French Nymphing Review

I also posted this in response to the April 2009 tip, but thought it deserved its own topic.

Those are excellent observations. In the video, Aaron is essentially demonstrating upstream or French nymphing. This method makes use of many casts in an effort to provoke reaction strikes from wily stream bred trout. The reaction strike comes about from the plop of the flies, followed by a downward jigging motion and then a short fast drift in shallower broken riffles or current seams. The casts are generally made upstream or slightly up and across and in rapid succession, following a grid pattern. The grid pattern takes the form of a radial grid where you the angler are at the center. The range to your quarry is typically between 10 and 30 feet, and you work an angle (azimuth) from say 9 to 3 o'clock. Each grid point gets a quick drift between 1 and 3s. During a hatch with this method, you can effectively raise the rod with a gentle strike at the 2s mark.

The cast is important here, as it is not the water load variety we associate with some forms of Euro nymphing. You need to concentrate on a smooth acceleration of the casting stroke, followed by a really definite STOP of the rod. You must get the rod to stop sharply. You should feel the rod recoil with a thump. At the thump, the rod unloads all its power into the leader to straighten it out, causing the flies to fling forward of the sighter.

Any sighter is effective for this method, but I recommend a shorter piece of material about 6in long. This is also an occasion to use 6X or lighter, especially when you are fishing for smaller wild fish.

I used this method just last Sunday on the Hammonnassett River seasonal TMA. The section I fished was open to put and take fishing and had been pounded all weekend by spinning guys with bait and lures. As I arrived there was actually three people fishing a spot hard. They left after a while, and had several typical stockie browns on their stringers. I moved in and rigged the French nymphing setup with my old T&T LP904 soft action 4 weight in a 9ft rod. I worked the "neglected" areas of the pool in the head and behind small river obstructions and was immediately into untouched fish, both stockies and holdovers. The fish you catch in these areas seem to fight with more gusto, born of the fact that they are constantly exercising in faster holding water. It is really satisfying to be amongst the fish and in the river environs this way.

For flies, you need not get crazy with variety. For these conditions and time of year I would fish a size 16 bright green caddis larva as the anchor and a size 18 flashback Hare's Ear as the dropper. That's all it takes to get 'em good.

Hope you enjoyed my description of French nymphing in the South Branch of the Raritan. Tight lines.

Great review and description, Alain.

Also, glad I'm not the only one here who fishes a T&T. ;D

I've been using the french method on some wild streams out around me, and it really works well.

chris, you still haven't gotten your greys?

I finally got it on the 16th. I like it a lot. I've been catching fish left and right with the thing. It's a good rod, with a lot of sensitivity. Now i'm lookin at the 11 footers.

Just a heads up for you guys, I talked to some of the people at beulah rods this past week. I've been told they are coming out with light trout rods over 10 foot long. Should be available this fall. Hopefully they make a good 11 footer for under 650. I know I'd buy one.

Awesome Awesome job Alain. Thanks for that.

Thanks for the description. I want to try tomorrow morning before the sun is too direct.

I am always trying to stand at a right angle of the focus area. This should open up more target areas for me.

[quote author=RubberLips link=topic=2962.msg21950#msg21950 date=1240585137]
I finally got it on the 16th. I like it a lot. I've been catching fish left and right with the thing. It's a good rod, with a lot of sensitivity. Now i'm lookin at the 11 footers. they have a ten foot rod coming out ,there rods are wrapped here in the states ,in oregon :) im waiting for the shop i go to to carry them im getting one of their seven weight two handers .My friend is friends with their rep here ,id like to see a nice 11'rod that is atleast wrapped here ,the tfo,and the greys are made and wrapped over seas ,atleast they would be half american !

Just a heads up for you guys, I talked to some of the people at beulah rods this past week. I've been told they are coming out with light trout rods over 10 foot long. Should be available this fall. Hopefully they make a good 11 footer for under 650. I know I'd buy one.
[/quote]

Alain, thank you very much for this post, I know it was provoked by my response to the totm. Your explanations are always so clear and thorough. The pictorial representation really helped to understand the spectrum of the multiple drift placements. Thank you again!

I found this PDF on French and Czech leader formulas. Seems like overkill to me but I am no expert. What do you think Aaron?
http://www.cwtu.org/gallery/images/F...mpf%5B1%5D.pdf

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