Nymph Fly Fishing
by
Eugene Macri

Yellow Orange Stonefly Nymph

The Nymph fly and nymph fly fishing is probably the most consistent way of catching trout and other game fish. The reason for this is simple: trout and other game fish spend most of their time feeding underwater either at the bottom or in the layers going to the top. For the most part this is the most efficient and energy saving method. Nymph fly fishing is also the most difficult and requires the most skill and the most practice of the main fly fishing methods which include dry fly fishing, wet fly fishing and streamer fishing.

Trout however, can be just as and sometimes more selective when feeding on nymphs than on the adult flies. Nymph fishing has evolved over the years and there are many schools of thought on what are the best methods. Fly fisherman should realize that there is no "magic formula" for fishing nymphs contrary to what many fly fishing internet pundits and those on the magazine circuit have proclaimed. Nymphs are effective simply because trout and other game fish feed on them more than any other stage of insect in most streams. There are exceptions however including certain species of trout in streams which are not rich where the trout feed mainly on terrestrial insects in the summer.

One of the great debates is whether to use an indicator or not when fishing nymphs. This is one of those debates that is more academic than piscatorial. Whatever works for you is usually the rule of thumb. However, when fishing big water especially out West I find the difference between watching the colored end of your fly line or some bright colored knot or object elsewhere on the leader without merit. What is the big difference? On big water and larger heavier streams some type of indicator will help you locate the leader and put less strain on your eyes. It should also be noted that the indicators don't always work on some streams because the fish are just too quick. Here the fly angler must develop his 6th sense which comes over time and practice. Nymph fly fishing has many methods. Because nymphs can be the greatest threat to the trout fly anglers have developed a number of methods. Here are just a few of them and how I rate them in terms of success:

Upstream Nymphing: High Rod Short Line: This is one of the deadliest methods of nymph fishing. However, it requires a lot of skill and patience. Furthermore, since you are usually fishing close to the trout you must be stealthy. There are many variations of this we eventually discuss all of them.

Quartering Upstream and Across: Another good method and highly effective especially during hatches because the fly angler can impart motion to the fly and trout will often follow drifting flies and take the fly as it rises before the turn downstream.

Three-quartering down stream: Like the old wet fly method works well some days on some streams. On some streams however, it will spook the fish.

Straight downstream with a retrieve: Often works when stoneflies are active.

Upstream with a mended line curl. This method causes the fly to swing on the bottom and it's sometime effective when nothing else works.

There are other method we will talk about including different dropper rigs including the Czech Nymph Fishing System and a even a few you have never heard of in future articles.