The Northern California Fly Fishing Board

I feel like the time has come to 'kick it up a notch' with my nymphing. What resources have you found (i.e., videos, books, online articles, people, etc) that have helped you improve?

thanks for constructive input,

Dave

more time on the water. use an indicator if you need to.

Nymphing is like fishing with a single salmon egg and a couple of split shot. The one difference is, the fish hold on to a nymph a lot less time then they hold on to a salmon egg.

Paul

Fish with someone who knows what he/she is doing. Enroll in a nymphing clinic or fish with your best fishing buddy. It should improve from there.

AB

If you live anywhere near the Sacramento area, I'd suggest that you take a nymphing class from Jeff Putnam, a local FF guide and guru. I took a class from him a while back, and it changed the way I fish nymphs, and even made me comfortable in ditching the dreaded indicator (most of the time!). I believe he works through Kiene's Fly Shop.

Cheers!

--FlyGuy (Dave)

Lose the indicator and the slack line. Made all the difference for me.

With a tight line you can "hit" gently on each pause, rather than jerking a bunch of line out of the water and screwing up the rest of your drift.

You may have to wade a little more carefully so that you can wade closer to your targeted spot.

Shortening your total leader can help too. Don't be afraid to make the final tippet section longer and finer. Allows your bug to sink faster.

Also, add enough weight so that you are snagging the bottom quite often(relative) and then remove a split shot or two.

Welllll..., maybe keep one indicator, because they can come in handy for drifts that are longer and have a more consistant depth. Just don't let anyone see you doing it!

Takes awhile to adjust and then you will be amazed at your fish count going up.

IMNSHO...

thanks for the input. I should probably clarify that I'm not a complete novice to nymphing. However, I recognzie that there is always room to grow and learn. I've employed several of the techniques already mentioned, some with greater success than others. Perhaps the most succesful for me has been using an indicator with a 90 degree drop, split shot, nymph, tailing nymph.
Yes, I catch fish. Simply put, I'm wanting to learn and improve. I think I will check into taking a class from Jeff Putnam (thanks FlyGuy). It seems that there has got to be a DVD out there that someone has found helpful, too.

Dave

At the risk of repeating myself...lose the indicator. And then keep at it.

If you are mildly successful WITH an an indicator, you will be wildly successful WITHOUT one. If done properly. It may take a guide to help you learn the method, and it may take a guide to help you identify which type of water to fish the method.

Not trying to jerk your chain or be an a$$hoe...

You stated "Perhaps the most succesful for me has been using an indicator with a 90 degree drop, split shot, nymph, tailing nymph." I assumed that meant indicator nymphing is your preferred, and thus your most common method of nymphing, particularly since you are successful at it.

Maybe it was an assumption I shouldn't have made. Sorry.

It does take some water time and various trial-and-error leader/terminal tackle combinations to get it right. A guide can certainly help you there too.

Sometimes it is difficult to keep at it because it does take awhile to learn, and if not done properly, it is a WORSE way to try and catch fish.

I would like to think I was a successful(it's all relative) bobicator. After I dropped the bobicator...EUREKA!! My #s went thru the roof.

Anyway...just trying to help(and save you a guide fee), not stir the pot.

I found the DVD The Naked Truth About Nymphs to be very helpful. Mike Pawlawski and Jim Roberts are both excellent numphers and provide some good insight into the entire process.


Buzz

Hey Buzz, thanks for the tip on the DVD. I ordered it, watched it a few times, changed a couple of things on how I was rigging up, and booyah! check out my latest post!

Based on your other post today, keep going back to your favorite fishing hole; that's what I would recommend!!

I recommend what Ed recommends.
I also recommend you invite me along for giving you the great tip on the DVD!