euro-nymphers vs "the others"

[jordanfstop]

After finishing up at a local stream tonight, another angler was walking to his car while I was packing up so I started a conversation with him. We start talking about the usual, then he starts to tell me what dries he was catching fish on, so I was telling him how I just started euro-nymphing and the great success I've had doing it so he goes "Oh boy, you're a euro-nympher?! God Bless you... I want to keep things as simple as possible."

This leads to my question- do "traditional" fly fishers tend to thing that euro-nymphing is crazy/weird/hard/"un-orthodox" or anything of those sorts?

[Magnet]

Jordan,
He is not wrong to imply that euro-nymphing is more multifaceted then surface fishing. Possibly the stigma of the Euro-nymphing technique being of foreign origin may be part of the negative vibe you sensed. People don't understand it and probably don't want to. Had you said you were a student of the Joe Humphrey's nymphing technique you may have gotten a different response. The Europeans may have read Joe Humphrey's "Trout Tactics" and developed very similar methods which they found were successful for them. Knowledge tends to blend from all different sources, don't you think? When I first found this web site I was catching nothing. I am not exaggerating. In 2006, I fished opening day at the Farmington for 10 hours and caught no fish. I was one of those guys who said,"Its nice to be out here. It doesn't matter if I catch fish." What a load of crap I was feeding myself. So I became determined to learn how to catch fish with regularity. Once in a while, I would have some luck stripping woolly buggers and that kept me going for months and into the ensuing winter. That was when I found the TPO web site. I saw these guys were having fun catching a ton of fish. I couldn't believe the information which was being shared here. I lurked and learned for about 6 months. I didn't consider ever joining and interacting with others on the internet. I'm old school and I thought that was bizarre. Gradually I realized that these guys genuinely wanted to share their techniques with those who wanted to learn. Quite a novel idea in fly fishing I might add.( I know this is getting boring so I'll try to wrap it up) In August of 2007 I decided to take Aaron's indicator nymphing clinic. I was so pumped with my new knowledge that I stopped at the Farmington on the way home and low and behold caught 5 trout! From that day forward I became known as,the trout "Magnet" Subsequently I took a euro-nymphing class with Aaron and now my catch rates have become abundant and solidly consistent. Yes it is less simple than dry fly fishing but no less fun. So Jordan, catch lots of fish euro-nymphing and don't give a hoot about what any one else thinks. Just be thankful everyone isn't in the pocket water.

[jordanfstop]

Magnet-

Thanks for the reply. I wasn't affected by any means by his reply. I couldn't care less what others think of the type of fishing I do (obviously if it's in the normal realms.) I'd understand if people thought I was weird/crazy/unorthodox if I was fishing with a nymph attached to 10' of tippet attached to each one of my toes while sitting in a tree playing a ukelele, then I'd accept their judgement. (Though, that does sound pretty fun, no?) Great story, though. The guy today (a genuinely nice guy) just sparked my interest in seeing how the "old timers" see euro-nymphing.

[Adam]

Jordan-

Interesting topic. I do believe that euro for that matter any type of nymphing takes a lot more skill than I ever realized. As I may have said earlier...since trying out this technique I have really begun to look at a river in 3d in regards to the dynamics of the water. Surface current vs. subsurface...pockets and holding water that I never really realized existed or if I did...I overlooked.

There is a romanticism associated with the dry fly. To each their own. I want the best odds for catching fish...

[TroutAholic]

Jordan's post reminded me of a thought I had regarding some folks who only dry fly fish. Don't get me wrong, I love to catch fish on dry flies, but I also love to nymph.

Anyway, we all have heard, from time to time, dry fly only guys who say nymphing is just too difficult to learn, or similar comments. Just two weekends ago I was chatting with a fellow angler who said just that, and that he hates to nymph.

Personally, I did not find it all that difficult to learn how to nymph effectively. But, there a little more to it than learning the techniques of nymphing. There is one very critical part of effective nymphing that may be the reason why some dry fly fishers avoid nymphing, and that is reading the water. After all, when fish are rising it is easy to see where you should be presenting your dry fly. I have fished many a day, with nymphs, where, for example, I know most of the trout are right up in the fast water at the top of a run, and seen plenty of other people nymphing who would not even touch the faster water, in fact some of them would wade right into the best water and nymph down stream.

I wonder how many dry fly fishers avoid nymphing for just that reason?

I suppose that I was fortunate to have learned a lot about reading the water while spin fishing, for years, before I came over from the dark side . I know that experience paid off quickly when I started fly fishing. The funny thing is, even 20 or so years ago, Flash and I would get a kick out of fly fishers who would be fishing the wrong water, while we were catching trout (spin fishing) out of fast water or pocket water that nobody else was touching.

Steve

[Troutastic]

From the experience I've had when it comes to discussing Euro-nymphing with other anglers, many of them just choose not to do it for the sole reason that they believe it's more of a hassle than anything. I've asked guides around here if they ever apply said techniques on rivers around here, and most of them steer away from it. They say "there's too many tangles." I guess I could see that with the 2-3 nymph rig, but at that point I hope they're confident enough in their cast that this would not be an issue, at least for me its not. Sure I have moments of massive spiderwebs of line, but its usually because I'm in a tight spot, hang up my backcast on the trees, and rip it out too quick to avoid. But even with indicator fishing I have the same issue.

All said and done, they don't have to do it if they don't want to, I just know that it works from my own experience, and I will continue to practice it if the conditions are right.

[LopatNympher]

My friend Ken definately falls into the "old School" category. We fish together maybe 3 a month in various streams and rivers here in the NJ/PA area. In fact he is the guy who talked me into putting down my ultralight spinning tackle in exchange for the old fly rod and reel I had hanging in the basement. He's shared a wealth of infromation with me, especially about indicator nymphing which was the first method he showed me last fall.
After joining this forum and reading about euro style nyphing I related some info to him and he kind of scoffed at it. Even when I would relate the quantity of fish I was catching he still seemed kind of skeptical about it. We went to the KLG together and when I tied on a cased caddis with a vladi for an anchor he almost broke out in laughter at the sight of that pink worm, that is until I started pulling out trout left and right. Now his mind is a little more open to the technique, he even said he is trying to emulate how I was fishing that day and has found that he is catching fish where he has never caught them before.

[BlackLabel]

I've run into my fair share of these people. I've heard all kinds of stupid things, I don't like nymphing cause I lose flies, 30ft of mono isn't really fly fishing, indicator nymphing is easier and a ton of other stupid things. I've even gotten crap from fly shops. Of all people fly shops should love this style, your customers catch more fish and loss more flies. As far as I'm concerned if people don't want to learn they're hurting them selves. If its not fly fishing I don't really care either, I guess I'm just the guy holding a fly rod using flies catching more fish than the "fly fisherman".

I've noticed fly fisherman in genral are not willing to learn new techniques. I don't understand this at all. I'm not saying Euro nymphing is the only way to catch trout or even the best way at all times but its worth a fair try.

I think back to my bass fishing day and every month I would get my magazines and there would be a new technique and new crap to buy. I would run out and get whatever they told me the next day. Some of it was junk or just didn't work for me but I tried it. In fly fishing it seems like 90% of fisherman want to "match the hatch" and fish in the big slow pools. If that works for you great but it pays to be open minded.

[1fly]

"The Europeans may have read Joe Humphrey's "Trout Tactics" and developed very similar methods which they found were successful for them."..... really??

[Magnet]

1fly,
I feel some of the techniques talked about in "Trout Tactics" are very similar. I know you are much more in tune about this than I but how about this as an example, every French style euro-nympher on a direct up stream presentation uses the tuck cast don't we? I know it was Joe's long time friend and mentor who first showed him the value of getting the flies down in the zone quickly but Joe's body of work and this book has been a standard to follow for many years. Alain suggested I get that book and now I in turn recommend it too. Please, I would not be offended if you were to enlighten me if I am wrong.