Euro nymphing is not as easy as watching a strike indicator plunge under the surface at every strike, but not by much. However, Euro nymphing is definitely more effective and, arguably, more entertaining due to the attentive nature you need to do it effectively.
I would say that dry fly fishing is more difficult to master than euro nymphing or tight line nymphing. To start euro nymphing, you do not need to memorize the technical details that experts know to get the job done, such as bead size, bead weight, hook gaps, and leader length or thickness. Nor, do you need to be proficient at casting or mending as you do with fly fishing dry flies.
To give you an idea of a basic euro nymphing cast, it’s more swinging the weight of your fly or flies and a flick than a back-and-forth cast. With tight line nymphing, your leader and fly rig does not have the same thickness as a typical tapered leader you would get at the store or online. The euro leader is made up of multiple sections that vary marginally in thickness and is constructed by thin, flexible monofilament and fluorocarbon sections. It is designed for short casts and reaching into pockets.
Why? Literally, every reason is a huge bonus compared to not using a hand-crafted European nymphing leader. The leader is specifically designed for maximizing your nymphing for strikes and feeling takes.
Overall, here are a few great reasons why you should be using a euro nymphing leader versus a traditional tapered leader.
Increased Hook-Ups
This belief is a little deceiving because European leaders do help you catch more fish, but it is more than likely your ability to feel every little take compared to before. You could have missed 5 out of 10 hits on a traditional leader modified for nymphing compared to 9 out of 10 on the euro rig. The thickness of the line used in the euro rig is much thinner and much more sensitive to movement and strikes.
Faster Sink Rate
Because a European nymphing line is inherently thinner by design, they do not have as much drag or resistance when moving through the water. Therefore, your nymphs are restricted less and sink faster against the current. Another benefit of line thickness is that the presentation is more natural and drifts freely within the current rather than being unnaturally stiff.
Easier To See With Sight Indicator
While Euro nymphing leaders provide more sensitivity to the point where you can literally feel the nymph dragging, banging against the bottom, and every strike, your ability to see in low and bright light situations only increases your chances. Euro nymphing leaders, typically, have a section of neon green and neon red built into the lower section of the leader. This provides a distinguishable indicator for strikes when the line goes from having a small amount of slack to a tight, resisting line.
Tippet Rings Make Changing Line Fast
We usually add a section of fluorocarbon as the tippet to tie our nymphs to extending from the smooth edges of the tippet ring. In our worst-case scenario, snagging on something and needing to snap it off, we can be back to fishing within a minute or two after tying new sections on and a new set of flies. Otherwise, we can quickly switch out flies or entire rigs with a simple clinch knot to the ring.
Cons To Consider
Euro nymphing rigs are prohibited over a certain leader lengthin the artificial fly-only sections-- depending on the state and local regulations. In many cases, commissioners have taken out a measuring tape to measure leaders if they feel it may be too comparable to monofilament conventional tackle lines.
Additionally, euro nymphing leaders are more difficult to cast as the thickness and stiffness of lines you’re used to fishing will not be present. However, this is by design as tight-line nymphing is not meant to reach more than 2x your fly rod length. With euro nymphing leaders, you’re largely swinging the weight of your flies and relying less on the weight of your line to cast.
Conclusion
With all things considered, you’re leaving a lot of room for improvement on the table when you’re not fishing a euro leader. You will dramatically notice the difference in your sensitivity to strikes, dings, and bumps below the surface. Personally, I carry two reels at all times in my pack -- one with a euro leader on the spool for nymphs and one with a normal tapered leader for everything else.
We are going to be expanding this resource center for everyone from beginners to intermediates. Feel free to download and print off copies of these PDF's for your personal use out on the stream.
Fly fishing with streamers is all about mimicking the movement and behavior of prey such as baitfish, minnows, leeches, and crayfish naturally found in the water. By using a variety of proven techniques, your streamer fly will entice almost every fish to strike. But before we get into the How-To's of streamer fishing, let's cover the equipment.
Equipment
You can use almost any fly rod you have to fish streamers. However, your casting distance and accuracy will be greatly affected based on what fly rod you use. A lightweight rod, such as 1 weight to a 4 weight, will make casting heavy streamers like Articulated Streamers or Big Poppers extremely difficult. You will make due with small streamers like Bead Head Woolly Buggers and small poppers below a size #8 perfectly fine, though. A heavyweight rod, such as a 5 weight to an 8 weight, are better suited for heavy streamers and bigger species of fish. If you are like most fly anglers, a 5 or 6 weight fly rod is ideal for trout, bass, and medium-sized pike.
Use a fly line that matches your rod weight and any reel you choose. Realistically, you don't need anything fancy if you're just starting out. All a reel will do is hold the line and, occasionally, you will need to use the drag feature for fish on the run.
For leaders and tippet, use thicker lines within a 0x - 3x range. Anything thinner than a 4x will likely snap under the pressure of fish tackling your fly.
Technique
Fly fishing with streamers is easier than you think. The basic idea is to make your streamer fly appear to swim like the prey it is meant to look like by retrieving your fly line in one length at a time from your cast. We call this action, “stripping.” How you decide to strip your fly line in, a.k.a. retrieving, is completely up to you and how fish are reacting to what you’re doing.
Depending on the day, fish may prefer fast, short strips of only a couple of inches at a time versus slow, long strips coupled with long pauses. The trick is to vary your speed and retrieve until you dial in what the fish-like. If you see fish following your fly or feel strikes, keep going -- obviously it’s working.
Now, how should I hold my fly rod? Basically, point it down at the water. However, don’t let your tip touch the surface. Only your fly line should be laid out on the water. Once you make your cast, point your rod tip down toward the surface and start stripping your fly line. If you do this enough, you’ll get the hang of it all. In a nutshell, that is how you fly fish with streamers.
But, what do I do when I feel a fish strike my fly? Once you feel the line tighten and slightly feel the weight of the fish on the end of your line you will need to set the hook. Don’t overreact and rip their mouth off by setting the hook hard, and don’t make the mistake of lifting your rod up to the sky to set the hook -- which is what we call a “trout set.” This is a mistake because you’ll pull the fly right out of their mouth without hooking them. Anyways, keep calm and keep your rod low to the water. After you feel the strike, take the fly line in your hand and do a hard, long strip back past your waist. Hold the line there as the fly line will tighten and the hook set. Just be prepared, the fish will fight back.
Now that the hook is set, you can raise your fly rod up and fight the fish. Pay close attention to your line and reduce slack as this will give the fish wiggle room to twist off the hook.
There are thousands of different fly patterns with dozens of different color combinations to choose from, but which is the right color combination to use and when?
Choosing the right fly color for the moment comes down to two factors, your personal tastes and what color shades are naturally occurring in prey / insects.
Before we get technical into “matching the hatch”, let’s quickly touch on whether or not color matters. In short, your color choices on flies do have an impact on visibility and light contrast. Visibility in the water and the ability to contrast against low light or murky conditions help fish pick it out easier. That being said, fish see colors differently than we humans do because they pick up polarized light, and that makes certain colors glow like neon signs. For example, the joints on insects and the scales on fish glow like this in sunlight. Certain materials and colors on fly fishing flies imitate the reflection of polarized light on natural prey. I wish we could tell you which and materials are best, but very little scientific research has been conducted on how specific brands of materials react in polarized light.
Matching the hatch
Matching the colors naturally found in nature is not a very hard thing to do. Most commercially available flies and materials will be close enough to match nearly any hatch you're up against. You don’t have to be exact but just within a couple of color shades. Fish aren’t, typically, extremely picky if it’s not identical to the real thing. However, there have been some instances where I have been proven wrong and only specific material choices worked while everything else was ignored.
Your Personal Tastes
What colors you like to fish does have an impact on your ability to catch fish. We've noticed that colors that we feel more confident in make us more attentive and present our flies better. In other words, your personal tastes in color may not imitate natural insects / prey accurately, but your ability to present the fly like natural prey makes your fly undeniable.
Our Favorite Color Variations
We sat down with The Fly Crate staff to get a feel for which color combinations they prefer out of all the rest. Additionally, we compared that with our best-selling colors as a baseline to what the fly fishing community puts their money on.
Chartreuse
By far our most popular streamer fly combination commonly seen in Clouser Minnows and Woolly Buggers. Additionally, this is deadly within the Caddis category across all life cycles, i.e. larva, pupa, and dry fly.
Purple / Black
Purple / black are a popular and effective combo in nymphs, emergers, and dry flies. We believe that the dark tones contrast each other well when wet and represent natural nymphal shucks to a fish's eye.
Tan / Olive / Black / Brown
You can't go wrong with natural colors found in every species of insect. You can mix and match these colors to make combinations between their abdomen, tail, body, etc.
Lighter Tone / Darker Tone
This is a great streamer combination recipe to success. We've found that contrasting colors perform better than just one throughout the fly. We wanted to quickly touch on pairing a lighter color with a darker one. For example, a yellow belly with a brown top streamer or white with tan or orange with green.
Grey
If you're uncertain what the hatches may bring, pack your fly box full of Grey tones. Grey is the greatest and most versatile color of them all. Think of this as the happy medium between hundreds of colors. Some of the greatest and most dependable patterns ever created feature Grey bodies and abdomens, such as the Hare's Ear and Adams variations. Out on the water, we will use an Adam's Parachute in a matching size to imitate olive-colored BWO's, tan / brown March Browns, golden stone nymphs, dark brown nymphs, cased Caddis, etc.
When to use specific fly colors.
There is a general rule of thumb when fly fishing streamers and poppers that depends on the weather conditions.
Clear Water, Sunny Weather -- Use light colors like chartreuse and yellow to reflect light and glow in the water like a beacon.
Overcast, Murky Water -- Use dark colors like black, olive, and brown to contrast against the sky and surrounding water.
Fishing new streams and rivers will always have a learning curve, no matter how much experience you have. Insect activity and prey will vary from stream to stream, and in some cases, pool to pool.
First things first, before nearing the water’s edge keep your distance for a few minutes of observing. Take notice of where you believe fish to be and pay close attention to areas where you ‘doubt’ fish to be -- often times you’ll be pleasantly surprised where fish will sit.
Watch the surface for any insect activity, disturbances, or shadowy silhouettes of patrolling fish. If you’re uncertain of what fish are eating and there are no obvious insects along the banks, start with your ‘confidence flies’. These are flies that you know and trust to do the job right. Of course, don’t go rogue and try casting a grasshopper pattern in the dead of winter -- keep it simple. For me, I tie on a size #14 Tungsten Missile 12-inches below a size #16 Juju Baetis. These are flies that have constantly performed for me and do so no matter where I go.
More important than fly selection is the presentation (casting) of the fly and the key to a good presentation is location, location, location. Search the shores or shallow water, where you can stand to take advantage of water flows, shadows, and distance without spooking the fish. I strongly believe that there is always an ideal position to cast from that will leverage common complaints to your advantage or eliminate the majority of casting issues even in thick brush, high winds, and fast currents.
Because you are in new territory be cautious of your surroundings for man-made and natural dangers. Just to be safe, let others know where you are or, better yet, bring a fishing buddy.
Before stepping into the water or getting near the edge, make casts along the edges and structure for the occasional fish feeding on the outskirts. Oftentimes, you can find and hook into these fish without spooking the rest of the pool.
Once you are ready to cast into the main pool or riffles, you’ll want to mentally section off the water into grids or areas. Why? The best way to fish unfamiliar water is to use this prospecting technique of a grid system to target each and every section of water. No rock left unturned, right?
Keep your distance and mentally scout the water for places you would like to fish.
Observe the water for visible insect and fish activity.
Use confidence flies when there are no obvious hatches.
Find the ideal spot to cast from.
Let others know where you will be traveling to fish.
Cast along the shoreline and places you wouldn’t expect to find fish.
Mentally grid the water up into multiple fishable areas to avoid missing opportunities.
As the water warms up in the spring and summer, you can enjoy some of the most exciting action of the year as fish activity rises rapidly. There are few experiences in fishing more exciting than the explosion of a predatory fish, lurking in the murky waters, then breaking the surface to inhale an unsuspecting prey.
Fly anglers use poppers and divers to tempt trout, panfish, bass, and pike as they feed voraciously on baitfish and other prey on or near the surface during the warm weather months. You may be wondering what exactly is a popper or diver? And when do I use one or the other? Let’s examine each type of fly and discover what situations each one matches best.
Poppers
The popper is one of the oldest lures that exists. Many anglers also think it is the most exciting fly to use. Poppers are tied with a compact head that is round or square in shape. The head has a concave or lipped cup shape which is designed to catch water as it is pulled across the surface, making a characteristic “pop” sound that gives the fly its name. The popper is exciting and productive, but it is not a versatile offering.
Poppers land with a noisy commotion on the cast, which gets the attention of aggressive fish. On retrieve, the angler pulls a few inches of line causing the characteristic gurgling sound. Poppers are usually fished slowly, with a few pops followed by a still period. This pattern imitates prey such as a dying baitfish, a frog moving across the surface, or any other animal in peril on the top of the water. The popper tempts fish that are actively feeding, but also provokes strikes from instinct or territoriality.
The popper is the best choice in certain circumstances. This fly type is most popular for largemouth bass and panfish. During the spring, these species often aggressively chase noisy flies on the surface as they feed on insects and small baitfish. A small popper is a perfect choice for bluegills feeding on beetles or caterpillars falling from overhangs or bass patrolling the shallows. Poppers work well in dark conditions such as first thing in the morning or as dusk turns to evening. The noisy presentation provokes strikes when sight feeding is not possible.
Poppers are also the ultimate choice when the goal is simply excitement! Nothing gets the heart racing like an explosive bass strike on a popper, with the entire fish leaping up from the surface in a spray of water.
Divers
Divers are a more subtle and versatile topwater option. A diver is a minnow-shaped fly with a convex head. The floating head is often made from light foam with a very small weight. When pulled, the diver slides underwater. The action imitates the erratic movements of wounded baitfish. The diver appeals to fish that are actively feeding on minnows or other small baitfish.
Divers are more versatile than poppers. They are perhaps the best choice of any fly to cover large areas of water. Many anglers use divers to scout out new bodies of water, since they can be cast long distances and retrieved rapidly. The diver can be retrieved in various ways, but it is common to simply strip long pulls of line consecutively while allowing a second for the diver to float in between. Some anglers compare the action and use of the diver as the fly fishing equivalent of the age-old in-line spinner lure. Both move quickly through the water, imitating a baitfish near, but below, the surface.
Divers are usually the best choice to match patterns when bait fish are schooling. Predatory fish stalk the schools, looking for a wobbly, erratic fish that is sick or injured. Additionally, we know that fish change patterns during the day. During warm weather, baitfish may seek cooler temperatures in a deeper area of creek channel. The diver will work in this circumstance, while poppers cannot be used.
Divers are the best choice for any conditions that make fish wary. The diver has a smooth and subtle movement with little sound. Therefore, they will not scare away the skittish fish like a noisy popper. These conditions include very clear water, shallow water, and high light and visibility conditions.
Divers work for all species, but are a great match for trout. Trout are more particular than many other predatory fish, and are scared off from large or loud offerings far more frequently. Loud, attention seeking poppers can be counter productive. However, the smooth and soft landing and retrieve of a diver will attract trout feeding on baitfish without lots of commotion.
One final advantage of the diver is the ability of the fly to pull through exposed cover better than a popper. The shape of the head allows a diver to move through moderate cover. You can work the diver through fish attracting cover such as grasses, with the head pushing the grass out of the way.
Both the diver and the popper are excellent flies for the warming weather of spring and summer. The two styles have many similarities, and both are designed to attract actively feeding fish by imitating wounded prey. However, there are significant differences that usually make one or the other option a clear first choice.
Divers are versatile, and can be used to work larger areas of water. Because they are soft and smooth, the divers work better in any condition that may make fish wary - which include high visibility, clear water, or shallow water. Trout anglers may have better luck at any time, simply because trout are more easily scared off by noise than bass or panfish.
Poppers are the go to fly for exciting top water splashing strikes. Select them when absolute thrilling fun is the top priority. Poppers also are the best choice in low visibility conditions or when fish are extremely aggressive. Bass and panfish anglers often enjoy great success.
Do not hesitate to stock up on a variety of sizes and colors of poppers and divers. By doing so, you will be ready for all the warm weather patterns.
Are you a bass fisherman who loves explosive action?
How about a fly fisherman who wants to try a different experience than tempting wary out?
Do you live in an urban area with smaller ponds and lakes, but with out of the way trout streams?
If you fit any of these categories, you may find a new love with fall fly fishing on warm water lakes. Bluegill, other panfish, and largemouth bass are among the most popular sportfish for good reason.
A variety of fly patterns all will work in the autumn:
Small nymphs or poppers that match fall insect activity
Streamers and bucktails to imitate forage fish
Frog and mice patterns - and just about any other terrestrial animal imitator
Understanding Fall Fish Behavior
Fly fishing on warm water lakes is a joy in the fall. As the temperature moderates and the beautifully painted leaves come out, one of the best fishing seasons begins.
The long hazy summertime is often associated with fishing - but let’s face it, summer time fishing in a warm water lake has some drawbacks. For one thing, It may be scorching hot out. The fish are affected by these temperatures also, spending the bulk of the day in deeper cool water, or submerged in a weed bed.
In fall, the fish again move into the shallows. Activity all along the food chain is evident in the fall after a relatively slow paced summer. The shallow water warms faster on these cooler days, and the more active fish will be located there. The fish have an intense prey drive at this time which lets them fatten up before going back to deep water for winter.
Tiny insects and all the warm water lake fish species will be there in the shallows. This includes smaller fish such as herring or alewife along with sunfish, bass, and pike. The cooling weather signals the fish to eat voraciously and fatten up for winter. For predatory fish, this means patrolling the shallows for baitfish, insects, and other small animals. Fly anglers can find some exciting topwater opportunities with matching patterns.
Nymphs and Poppers for Panfish
Bluegills, pumpkin seeds, and other sunfish will find flies imitating insect species to be irresistible whether they are nymphs or poppers. Panfish are very forgiving compared to trout as far as matching a particular hatch in nature. However, I have found three specific autumn phenomena helpful in fly selection. The action will be in the shallows, near cover such as brush piles and overhanging trees. Try any of these with a floating line and a 3-6 size rod.
Large swarms of tiny midges and exploring swarms of flying ants emerge for the last time in the fall after a smaller steady hatch all summer. Little nymphs that mimic these small insects are a sure bet for lots of strikes. A bigger fly that works is a wooly worm type dry fly that mimics the iconic fall wooly bear moth caterpillar with black a black, red, orange, brown mix and a fuzzy appearance. As the weather gets cool, bees and wasps start to slow down and many die or get blown into water. A bee pattern or anything with black and yellow can be really effective here too.
For more explosive action, you can use similar color patterns but with tiny poppers. Panfish will hit best on small poppers which are also quite powerful. A large gurgle with a profile of a small prey item is the ideal. Remember that the fish may be hungry, but the water is still a bit cold. So do not race the lure across the surface - instead give it a few hard pops, then let it rest.
Streamers and Poppers for Largemouth
Largemouth bass are very aggressive and in fact, are willing to eat almost anything at times. But in fall, bass will prefer to chase smaller prey fish into the shallows, making a streamer the best option. Minnow imitations are the primary patterns, but here is where frogs and mice flies can also be used. And if you have a really unusual looking fly that doesn’t seem to be match anything in nature, a hungry bass may be the best chance to get a strike. Hey trout fisherman - if you don’t frequently go bass fishing, you may be truly shocked at just how indiscriminate these fish can be!
Largemouth most often invade the shallows chasing long thin fish such as shiners, herring, or shad. Streamers that match the size and color of your local baitfish will be the ideal match. Use a floating line with a 5-8 weight rod if you are targeting largemouth. Retrieve the streamer slowly through the shallows by stripping a few pulls, then letting the streamer sink slowly.
You may also have success with top water poppers. However, this is slow top water fishing - not like a baitcaster ripping a buzzbait in the summer. When the bass are not looking around for fish, they will be looking up to the surface right near the bank to see what creature has stumbled in and may become the next meal. The frog, grasshopper, mouse, and many other poppers will work well - and often it is just a matter of getting the retrieve speed and cast location correct.
Warm Water In The Winter
When winter begins, you need not give up fly fishing. However, there is a set pattern that will only work. The setting should overwhelmingly favor a small pond - very small is even better. Finding deepwater bass in a large area with a slow-moving fly is not easy. The angler will need to slowly work a streamer on a heavy sinking line.
As it gets truly cold out, anglers may do much better fly fishing small ponds. Sometimes, a pond can be so small that a routine cast lands right in the middle of the deep water. Larger lakes have vast areas of deep water, and slow fishing these depths with flies is quite difficult. The only real winter pattern that proves effective is slow retrieving streamers or other nymphs on a sinking line. Winter bass will not move far and want a maximum meal for little energy output - you need to get the fly in their face, sometimes repeatedly.
Every angler, regardless of their experience, shows up to the sport day after day aware that a catch is never promised. You can spend your entire life trying to capture a creature undeniably smaller than you, but no one or nothing can promise that you will. Some find that maddening, for others, that’s the great thrill. All we can do is attempt to be a little better than the day before. No matter your current level of knowledge or experience, these five sensible tips will give any angler the sharp edge they seek.
Match the Hatch
You wouldn’t bait a hook with corn on the cob to catch a polar bear. Everyone agrees that would be both ridiculous and illogical. Same goes for fly-fishing- don’t take your trout for fools. “Match the hatch” is an expression that is both easy to remember and has proven effectiveness. Find out what insects the trout are eating and mimic that with your fly. Depending on the season, trout hone in on a certain variety of bugs, ignoring all others, to ensure a full belly. You don’t want to go out there with a fly that trout consider off menu for that time of year.
It’s also important to keep your fly size in mind. Two-thirds of a trout's meals take place underneath the surface of the water, not on it. The simplest way to determine if your fly size is too big, too small, or just the right size is by taking a streamside sample. Scope out cobblestone sized rocks that are fully submerged. Inspect the rock and you’ll find it coated with several insects. You don’t need to know the type. All you are looking for is size, color, and if you have a decent match in your supply.
Be Wise and Precise About Your Gear
An angler is only as good as his rod and his reel. That may seem hyperbolic, but one of the greatest mistakes a fisherman can make is acquiring cheap gear. It’s often easy to experience sticker shock in this industry, we know. There’s also a lot of flashy and superfluous equipment out there that, while appealing, is unnecessary. Only start out with what you need; the fish won’t know the difference, but your wallet sure will.
A graphite fly rod within the medium price range is going to pay for itself in a short amount of time. Be sure to pair it up with a metal fly reel, too. While plastic is more affordable, “cheap” is a homonym for this route of purchase. Thankfully, most manufacturers sell fly rods and reels as a set. Not only are they going to be matched by weight already, but a bundle-like discount is usually applied. Winner winner trout for dinner.
If you’re just starting out in the game, all you will need is a rod, a reel, fishing line, a few flies, a fly pack or vest, and a net. That’s it. Build from there and don’t get the fun sucked out of the sport with a hefty investment upfront. See if your passion and dedication sticks and then go for more accessories.
Location, Location, Location
It’s a bit silly to spend more time commuting to a fishing site than time actually spent there. If you’re in a proper location fairly close to home, make that your go to spot. That way you can get there early, before or after work, on the weekends, or for spur-of-the-moment visits. If that’s not in the cards for you based on your location, it’s no sweat. Just look for an area open enough where you are able to cast your line without worrying about getting caught in some trees or brush.
“Trout don’t live in ugly places” is important to keep in mind when planning a fly-fishing trip if you must travel a far distance to cast your line. This might go without saying, but some scenery that you like to spend time in doesn’t hurt either. Like fly-fishing in Colorado!
If you’re the pioneering type and want to seek out uncharted waters, great! Just do yourself a favor and pack light and with equipment that is fitting. Packing too much weight is going to rob some joy out of the experience for you and can be avoided rather easily. If you’re more trusting of spots that have already been discovered and just want to start fishing, that’s also fine! No matter what kind of place you have in mind, it’s all around good etiquette to avoid competing with other anglers for space and for fish. Speaking of etiquette...
Don’t Forget to Pack Your Manners
Unfortunately, participants of any sport can often put their own wants and needs over that of their peers or even total strangers. The best view of the basketball court is limited sitting down, so we stand up and block the view of the person behind us. A laugh that’s too hard to hold back interferes with a man's golf swing. It’s not always intentional, but it’s all too common and fly-fishing has seen its fair share of breaks in basic codes of conduct. That’s why it’s good to
Remind all anglers; if you think that you might be a little too close to another fisherman, you probably are.
If you’re going to fish in the same area, it shows respect and cooperation if you ask your fellow angler if they mind that you fish near them. If they happen to give you the green light, figure out which direction they are casting and then put some great distance between you and them further upstream. This will allow both of you to reap the benefits of the spot simultaneously, but feels as if you’re fishing alone.
Keep in mind, this rule of thumb goes both ways. More fishermen appear in the sport every day. Fishing spots are not. This leads to overcrowding and an every man for himself attitude that is all too common. If someone approaches your waters looking like they have intent to fish, imagine you are them. Show good sportsmanship and work with them to make sure you both get to tap into the wild.
Have Fun and Keep Learning
If you’re a greenhorn, the single greatest piece of advice anyone could give you is to have fun. It’s going to take more than one trip to get your cast down, to understand the functionality and inner workings of your gear, and where the fish are. Don’t work too hard and try to reinvent the wheel either. There are tons of online forums, YouTube tutorials, and fly shop employees out there ready to help.
If you’re not having fun, what is the point? Similarly, if you’re not taking the time to learn or opening yourself up to the possibility that there is anything left to learn, why bother? This venture is all about enjoying yourself and the outdoors. We appreciate the way Roderick Haig-Brown puts it; "There will be days when the fishing is better than one's most optimistic forecast, others when it is far worse. Either is a gain over just staying home."
Every fly angler has been in this exact situation hundreds of times. You've found a slow-moving pool with a pod of trout visibly rising to feed. The trout are rising consistently and you've been watching carefully. Rather than taking insects sitting on the top, they look to be stopping short of taking anything on the surface.
These trout are, in fact, taking larvae just below the surface. It's an easy meal for them and, during these circumstances, they usually aren't willing to make the extra effort to take a dry fly or dive down for a weighted nymph pattern. They swim a few inches below the surface and let the struggling larvae drift right to them. It just goes to show that trout are masters of conserving energy while actively feeding.
So, how do you catch these trout without spooking them?
A great option is to use a dry-dropper rig and suspend a more natural nymph or emerger imitation a few inches below the surface. In other words, this isn't your typical dry-dropper rig. Rather than using a foamy grasshopper pattern, we will use a small parachute dry fly such as an Adams Parachute. When this dry fly hits the surface, it won't deter or push them away with its large splat. This lightweight dry fly serves as an indicator -- if they take it, good, but the main goal is to have a small visible indicator that won't spook them. Next, substitute that flashy 'dropper' nymph for a more realistic fly like a beadless Pheasant Tail nymph or a Jujubee Midge.
Attach a small 6-inch section of 5X or 6X tippet to your dry fly of choice and drop the unweighted nymph or emerger off the back. When you cast this dry dropper rig out the dry fly will suspend the nymph just a few inches below the surface, right where the trout are feeding.
6-inch section of 5x or 6x tippet.
Tied off the eye or back of the dry fly.
Small emerger pattern combined with a visible dry fly.
Because these trout are extremely sensitive to vibrations in the water and are keeping a close eye on predators from above, make an effort to position yourself carefully so that you won't be seen, your steps aren't heavy, and your casts are drag-free; this also includes your shadow and the shadow of your rod. If you need to, make a wide and distanced approach so that you're casting 20 to 30-feet downstream at an angle or upstream at an angle.
I strongly believe that in almost every situation you can serve a perfect presentation just by choosing your position carefully. Take advantage of what is provided.
Your ability to position yourself in the stream such that the presentation is drag-free and naturally drifts with the current is of the utmost importance. In fact, I strongly believe that in almost every situation you can serve a perfect presentation just by choosing your position carefully. Take advantage of what is provided. For example, leveraging the direction of the current to your advantage or even the wind. When it comes to fly fishing successfully, presentation is king. It's not always your choice of pattern, color, size, or time of day -- it's how you present what you have. Almost every time I fail to hook into any fish, it's because my presentation was lacking.
With that being said, present your fly gently so that it just softly lands on the surface. A great way to achieve a soft cast is to shoot your line a few feet above the water and let gravity do the rest. Now, keep an eye on your dry fly, mend when needed, and watch for it to suddenly get pulled under the surface. After that, lift your rod and happy fishing!
