Wintertime nymphing

[Nymphmeister]

As a person with just under one year of Euro style nymphing under his belt, I'm still learning almost every time I go out. I expected to do better in the Winter with the indicator methods I have been using for the last 30 years, but thus far I seem to be doing better with Euro techniques. In the streams I fish, Winter trout seem to move to the slower water, and generally I would say the indicator is superior for that- you can suspend your flies off bottom, stay back further from the trout, and run long drifts along slower current seams.

What thoughts/opinions/feedback do you other guys have about this? The one big advantage I so seem to see with the Euro style methods is the better strike detection. In cold water the strikes are so subtle, and the tight line Euro methods seem to have the best strike detection of all, esp. on really subtle takes.

[alanb_ct]

One big benefit to the Euro nymphing in cold conditions is the fixed length of line. Very little line slides through the guides and so less ice forms. When you indicator nymph, the tendency is always to cast a little more line out to make your first big mend, then take in the slack. All the mending and line handling makes for icy guides and hands.

However, an indicator provides the super slow and suspended drifts that Euro nymphing cannot. Euro nymphing by its nature is leading the fly through the drift, however slowly, in a slight pendulum arc from the tip of your rod while keeping the drift as parallel as possible to the stream bottom. In the winter, the fish often want a suspended fly that is not moving vertically at all, and I think this may be impossible to achieve Euro-style, or at least not as easy to achieve. Also, one you set up a long indicator drift, you are free to keep one hand warm in your pocket, and you have to cast less often.

Take for example last Friday when I fished in Westchester. The fish were deep midging in water that was barely moving and doing so upstream from my position. I could not wade further upstream. I don't see a way to Euro nymph that situation unless you grease the sighter or use a dry dropper.

I think a good strategy for winter fishing is to indicator nymph the slow times, then if any sort of insect activity (midges) is seen, try to move upstream and Euro nymph in the current.

A final point: the Farmington has not provided many opportunities for fish-catching comparisons lately anyway (unless you are sneaking up there without telling me ), so maybe part of the jury is still out.

I hope my explanations make sense.

[nutman]

i swear there is something you can put on your guides to help stop the ice from forming ,does anyone no what im talking about ?

[alanb_ct]

nutman: it's called "Stanley's Ice Off Paste" or chapstick. It only works for about a half hour.

[Davyfly]

Alain,

I with you when those days are so cold. I fish the easiest way for comfort.
the other day when l was out temps were way down and a wicked wind chill.
Pretty much l set up with a fixed indicator rig and fished the shallow riffles, which is where the fish were, not inclined to take a fly unless it was bottom dragged. White tail midges were the killer.
I wear a jacket that has a Kangaroo pouch and in it are two handwarmers, l use the foot size as they are way better than the hand size. I hate to wear gloves when fishing to be honest, l alternate rod hands, can do same with either and while doing so the other is in the warm pouch.

If ice is the issue, here we would not see river temps much less than 45 so rod imersion clears the ice off when needed. The trick is to shack off the water after you have done it
I tried the ice off products in the past, more trouble than worth if you ask me.

Davy.

[Adam]

best ice off trick I have used was to spray Pam on the guides....unfortunately you spend the day thinking about breakfast with the smell of that stuff in the air.

[alanb_ct]

Davy, I had two 18 hour handwarmers in each pocket. The Heatmax brand products work the best, but I had to mail order them this year. I also can't stand wearing gloves and have not yet this winter. I learned the alternating hand trick from my father many years ago when fishing through the ice for yellow perch. This season I am also starting to Euro nymph with my off hand (left) and it is working out. I can't wait to catch my first trout this way! Aaron does this quite often for better presentation based on flow direction and obstructions; I learned from him.

headhunter: I don't like the thought of spraying chemicals near my expensive fly lines (have you seen the '09 prices?). The wax is really mild, not sticky and seems benign, but as Davy said, its value is questionable.

[Nymphmeister]

I do find that with the Euro style & a longer leader, as long as I can get within a reasonable distance I can also fish using only one hand, using a fixed amount of line. This takes care of the ice up problem. Of course as mentioned you can do this with an indicator rig also, as long as you don't try to fish too much line. Longer rods definitely help a lot with this, giving you the ability to manage significantly longer amounts of line.

[Adam]

Alain..valid thought...but if fishing euro/polish style is the fly line even a consideration anymore?
I can see if swinging a traditional indicator rig it might be something to consider.

[alanb_ct]

headhunter: if you hook a 3lb brown or big steelhead, the fly line definitely comes into play, as it whizzes through your guides on the way out!

You are correct though, that fly line does not come into play on the cast for many Euro nymphing methods.