My last post dealt with my Nymphing by Numbers videos I got for Christmas. I went back and watched the video again, because I wanted to make sure I really understood some of the segments that were featured. The one segment that really got my attention was the section dealing with weights. The presenter in the video only used a weight to get his flies close to the bottom, not beadheads nymphs. In fact he said he never uses beadheads. He says they lack the action compared to your standard nymph flies. I agree after watching how he used this technique.
In his most used set-up there are two flies involved. One fly which is his anchor fly is tied at the end of the tippet with a weight or weights positioned 14 to 16” above it. He then places a tiny midge or scud 12” above the weight, and last is the indicator. The bottom fly he is using is most always a Stone Fly which is floating up with the weight bumping off the bottom. Hits are about equal on both flies. I know some of you guys have used this set-up and have been successful with it. I for one have not used it, but after seeing how many trout this guy landed with this technique, you can bet I will give it a try. He uses other nymphing set-ups in the video but the weight two fly method is what got my attention. As I stated in the first post, I am still in the learning stages here and anything dealing with improving my nymph fishing I am interested it. I am curious to know your favorite nymphing set-up that seems to never fail you. I will give all set-ups a try.
Sorry guys this is the closet I can come to his set-up. Not showing in the image above is the tiny midge he used above the weight in the image, in other words the weight seperated the two flies. I know this is a common set-up in fly fishing. I use the beadhead most of the time instead of the weight.
Caught my first fish with a bead head nymph just a little bit ago. An friend of mine is a fly fishing guide, he likes fishing a flashy unnatural nymph on top to help weigh down this smaller more natural looking stonefly or scud at the end of the tag line.
ReplyDeleteDid he explain why he uses the scud above the weight?
I've caught fishing using both beadheads and weights. I think the unweighted nymph with split shot definitely has more action than the beadhead. In his setup though, I would think the scud tied in the middle would have very little action. Did he catch a lot on the scud in the video?
ReplyDeleteDaniel
ReplyDeleteHe said he was using a smaller fly without any type of weight so it would float upward in the water column. The midge or scud would enable him to pick off the trout feeding at the top. He did say that the tiny 20,22 size midge and sucd was perfect to get the attention of those trout near the top, but not hitting on the top. Thanks for the comment
When I was fishing the lower Owens last summer, I used a thingamabobber about 3 feet up from a small pink scud. Then when I lost all those in the bushes, a Copper John. I really didn't know and still don't know what I was doing, but I caught a little brown and a little Brookie. Last summer in Angels Creek, I just used the nymph without an indicator. Caught a couple there too.
ReplyDeleteMark
Mark
ReplyDeleteNymphing has been one of the hardest thing for me to learn about trout fishing. My biggest problem is knowing when I am getting the hit. It is easy when you see the indicator go over, but that is very seldom.
I've tried just about every nymphing set up out there and they all work to some degree. I think the biggest reason folks have trouble nymphing is that the nymph is not getting deep enough. When I nymph, I expect to the fly to be snagging on the bottom every other cast or so. I rarely use beadhead nymphs, but I always use splitshot above the fly.
ReplyDeleteStrike detection just takes practice. The action of an indicator with a strike is usually subtle. If you nymph a lot, your eye will begin picking these small changes up and you'll be setting the hook more. Set the hook with any change at all in the indicator. Sometimes it's nothing, but often there's a fish on the other end.
Ty
ReplyDeleteI am like most trout fisherman, I want the dry action on top to happen all the time. Of course that is not the case and that is when I bring the nymphs out. I must admit I don't fish the nymph enough to get to watching the indicator to see if I am actually getting the hit. I will say I have improved over the past couple of years, but it is still a work in progress. Thanks for your comment.
Nice this video helped me a lot too.
ReplyDeletehttp://fishwithkev.blogspot.com/2010/04/fishing-with-indicators.html
Kev
ReplyDeleteMost fishing videos give you a lot of verbal information without the action of landing the fish, to prove its worth--not this video it backs up everything he shows you. Thanks for the comment
Jay
ReplyDeleteHe only fishes the scud once in his setups, the main flies he used were the midge and stone fly. He caught fish on both flies, but more was landed with the midge. Personally I would not use the scud at all and go totally with the midge at the top.
By the way the generators ran all day Saturday. Sunday is an hour off with heavy generation the better part of next week. This is from 5AM to 10PM; you would think they could reverse that and run them all night instead of the day. Alabama Power is not into trout fishing
i normally fish beadheads but jay brought up a good point about action. something to take into consideration
ReplyDeleteI have tried multiple methods and the best answer I have come up with so far is that the set-up you use has to reflect the body of water you are using it on. The part I haven't got passed is which one is perfect for the certain types of water. Also the thing I have learned about indicators that helps me a ton is the size of indicator to the size of fish. I.E. if I am fishing a small spring fed stream and most of the trout i will catch are 12" or under I will use a pinch float. If I am fishing a trib stream I will use something a little bigger. The pinch floats are nice because they will detect the slightest tug on your fly. Good post, I defiantly enjoyed the read! Tight Lines and Happy Fishing!
ReplyDeleteBrain
ReplyDeleteThanks for the advice; I realize you know what you are talking about. I see all the trout you land from your blog and I will use anything you tell me when I am back on the water.
Brain
ReplyDeleteI am with you and Jay there about the beadheads. I will try more weights in the coming trips.