My introduction to Euro Nymphing and the coild Sighter

**passinthru63** · 05-09-2010, 07:44 PM

I spent Saturday morning on the Farmington River with Aaron getting some instruction on Euro nymphing which is something I have been wanting to do for a year now - thanks to this site and reading all the posts on Euro Nymphing I decided it was something I just had to try.

Previously I only used an indicator and had some success with it, but I seem to have more problems than success. Many of my attempts at indicator nymphing would lead me skunked and normally frustrated in trying to figure out what I was doing wrong only to switch over to my trust wooly bugger to catch fish in spots I just nymphed through with no sign of a fish. I think most of my problems to date have come from concentrating way to much on my indicator verses my flies which was causing me nothing but problems with my line control so I was really excited to try out the euro nymphing techniques and an inline sighter as I felt I would have much more control over my fishing with this method.

I must admit that it didn't take me long to get the hang of it and I truly felt I had much more control of my flies as well. Now it may be all in my head, but production was way up for me with this method. Ofcourse having Aaron around to instruct me and bonk me on the head when needed was probably the real factor in my success. ;D

I was amazed at how much casting I was actually doing as opposed to lobbing my flies and indicator into position. The long leader threw me off a bit with my casting but I got it figured out some (I only hooked one tree). I really got a work out for sure. What I really liked is that with the inline sighter I always had a true indication of what I was doing, where my flies where and ofoucrse I liked having contact with the flies and not only could I feel what was going on I could see every little tell tale sign with that coiled sighter. I do a lot of dead drifting with my buggers when fishing so this method just seemed more natural for me. There were times early on Saturday just starting out when I caught myself thinking ....set the hook...but I didn't set the hook. It was funny but I think that was due to the lack of success I've had indicator nymphing so it took a few drifts for me to change my mind set and realize this was actually working, but once I did I was hooking up much more often.

I'm really glad I booked time with Aaron to work on this and I probably should have done the same for my indicator nymphing but seeing that seemed easier I just rolled on my own there. Aaron was very patient, spent plenty of time answering my questions and helping me not only learn euro nymphing but also fix any other bad habits I had created over the past few years. Even with the rain and dogging the lightening we had a great day with plenty of fish, many of them landed and a few lost (I lost a beauty - can't believe I didn't get thrown in the river on that one) and plenty more just plain missed. I can't wait to continue my euro nymphing on my own and I'm am certain I will be booking Aaron for a followup lesson, that is if he can put up with me again.

Aaron has all the pictures so I will post a report in the Connecticut section later. Aaron, thanks for an incredible day and for your patience and instruction. It is guides like you with a passion for this sport and desire to teach others that I got hooked on fly fishing 4 years ago.

Jim

**Jkilroy** · 05-09-2010, 08:03 PM

What was your biggest, and did you catch any wild fish?

**AaronJasper** · 05-09-2010, 08:25 PM

No wild fish as they are not common in the Farmington. We did get a number of nice holdover browns up to 18 inches.

Thanks for kind words Jim! And no he was not put up to it

I'll be ready for round two... Will you

**Jkilroy** · 05-09-2010, 08:49 PM

The long line method is deadly! I went out a month ago with Aaron and learned it but haven't practiced it much, a couple of times. I've been fishing a small stream near my house and if I'd try that I'd catch more trees than fish. I've been lobbing more than anything, still works. Other day I fished a stream which I never broke 10 in an outing, well I got 15, 10 from one hole and a wild bow! That style of nymphing is so awesome!

**AaronJasper** · 05-09-2010, 08:59 PM

You should go to the Farmington this year. It's a lot of fun. The holdover browns are some beautiful fish!

**Magnet** · 05-10-2010, 01:14 AM

Kroy,
There are fish of wild origin In the Farmington. The fishery is being managed proactively with varying regulations for different sections. The Farmington river is one of the best managed rivers in the country. I'm sure the biologist from the state Neal H. (not sure of his last name ) knows the natural propagation numbers. The bottom line for me as an angler is on Saturday is I was able to catch and release 3 browns in the 18 inch class. It is a tail water but as Aaron explained to me has the characteristics of a free stone. The water temp Saturday afternoon was 53. That temp was skewed high because we had a burst of rain that morning and the main feeder stream entering below the 90 foot dam, the Still river, was elevated. Aaron also explained to me that without the need of major releases from the dam we are going to have good temps this summer. AJ said,"with all that cold water held back at the bottom of that reservoir, its like money in the bank for the summer."