The challenge in nymph fishing for trout is detecting the strike in time to set the hook. I will explain the three techniques we teach.
“Swimming a Nymph” is very effective and it is the easiest technique to master. Large nymphs such as hellgrammite and stoneflies can swim almost as well as minnows. To take advantage of this on the large streams I enter the stream right below the riffles and cast straight across stream. Using short line-hand strips, I swim my nymph slowly across stream. Every two steps, I repeat this technique.
“Dead Drift Nymphing” consist of casting upstream and keeping a tight line on the nymph or an indicator as it drifts back downstream. In the mountain streams, I fish a Mr. Rapidan Bead Head on 2ft of 5X mono below a Mr. Rapidan Parachute Dry. I watch the dry fly in order to detect the strike. If you are floating the Yellowstone River with Richard Parks, he will have you fishing a Bead Head Prince Nymph size 16 on a 3ft 5X mono dropper below a size 16 Coachman Trude. At the slightest twitch of the Trude, you’ll set the hook and catch the trout. Maybe on the nymph or maybe on the dry.
“Swing Nymphing” Charlies Brooks taught me this technique in hole number two on the Madison River. This technique has many applications and every spring we teach this technique in our mountain trout schools for brook trout. The cast is made up and across stream. As the nymph sinks the rod tip is raised while maintaining a tight line on the nymph. The rod is swung downstream at the same rate the nymph is drifting and when you feel the slightest resistance in the line, you set the hook. A Murray’s Fly Shop Indicator built into the Murray’s Trout Nymph Leader is great help in watching this drift.
Flies for Nymph Fishing
Murray’s Stonefly Nymph (dark or yellow) and Mr. Rapidan Bead Head are great in the mountains. A close angling friend has mastered this swing nymphing method on the heavy riffle water on the lower Madison River. Wading upstream, Jim makes 15ft casts up and across stream at a 45 degree angle. He uses size 10 or 12 weighted Hare’s Ear Nymphs with a medium size split shot 4 inches above the nymph. Then the nymph sinks deeply he extends his fly rod high out over the line and swings it downstream keeping a tight line on the nymph. The instant he feels the strike he sets the hook with his line hand and the rod.
There are times when you find the trout show a preference for some nymphs over others. Here are some I find productive in addition to those already mentioned. These include the