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Brown Trout-
I don't have an availability date on that DVD yet, but I'll post it when I do. Sounds like it's gonna be a good one. I'm sure Loren knows Jack Dennis, and Vladi taught him how to tie & fish woven Polish nymphs. Nothing like learning from the originator.
I disagree with John about the split shot--I think it detracts from the effectiveness of being in 100% contact with your flies. But, there are definitely times where a vertical "indicator" presentation is superior. For me, I use dry/dropper. I like d/d rigs when I have slow water or a very long run/expanse of water to fish. Many European techniques are designed to target grayling which will often inhabit different water types than will trout. Plus, grayling are a shoaling fish so when you find one there will almost always be more. Short line techniques are very well suited to getting those fish, detecting their lite bites, and getting a positive hook set.
You really do not need to load up with an arsenal of multitudes of shapes and sizes of flies. The fly's design, the number of flies, and the tippet diameter are variables to factor in. Yes, having some variability in fly weight is important but it's really not as bad as you would imagine. My main nymph box only has a few patterns and most of them are #14 or smaller--and I can fish in some pretty nasty stuff with them alone. But hey--I like to tie flies and experiment with new patterns all the time so it's all good. But typically when I teach versatile nymphing my students learn real quick that the fly is a secondary piece of the puzzle--and they all enjoy not using split shot.
Lastly, every comp. angler I know is a subjective fishermen rather than imitative. We settle on a few patterns that imitate food across the board rather than try to imitate each insect--it makes life easier.
That said, faced with the right conditions these skills will hammer trout of all sizes. Keep in mind that brown trout and brook trout will get increasingly piscivorous at larger sizes so if you want to target large specimens (if they exist in your stream) then larger streamers are the way to go. Rainbows and cutts as well as whities will continue to dine on insects and these techniques will connect you to large fish. In fact, once you get clever with them you will begin fishing and catching in water previously ignored.
Because of the nature of competition--we must be very good at catching pressured fish--and since we cannot chose the water we fish we get good at finding them. Getting a fly to them and recognizing a take is the real issue....and these high-level techniques do just that.
[quote author=Nymphmeister link=topic=1060.msg8832#msg8832 date=1203561473]
Sounds like it could be a really good DVD.
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Jack has sent me unedited versions of the tying and fishing portions of the DVD--I have not seen the intact commercial product btu I'm certain you will find it valuable toward understanding the theory and application of Euro-nymphing. Just remember--as Davy has pointed out--these are not static techniques. The angler must understand the application and how to to adjust according the water and fish. Something as simple as putting an anchor above the target flies or below changes the whole aspect of the rig and what is will do.
But, if you are a sponge like me you'll eat it up--process it and take what you like and make it yours. Such is hwo you can really get excited about fly-fishing if you ever find yourself tiring of the same-ole, same-ole.
[quote author=Brown_Trout link=topic=1060.msg9703#msg9703 date=1205112951]
Welcome to TPO Loren. Doing any fishing lately?
JR
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Hi JR...still more time guiding than fishing--at least for the next month. But training will start for me in earnest soon.
[quote author=LorenWilliams link=topic=1060.msg9711#msg9711 date=1205116009]
[quote author=Brown_Trout link=topic=1060.msg9703#msg9703 date=1205112951]
Welcome to TPO Loren. Doing any fishing lately?
JR
[/quote]
Hi JR...still more time guiding than fishing--at least for the next month. But training will start for me in earnest soon.
[/quote]
Hey Loren
Are you and George going to New Zealand this month for the Tournament?
[quote author=Nymphmeister link=topic=1060.msg9706#msg9706 date=1205114396]
Brown Trout-
I don't have an availability date on that DVD yet, but I'll post it when I do. Sounds like it's gonna be a good one. I'm sure Loren knows Jack Dennis, and Vladi taught him how to tie & fish woven Polish nymphs. Nothing like learning from the originator.
[/quote]
Sounds good b/c I am interesting in this video. Also will the fly shop you work at will carry it? b/c I think mine probaby wont carry it because they think czech nymphing is b/s (Loren might know who I am talking about) but I am interested in trying this. I do remember a little bit from John Wilson and Loren at the Team USA tryout demo last year but I aint sure that George didn't talk about it.
You guys have had a phenomenal Steelhead season on the Salmon River ever since the early Fall. And I haven't made a single trip up there this season! I actually did a brief stint guiding the Salmon River area when I got out of college, working under Fran Verdoliva. This was in '87-'88.
Couple more ques re CN/Polish nymphing:
-Weighted scud hooks tend to ride upside down. I love the way the Czech nymphs look, with the lighter underside and darker backs, just like the natural bugs, but won't they ride upside down? Obviously they catch fish either way.
-It sounds like you do get some above average trout with this technique, esp. bows & cutts. I find indicator & shot quite effective on above average browns- I get quite a few holdover browns in the 18-21" range out of my two local rivers, the Housatonic & Farmington. I'd love to see how the European techniques would stack up in these streams I'm familiar with. Do you get many above average browns with CN techniques? I'm aware of the effectiveness of streamers on big trout & love to use them when I'm targetting really big fish in the 20" and up range.
-Regarding competition, is it accurate to say that they are primarily won by catching numbers of smaller trout rather than bigger ones?
-Any tips on recognizing the correct water for the Polish/CN technique? I understand from what you & others have wrote that you are looking for a very specific water type, and after you have some experience will be able to discern it. Obviously you need some water with decent current, and not so deep that you cannot wade close to it.
-Your favorite nymph rod for the technique? Most of my friends are fishing 10' rods for nymphing, #5's mainly, sometimes #4's (I love the 4 weight when conditions allow it). I also have a 9 1/2' #5 XP I fish sometimes- good multi-purpose crossover rod. The Z-Axis rods from Sage are amazing, the best series of rods I've ever seen.
-Typical range of tippet sizes? Obviously it will vary depending on fly sizes & conditions, just curious on your input on this. 4-5x are the most common sizes for me, with 3x on big stones in heavy water, and occasionally 6x with small nymphs in slower, clear water, bright sun & heavy fishing pressure.
-What do you feel the primary advantages of the technique is? It seems as though the methodology gives you a very high percentage of strike detection, primarily due to the lack of slack in the system.
Thanks in advance-
Brown Trout-
Yes we will carry the DVD when it comes out, I expect it to be a good seller. The book "Czech Nymph" that was just recently translated into English has been selling well at the shop.
LOREN,
WELCOME TO THE FORUM , QUESTION LEADER DESIGN , THE FRENCH HAVE WON THE TEAM CHAMPIONSHIPS THE LAST 4 YEARS IN A ROW , THEY PLACE A LOT OF INFLUENCE ON INCORPORATING ,STRIKE INDICATORS INTO THEIR LEADER DESIGN , AND USING VERY LONG LEADERS , AND MICRO RINGS TO STOP THE FLIES FROM WRAPPING AROUND THE LEADER , ALSO BOILING MONO , AND WRAPPING IT AROUND A DOWN AND SUBMERGING IT INTO BOILING WATER /THEN INTO A BATH OF VINEGAR ,AND ICE WATER .AND PLACING THE FLUOROCARBON INTO THE FREEZER OVER NIGHT SO THAT IT HOLDS IT SHAPE, DO YOU HAVE A PREFERRED LEADER DESIGN FOR FISHING .
[quote author=Brown_Trout link=topic=1060.msg9713#msg9713 date=1205116543]
[quote author=LorenWilliams link=topic=1060.msg9711#msg9711 date=1205116009]
[quote author=Brown_Trout link=topic=1060.msg9703#msg9703 date=1205112951]
Welcome to TPO Loren. Doing any fishing lately?
JR
[/quote]
Hi JR...still more time guiding than fishing--at least for the next month. But training will start for me in earnest soon.
[/quote]
JR,
George is, I was not selected for the world team this year. My eyes are now on Scotland.
Hey Loren
Are you and George going to New Zealand this month for the Tournament?
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