nymphs

[xjguy07]

when you tie multiple nymphs onto a leader do you just slide the fires one up the leader and do the normal clentch knot, then slide the next one on, and etc. or is their an easier way that dosnt involve getting so much line tangled lol?

[zerolimit]

I'm not sure I can picture the method you describe but I do it one of two ways. Either tie the drop fly off of the bend of the top fly hook or tie the dropper off of the eye of the top fly's hook. I preferr to tie both flies on the same eye if I can because I find more hooks get straightened out when fishing the dropper tied to the bend.

If I tie a three nymph rig I will sometimes tie the top fly on to a longer (4-6 inch) tag from my tippet to tippet knot and then tie the other two as described above.

One thing that is important is that you tie the dropper on a tippet segment that is longer than the segment from your weight to the top fly so it won't tangle as easily.

I hope your question was answered. There are a bunch of different ways to skin the cat.

[MBWCC]

I believe that most folks use an additional piece of tippet for each subsequent fly (nymph). Some folks tie each successive extending tippet from the preceding hook's eye; others tie each successive extending tippet from the preceding hook’s bend (my favorite). Personally, I find that tying from the eye of the preceding fly leads to more casting rat's nests than tying from the bend, but it could just be my poor casting skills. A third alternative is to use the tag end from the preceding hook’s knot, which is a equivalent to your "slide the fly up the leader" description, but I believe that most folks limit this tag end extension process to one additional fly (your description seemed to suggest multiple additional flies on one tippet in a successive series of tag end extensions).

My suggestion would be to try various versions and see what works best for you.

[Frank Whiton]

Hi xjguy07,

You have got good information for rigging multiple nymphs but do you really want to. Three nymphs are not easy to fish and I think a 2 fly setup is a better way to go, especially for a beginner. If you must use three flies try this. Tie a large dry fly (size 10) on the end of your tippet. Now tie an emerger type fly on a 6 inch piece of tippet of the bend of the dry fly. Now tie a piece of 12 inch or so tippet to the bend of the emerger hook and add a weighted nymph, Copper John or Prince Nymph to the tippet. The weighted fly will help keep the leader straight and give you less tangles. The dry fly will be big enough to float the nymphs and they will be one after the other due to the weighted fly on the end. This is the only setup I would use with three flies. Remember that one fly fished perfectly is more productive than 3 flies fished poorly.

[xjguy07]

hey thanks for the tips everyone, i just wasn't sure on how to attack the flies to one another but i think i have it now.

is their any pirticulay advantage as to useing a strike indicator as opposed to useing nothing like that when useing nymphs, i ask because i'm going fishing this weekend and i dont have any nor a way to get them. would a large dry fly work like frank suggested?

[zerolimit]

Boy, that's a tough question. There are as many answers as there are fishing situations. I'm really not trying to be difficult or evasive but it depends on the water, what you are imitating, and your personal preference.

There is an argument that you will miss most takes without an indicator but they aren't always working in your favor.

There are times when an indicator can inhibit a natural drift. I was working a deeper run on the Upper Sac last month and started by sliding my indicator way up the line. The drift was probably 8-10 feet deep. I had plenty of weight on to get the flies down and I knew fish were present and feeding but I was getting no consideration. I removed my indicator and tight line nymphed the same run carefully leading the flies and bang! fish on. The only thing I could determine was that there was so much going on in the water column between my indicator and the flies that the indicator was preventing a natural drift.

There are arguably situations where an indicator can spook fish as in shallower, slower runs. I like the dry dropper approach in these drifts and when fishing emergers or flies in the surface film but when you start adding weight an the current speeds up, I have trouble with them. The advantage there is that your "indicator" looks more natural and can also catch fish.

This is by no means the definitive on the subject and there are many good books out there but in an attempt to steer you towards immiediate resources to help determine what might work best for your upcoming trip:

This is an article on nymphing without an indicator and what conditions might warrant the approaches.

Nymphing Without Indicators, by Jim McLennan

This article I found is a decent single source review that may also help you.

http://www.uky.edu/~agrdanny/flyfish/faq/faq-4.htm

And another general article on nymphing from the Orvis Site:

http://www.orvis.com/intro.asp?subject=566

If you google search nymphing, nymphing strategies, nymphing tactics, etc... you should find a lot more (it's enough to make my head spin).

After you get back, you may want to pick up a book by Larry Tulls titled "Mymphing Strategies". I think he also wrote a whole short book on strike indicators.

Oh, and if you can get to a local shop, Fly Fish America's latest issue (Staff's favortie Nymph Lines and "The Anatomy of a Trout Stream" on the cover) has a "Nymphing for Trout" insert pamphlet that's pretty darn good and the magazine is typically a giveaway at the shops.

[zerolimit]

Correction on the last post. That Nymphing supplement came from this month's Fly Fisherman Magazine not Fly Fish America. Sorry, it wasn't the freebie.

[xjguy07]

thanks for the sweet links, hopefully i can put some of this knoledge to work this weekend lol.

**oh and as a PS i just saw transformers it rocked, everyone should be required to see that lol

[ffffg]

Some anti tangle tips.. Put the largest fly closest to the line, then as you go down to the end use one smaller line size as 3x then 4x.. But use line large enough for what your doing.. Make sure your leader does not jump from 2x at the end of the leader to 4x tippet for example. It MUST taper.. Rio nymph line was sugested for my son becouse it not suppose to get too tight of loops and it works geat keeping the casting problems down..... I get most of my tangles from putting the pole up to move to another spot or when i just get it tied and am standing up to go to the river.. so whenever im not casting I put the end fly in the pole eye (by the reel) to keep it all strait... Make sure when your casting, your line is all the way behind you before you start the forward cast.. As you start the cast you are suppost to accelerate thru the cast, not the reverse... Droped loops cause most of the casting tangles and there are many ways they come about.. Joan wolfs fly casting teckniques is best for me, .. Look up "tailing loops fly casting" and " dropped loops fly casting" and "tailing loops flycasting" and you will find some internet talk about it.. dave..

[zerolimit]

One of the best ways I've learned to secure the rig when moving from spot to spot is to hang the end fly off of one of the guides about half way up the rod. Leaving about a foot of line outside the tip (which is very convenient), grab the hanging leader and hook it behind the reel seat. When you are ready to fish the new spot, all you have to do is remove the leader from the reel seat and let it hang from the fly off the guide. With the rod horizontal, just give the rod a light tap and whala, the fly falls off the guide and you are good to go.

The hook keepers on rods are useless in my opinion since to use them effectively you have to reel the tip of the fly line (unless you are using a very short leader) in past the tip which is not so good.