Fly Fishing Nymphs

Whether you are fishing on still water such as a lake or on moving water such as rivers, there are common elements of trout behaviour that will allow you to predict where they will be. Keep these points in mind

Trout need a refuge from predators.

Trout will gather where food is concentrated.

In a river, trout will avoid strong currents and fast flowing water

In still water, they will prefer to be in a safe place which is also close to food

Trout prefer to be out of direct sunshine and will keep to cooler areas

The key here is to recognise the level at which the fish are feeding. They may be feeding on the bottom, the mid level of the water or at the surface. It all depends on where nymphs are. You need to recognise if the nymphs are in the process of hatching, as this is the time when they are heading for the surface. The trick is too observe the fish. If they have their heads down and tails up, they are taking nymphs from the bottom. If you see signs of a bulge in the water surface, but the fish does not break through, then they are following nymphs on their way to the surface and are taking them in mid water. Finally, if the fish breaks the surface then they are taking nymphs that are in the process of hatching out. At this point, an emerging pattern or a dry fly may be successful.
Your task is to make sure that your nymphs are presented at the same depth as that at which the fish are feeding.

The easiest way when fishing on a river is to cast across the river and slightly downstream from where you are standing. Let the line float downstream and at the same time keeping it taught. Follow the line with you rod tip as this helps your nymphs to drift at the same speed as the current. You will reach a point where the line and rod tip are ponting downstream from you. Pause for a few seconds, then gently lift your rod tip up. This will cause your nymph to lift toward the surface just like a hatching nymph. This is when a strike is most likely.

You can use a similar technique on a lake by taking advantage of the waves created by the wind. Let your nymphs drift along on a wave and follow with your rod tip. Remember to keep the line tight on the surface of the water and watch it closely. If it stops, or does anything unusual, strike as it may be a fish.

There is a wide variety of nymphs available to the angler. Patterns can be designed to mimic the real thing or to simply look similar to nymphs in general. They also need to be fished at different depths as they represent different stages in the life cycle of nymphs.

Some of my favourites are Pheasant Tail, Hares Ear, Gold Ribbed Hares Ear (GRHE), Buzzer and Montana. These are also available in a weighted version for fishing at depth. I always have success with these nymphs and have caught many wild brown trout using them.

If you want to purchase any of my favourites, or any other flies and nymphs, then visit Buy Flies at Fish4Flies.com