fly fishing, mapping, Resources, travel fly fishing
