Czech or Polish Nymphing

[Nymphmeister]

I copied this from part of another post I made under Fly Tying, as this seems like the spot I should have put it in the first place. I welcome any feedback, input or question you all have on this topic.

Czech or Polish nymphing jumped into the limelight out of the competitive fly fishing scene, and now it's all the rage on the internet and in magazines. It basically entails fishing 2 or 3 weighted flies with no shot or indicator on a non-tapered leader (straight tippet) on an extremely short line, keeping your rod tip low and ahead of the flies. The drifts are short, about 5-6 feet long, and the rod almost pulls the flies as they drift downstream in a straight line tracking under your rod tip. As soon as they pass your position, a wrist roll lifts them near the surface and they are lobbed back upstream. Strike detection is both visual & tactile- a Rio Nymph line helps, or use a fluorescent braided loop on the end of your line. As you can imagine, some of the flies they tie are basically a weighted sinker to get the other flies down in faster, deeper flows. Sizes typically range from #6-16 (tied on a scud type hook, the Czechs have their own somewhat unique barbless design- Partridge actually manufactures 2 Czech nymph hooks, but you can use a standard scud hook just fine), with #10 or so the most common. The Poles weave their flies, and the Czechs use a shellback design with dubbing and ribbing- flies are tied slim and with a minimum of appendages, so as to sink quickly. Patterns usually imitate Caddis larva & Scuds (often both), and are tied in both drab, natural colors and bright attractor shcemes, often with a hot spot of bright red, orange or pink dubbing wound between the thorax and abdomen.

The technique was originally created for Grayling, a fish that is common in Europe and tolerates a very close approach by the angler. Practiced with stealth in broken water, where it works best, it is also very effective on trout. Those who have watched competitions and seen it in action say it often outfishes the indicator and split shot rig most of us use by a wide margin. One fisherman will fish 200 yards of water and catch 5 trout, and then a Czech or Pole with come in after him and catch 30. Aaron is skeptical, bit it's definitely something I want to play around with. Europeans tend to use a 10' #4-5 rod for it, with tippet in the 4x-6x range. Poles use 2 nymphs, with the heavy one on the bottom and the lighter, smaller one up top. Czechs normally use 3, spaced 20" apart on droppers, with the heavy one in the middle to get the other 2 down. Leader length is usually the rod length or shorter, and you typically fish with only 1 to 3 feet of fly line beyond the rod tip. Rod tip stays low and ahead of the flies during the drift, leading them in a straight downstream path. High sticking puts a bow in the line that makes strike detection more difficult, so keep your rod relatively low and parallel with the surface. This method is most suited to shallow to medium water of a medium to fast flow- you have to be able to stand within a rod's length of the water you intend to fish.

Remember that Europeans typically fish in streams that are fished hard with no C&R regulations, which means the left over fish are the ones that are hard to catch. I some cases, where a similar stream here might have 100 fish in a 200 yard stretch, they might only have 5. This has bred techniques that are both efficient & highly effective, so don't discount this method as just another form of short line nymphing and dismiss it before you try it. I suspect we could make some modifications to it- like substituting split shot for the middle fly in the Czech rig. A Polish angler I know here in the Northeast uses this technique but puts a big Tungsten Prince on the bottom and a Tungsten Pheasant Tail on top as the dropper, and he does well with this technique. The first time he fished the Neversink he caught a bunch of trout, all in the 16-20" range- so I guess it doesn't just work on grayling and small trout (primarily what they catch & fish for in the competitions- you score higher by catching a bunch of dinker trout than you with fewer & bigger ones). Where I don't think this method works is in slow or deep water, or spots the trout cannot be closely approached. They say after you learn the method, you will be able to spot the proper water. In most pictures of Czech or Polish nymphing, the fishermen are usually standing in water no more than knee deep- although they could be fishing to a deeper trench or slot just beyond them. The beauty of this method is partly in the high degree of strike detection- with virtually no slack, you detect the strike almost immediately and can make a very quick hookset. They say you can cover water very quickly too. I believe, but could be wrong, that the method was developed primarily in relatively high gradient, small mountain streams.

[Fascist Killer]

Thanks Torrey... How experienced are you with this technique? Care to give a TPO clinic?

[Nymphmeister]

Rego-
I'm not experienced in the actual use of the technique, but I've done a ton of research on it, and it intrigues me. I agree with some of what Aaron said, but I still want to play with the technique. He is right about mastering one technique, and certainly indicator nymphing with split shot is probably IMHO the most versatile and usually most effective one to know, so get good at that first before you overwhelm yourself with other techniques. Don't wanna end up as "Jack of all trades, master of none", Lol.

The Czech/Polish technique was bred out of the need to get down to the bottom without added split shot. Here we are not limited by that. If you want to practice it as they do, you need to tie a ton of slim weighted nymphs in varying sizes, weights & colors to deal with different conditions, water speeds & depths. I personally would use split shot instead of a middle fly- that way you can use whatever nymphs you want and adjust to the water speed & depth quickly and easily. I like the leader set up of using basically straight tippet, the close up fishing, the strongly leading your flies with your rod tip low & ahead of them to detect strikes better- these are great ideas in the right circumstance. A friend of mine from Scotland said that when Europeans come over here and see how effective the indicator & shot rig is they usually switch to that when they return home. I think that in many European waters they are not allowed to add weight to the leader, hence the need for multiple heavy nymphs. They love tungsten beads in Europe! The Kiwis are big fans of black tungsten beads in New Zealand- gets the flies down fast and doesn't spook 'em.

This is just a form of short line nymphing without a buoyant strike indicator on your leader. While I use an indicator probably at least 90% of the time for trout, there are situations where I take it off and fish a short, relatively tight line- up close fishing in relatively fast, shallow to medium depth water, esp. in pocket water. In this situation you are fishing a tight line with significant weight on and can usually feel the strike- using an indicator can cause drag due to the extremely fast surface currents pulling on the indicator which pulls on the nymphs drifting in the slow bottom currents, causing them to drag and move faster than the actual water speed, maybe even lifting them too far from the stream bottom. It's fun to actually feel rather than see the take- reminds me of my bait fishing days! I always enjoyed feeling the take when drifting bait. For the same reasons I enjoy fishing a running line for Steelhead in fast, deep water- it's all tactile, not visual. Rio's Nymph line is great because it has a super buoyant tip with a built in strike indicator. The best nymphers are usually very well versed in one technique but have the ability to adapt to other methods when the conditions warrant.

Maybe this whole Czech/Polish nymphing is just a fad here in the US, time will tell. I like to be aware of different techniques and rigging methods, and borrow the best elements from all of them. Every method/technique has it's moment. I'm still intrigued though. When fishermen who have won individual medals in the competitions say that it totally outfishes an indicator & shot big, I'm curious. Guess I'll just have to figure it all out for myself and see what I conclude. For me it is hard to use this method and pull away from my normal nymphing techniques, because they are proven and I know they work consistently for me. If I Czech nymph for a half hour and don't catch anything, I lose confidence. Then it's back to the indicator & shot and usually "fish on". Maybe I'll leave all my indicators home one day and force myself to only Czech nymph. I already tied up some #10 Hare & Coppers with a 3/16" black tungsten beads to get down- they feel like they weigh about the same as 2 BB shot! I could even add on a lead underbody... or tie a double tungsten bead stone... Lol. Or just put on a couple big split shot! Right Aaron? Mega split shot madness!!!

[FK]

I belive the Czech or Polish Nymping techniques were developed out of rules used in Europe for competition and contests. They cannot use split shot on the leaders and instead use heavily weighted flys. In the mountains of Europe they fish high gradient rivers with relativly smooth bottoms, knee deep riffles and short line nymphing is a natural evolution.

We had a book by Charles Brooks pub. in 1976, "Nymph Fishing for Larger Trout", that describes a very similar method of nymphing with a heavy fly and short line. The Brooks method was not all "high stick",,, he had some short line, under the cut banks ideas presented.

One local FF has been using the short line, upstream cast, no indicator,,,,and do not let the fly line touch the water, for many years,,,,,he does use split shot with small flies and 6x tippet. I was shown this system and it took a few hours to notice how subtle the take was,,,the leader butt just twiches in a unusual way. He typically wades into riffles and fishes no longer than a rod length away from his feet. The rod tip is always positioned downstream relative to the leader butt. No weight in the fly, tippet at 6x, about 12-15" up is the split shot and sometimes a second fly abouve the shot.

Regards,
FK

[SlowNDeep]

[quote author=AaronJasper link=topic=1060.msg6257#msg6257 date=1196178234]
What good is it to know many techniques but not have a single one mastered. [/quote]

Because it is fun to learn new techniques.

Now that you have apparently "mastered" the use of capital letters to begin your sentences, why not learn to use proper punctuation at the end? :P :-*

[Nymphmeister]

FK-
And my big question is, does this guy do well with his short line technique? By any chance is his first name Pat? It is amazing how close you can get to trout in broken water. The method you describe is very much like what Joe Humphrey has written about in his book Trout Tactics- short line, no indicator, tapered leader, split shot between a pair of nymphs, rod ahead of and "leading" the drift of the flies. While the rigging and execution of the techniques are somewhat different, there are many similarities between Czech/Polish nymphing and what Joe does.

SloNDeep-
Yes, I agree- playing with new flies & different techniques is fun and can make you a better fisherman in the long run too.

[FK]

Torrey,

No, his name is not Pat. The described nymphing technique was taught to me by Moe, he does very well in faster water and riffles.

When I fished with Pat on the Madison at Slide Inn, it was about 1986. He was mainly into dry flies and was just getting into nymphing. In about 1985 we also made a weekend trip to PA for a two day class with Joe Humphrey and Ed Schenk. Joe was mainly teaching the "Tuck Cast" and short line nymphing in pocket water, it was more of a short line high stick presentation with an emphasis on the "Tuck Cast" driving the weighted nymph vertically into the pocket. Joe credits George Harvey with development of the cast and nymphing technique. Joe also used split shot on the leader if required,,,, and a very interesting fact was that he storred the lead split shot in his cheek, like chewing tobacco. He would use his teeth to pinch on the shot and remove them.

I had some very interesting discussions with Ed Schenk, he gave me one of his signature sculpin pattens with a split shot attached right to the fly/tippet knot,,,,first time I had seen that idea and have used it many times over the years. Ed really enjoyed the 6ft graphite rods he custom builds for the Eastern PA rivers, he still uses them today.

I also discussed night fishing techniques with Joe and talked him into taking us out after dark, we were the only students he ever had that requested night classes. He gave me one of the flys that George Harvey had developed for large browns at night. Years later at the Summerset show I met George Harvey and he confirmed the fly design was his idea except that he originally used a bird feather that is now not permitted in fly tying.

Regards,
FK

[Fascist Killer]

I hear you guys on getting really good at one thing, and then branching out. I guess the indicator nymphing just drives me insane. Hahaha. Plus, I get bored easily and like to try new stuff out just to keep myself entertained. Hell, I spend half the time picking up rocks and checking out the critters anyway... provided there are some and its not some silted up ditch like most of the local streams.

[Nymphmeister]

I hear ya, sometimes I take my indicator off for a little while just for fun. Just make sure you focus on getting good at indicator nymphing, it's deadly when you get it dialed in. My friend from Scotland, Harry Wallace, a superb fly dresser, came into the shop today and showed me a whole slew of Czech style nymphs he came up with, original dressing. They looked amazing, definite fish catchers. He's mostly been a dry fly guy, but now he wants to get into nymphing. Smart man.

[FK]

Torrey,,,,fantastic,,,,you convinced Harry Wallace to try nymph fishing,,,,,,has he ordered a 10ft 5wt bamboo rod?

Regards,
FK