"If people don't occasionally walk away from you shaking their heads, your doing something wrong" - John Gierach
Watch any video on euronymphing and you will see the same scenerio: an almost steady bank to bank stream flow over a somewhat rocky bottom with enough stream velocity to keep the fly (flies) moving. Cady Lane, which holds LOTS of trout, doesn't have those features and neither do many trout streams. Tailwaters have those features and that's why euronymphing videos feature them.
EASY TIP NUMBER #1 Save your euro rig for the Farmington and similar tailwaters. (Note - the Swift is a tailwater with a lot of freestone features below the Duck Pond.
EASY TIP NUMBER #2 I see lots of indicator fly fishers casting across the stream and then mending line to avoid the dreaded drag. Try casting UPSTREAM. Imagine yourself standing on a clock face on the number 6. Your indicator, or dry fly indicator, should land on the number 11, 12, or 1 and then begin a drag free float right past you. I've had trout take my fly 4 feet from my legs with this method and have had trout rise for my fly as it swept past me downstream. It's a great way to cover a lot of water.
We are only 2 months away from the first day of Spring!!!
Ken
13 comments:
Ken,
Good point on stream types and euro techniques. I also find that euro rod length can be a pain on some small waters with overhead trees.
GW
I'll stick with traditional fly fishing thank you. Euro can stay in Europe, for all I care, it's not for me. It's a very one dimensional style of "fly fishing" (if you want to call it that). And since I often walk/wade/hike a lot throughout the day, I dislike having to carry multiple rods in the event I come across a hatch or a situation where a streamer would be better to help cover a lot of water. Its'way too limiting. And by the way, is it technically "fly fishing" or attempting to catch fish on a fly rod? I'll stick with fly 'casting", and using patterns that are designed to imitate the natural aquatics in the water system, rather than some neon colored, heavy weighted, shiny beaded, hot spotted what-cha-call-it! : )
Anonymous,
EXACTLY!!
Ken
But I’m told it’s the most efficient way to clean out a pool. Yikes.
Actually, you can use a drop shot for nymphing with unweighted nymphs using your flyrod of choice, then switch back to swinging wets, or fishing drys pretty easily. Do it all the time and you only need tiny split shot. Oh, and you have to cast the flyline and not lob, plus hangups just result in lost shot not flys.
You guys are so funny dying on this hill - its just another way of fishing that is really popular now! Just be happy that people are out on the water.
I always do well at cady lane, using a euro setup, just like I do in every kind of trout stream in New England. Most of the time I use natural looking flies (especially in the swift) - the flashy hotspot flies and shiny perdigons don't work that well there. In general - almost all of my nymphs are olive or natural or black.
Ken - I've noticed that your orange soft hackles are actually perfect as tag flies above a nice fat weighted nymph as the anchor fly whenever I'm fishing the swift - hope you don't mind ;)
I don't really know what euro nymphing is anymore. It has morphed several times over the past 10-15 years. Its not really important, what is important is being receptive to adapting your rig or technique to the prevailing conditions. Many anglers read a rig formula in a book or magazine or see a guide set them up on it and try to make it work everywhere. It rarely works everywhere. Joe Humphreys said the difference between a good nymph fisherman and a great one is as little as one split shot-but its often much more than that. I have had some really good results (and of course not so good results) when I threw away the formulas and did what I thought would get the flies where they needed to be and how they needed to be and often times with nymphing its a form of tight lining but maybe half the time. That's what makes it a great sport. You and I both can fish the same spots using divergent techniques and both have equally great (or poor) results. If I were to employ the same rigs or techniques every time I went out, I would get bored. The only tip I find that works for the most part is get closer to the fish whenever possible. I would guess 90% of the trout I have caught in my lifetime have been within 40 feet...probably 75% have been within 30 feet. Longer rods help most nymph and dry techniques with drag but are not at all necessary for success. I still run 9 foot 4,5,6 most of the time but I have shorter and longer rods for when the mood strikes. Don't get caught up in the dogma of this technique or that...just figure out a presentation that fits the situation and go for it.
BobT,
Very well said, again! I've used parts of different nymphing techniques, (high sticking, tight line euro) to fish best the water that is infront of me but I've stayed away from the nymphing rods which appear to be too fragile. It seems that the long euro rods break often and they are not good casting tools.
Ken
I know the local couple of brands both make durable long/euro rods (T&T and Orvis). T&T is pricey, but considered among the best and will throw a fly line(cast drys) very well. Orvis has high, mid tier and lower tier versions seem to be as durable as any...I have two friends in the west that are kind of wed to the high stick and euro techniques but their local water is well well suited to that style. One has the T&T Contact II and has had it since it became available...he lands a fair amount of 18" plus fish often enough that I would say its a solid rod. The other is using the low end Orvis with the same durability. I think most rods still get broken by angler error. My long option is a 10ft 4 weight Orvis recon(its a jack of all trades-not a euro specific rod). I got it to see the advantage of the extra foot and it is definitely an advantage on both nymph and dry fishing but not always. Its a good rod to cast a dry but not as accurate as the 9 footers or shorter rods I have so I don't use it quite as often. Getting caught up in the gear doesn't make you better. If you know why you want to have something and know it will address the situation adequately then by all means try it but I have seen some phenomenal nymph fishermen still using the 9 footers they out fish a lot of us because they focus on getting the cast into a good spot so the drift is on target.
Try a 10' 4wt Recon. Great all around rod for all methods. Won't break the bank account either! Sloppy casting with shot or beadheads break rods.
BobT,
"Getting caught up in gear doesn't make you better." Well said!!! Buying a top flight guitar will not make you play like eric Clapton either. In all my years I've seen some unbelievable fly fishers who seemed to be able to pull trout out of the air and they had average rods but they knew how to use them.
Ken
I have a 10' 3wt Euro Recon (previous model than the current one). Very versatile, casts dry flies well with a 4wt line and very good for swinging wet flies. I have had no problems with breakage after fishing 3 winters with it. I have a T&T Contact II 10' 9" 3wt, better for high sticking but not as versatile as the recon (but more sensitive). I did try mono-rig type fishing with a Fenwick Aetos 10' 4wt but did not have as much luck (the tip was not light enough for the lighter rigs). With the recon rod, I just change out the leader based on the situation and I think that is the key (adjust the tactic and leader based on the situation).
Even with a 30ft leader with 20lb maxima chameleon you can still cast but for high sticking/euro nymphing it is a short range game (1 rod length out and 2 rod length above and below). Beyond that you are doing something closer to swinging nymphs. Good casting technique with a euro-rig setup lets you do tuck casts to drive the nymphs in quickly and get to the depth you want fast. Sloppy casting leads to too much slack on the line and missed fish.
All that being said next Sunday, I will be on the Swift with my regular 9' 4wt swinging wet flies and throwing tiny dry flies. Where most of the fish are now in the swift, does not lend itself to Euro-rod techniques. But I can also put my 30ft mono-rig leader onto my 9' 4wt rod if the situation arises (ie downstream of the rte 9 bridge)
Agreed. Euronymphing is another form of fly fishing. As to landing large fish on a light rod here is a link to someone who landed a 31” steelhead on a 10’6” 3 wt rod. Do yourself a favor before judging - watch several youtube videos by Cory (search for Old Dominion Trout Bum). He has lots of great videos on euronymphing techniques. On Maine’s Magalloway to The Farmie, to Catakill and PA streams. Vids of fly tying as well as fishing knots. And he fishes dry flies with his euro rod. Does not take two rods but does have two spools. https://www.facebook.com/groups/1598285377068913/permalink/3715182855379144/?mibextid=W9rl1R
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