Dry, Nymph Or Streamer

[vince]

Boys and Girls

 

This is sort of a carry over from another topic and I think if members contribute to this topic we could all learn something that will increase the good feelings we get when we go fly fishing.

 

Tell us what style of fly fishing you prefer and perhaps tell us why. From where I sit it is not really which style will catch you more fish but what style do you prefer and perhaps tell us what equipment you use and why.

 

Lets see where this takes us.

 

Vince

[Junior]

My first choice is almost always going to be dry. If the fish aren't biting, I'd rather have a fly to watch, and if they are, nothing beats taking them on top.

 

Streamers and soft hackles are next on the list, and too close to call which I prefer. Depends on the situation mostly (size of fish). Streamers are great because they often catch the bigger fish, and it's a very active technique. Soft hackles are so easy to fish on the swing it's the only time I stop and smell the roses, and drifting them requires intense concentration to detect the take, which is very rewarding when successful.

 

Nymphing on rivers does almost nothing for me. If it's the only way I can catch a fish on that occasion, fine, but after landing one, there's a good chance I'll go back to dries, at least for a little while.

 

Nymphing on lakes is a different case, as I give them an active retrieve about 99% of the time, so it's almost like streamer fishing, just smaller and slower.

 

I typically buy, and use, general purpose equipment (med-fast rods, Ultra 4 lines, etc.), because in any given day of fishing I will probably use a variety of techniques. The caveat to that is my lighter rod (3wt) is more of a medium action, with a presentation taper flyline (Trout LT), because I'm never going to chuck a heavy streamer with that one; and my heavy rod (9wt) is a faster action with a pike taper line, because I use it to cast my largest flies.

[DennisS]

First all kidding aside there is no wrong style of flyfishing. That put aside I fish both Dry & Wet. The colder the water I start waring my waders to keep dry, but most times throug the summer I like to fly fish wet.

 

Sorry I think Vince ment something else altogether The best still is the one that you like doing there just isn't no wrong style.

 

I Enjoy both methods but will not hisatate to go deep. I'm beginning to fish soft hackles much more and I'm not sure what catagory you

would put emergers in, maybe semi wet.???? This is were we miss out. Just because you see a rise doesn't mean that the fish are actually taking drys. Far more are taking the emerging insect.

Gary Lafontain did a video that showed the fish are taking almost 10 to 1 emerger to dry fly(dun).

 

I like to fish the top 6 to 8 inches and the bottom 0 to 12 inches.

 

So Vince as much as we bug you your style is just great. Fish hard partner.

 

Tight Lines Always.

Dennis S

[Kristi]

HAHA!! I get a kick out of reading... really I do! I have researched and learned quite a bit so far. Thanks to everyone; for all you members out there who are wondering about my style and why I chose it and what equitment I use here it is.. I have not yet discovered or chose a particular style as I have fished in many different enviroments with many different materiels and difrent equitment.. If you care to know just ask. I also do want to keep an open mind and dont want to limit my fishing experiences either. hehe! Some of the stuff I have used I'm sure avid fisher people would raise brow too. I just know that I enjoy losing myself on the water, in the river, on the banks and the sea and or dock's when the opprotunity arises. I also know that I dont know alot at all when it comes to fishing and am looking to always learn... eyes and ears on the ready. I do know I had to start somewhere though and all the finger pointing and answers to my questions led me here. So here I am.

I am compassionate about tying and with that compassion is my eagerness to learn as much as I possibly can with no time restraint to hinder growth, from this club/family and other resourses.

 

 

Kristi

[Grumpy]

Well a Vince my boy,

Like to go fishing, and sometimes I might catch a fish or two, and some times I catch something else.

 

To me it is we're you go, because if you you don't catch any fish at least you saw some pretty scenery.

 

 

Stream fishing is best as you never know what is around the next corner, is it a rapids, a big pool?

Or just a nice spot to contemplate life.

 

Nothing is nicer than to place a nice Adams , gently on the surface and see a nice brooky come from the a bottom and take the fly. When you see the fish come, your heart starts to pump.

 

 

But if you like to hunt, and you find that pool, the one that has the daddy , than stealth and a good wet fly, stands out the best. It is hard work with total satisfaction, when you pull back on that rod and feel the shimmer in it. The runny nose drys up, the icy hands are hot, it's fish on.

The satisfaction of having the right fly on,. Casting to the right spot, drifting it with the right speed, not to deep or to high.

Then again it does not take much to satisfy me

 

Rods I like them all, for each there own, it's like Women, they are all different . If I am out on a large body of water I take my 7weight loomis, if i am out after grayling, I take my 0 weight sage,

But always buy the best rod you can afford, like this year the sage Zseries rods are 25 percent off, good buy

 

The best part of fishing is the friends you make doing it

 

That's my take on it

[jfisherman]

Hi all, Greg here, I don't think I have any particular style preference, although I tend toward using the light (4 wt rod), stuff mostly.

[Junior]

As this is sort of a crossover thread, I'd like to comment on the appropriate use of a bamboo rod.

 

Fishing dry generally requires accurate casts and delicate presentations. Cane rods are well suited to this, or so I hear. Nymphing generally requires lobbing over your shoulder. Delicate casts are wasted when a ball of tungsten and a bobber hit the water, and I imagine a pair of dumbbell eyes whacking a cane rod is going to sting more than graphite.

 

Frankly, for nymphing, a broomstick or any reasonably straight willow would serve just as well.

[vince]

Junior

 

I'm kind of thinking that you've just unleasehed a world of hurt coming your way. I'm just going to sit back and wait for the fire works to begin.

 

Vince

[Junior]

Okay, maybe not a broomstick, but I might as well add fuel to the fire. As far as I know, there are three ways to detect a take when nymphing. If you're using a bobber, the rod makes no difference. Same goes if you're watching to see the line twitch, or the "white wink". But if you're trying to feel the take, a graphite rod will serve you better. It just transmits vibrations so much more efficiently.

 

However, I'm sure that in experienced hands all of that makes little difference, and those people do just fine.

 

Before any fireworks begin, I'd like to add that I think bamboo rods are far, far more beautiful. I think it would be a minor life-changing event to win one of Don's rods.

 

Don, have you read "Making strip-built fly rods from various woods on a lathe"? I really want a lathe.

[dipperdan]

Good one Vincenzo,This is great. I will try hard to come up with something different from the other comments which are hard to embellish. I do like to fish and its not really about the catching.

Dan

[Grumpy]

Now have some people got the wrong idea about Nymph fishing, I get the idea they must be new to fishing.

 

Nymph fishing is more about stealth then using a CIL wabler

 

A good nymph fisher checks the stream to see what the fish may be eating, and ties on what might represent the food.

 

A good Bamboo rod will place that nymph right were you want it, so it sinks to were you know the fish are feeding. [lakes and streams]

 

If your idea is lobbing in some bait held up by a bobbin, go back to your spinning rod.

[dave robinson]

OK I"ll wade in to the debate.

All else being equal, I do like fishing with a dry fly. But all else isn't always equal.

No hatch, no visible risers, no sighted fish then tie on an attractor pattern, ant or beetle.

if nothing happens, then it's a good bet the fish aren't looking up, so it's subsurface time.

Or if you see lots of rises, but after tying on everything in your box that's even close to what you see on the water or in the tuliies and no takers,

Then it's likely that the fish are onto emergers and aren't interested in drys because the emergers are easier pickings.

And some days and in some locations drys just aren't productive despite beating the water to a fine froth. So down you go.

And as far as the broomstick thing goes, if that's your opinion, then you must be using 2 oz sinkers and basketballs for indicators.

Have you ever tried fishing a nymph or streamer naked? If you do it right you feel every bump and the takes are subtle but electrifying

Ditto for the subtle twitch of a mini indicator. That can take much concentration.

I haven't tried the Czech method much, but I can imagine the feel is the same as a naked nymph or streamer

For me, under the right conditions, fishing a lightweight nymph rig through a run can be almost zen-like

Then again, you can do both at once with a nymph as a dropper under a dry.

A hare's ear under a royal wulff gave me some great thrills in NZ. Which one the fish took was always a surprise

Dave

[Don Andersen]

Folks,

 

I fish what works or what is appropriate to the location.

 

For example - tiny cuts in little mountain stream can be nymphed but why would you bother. Dries work just fine conversely nymphs or sub-aquatic bugs for lakes where dry fly fishing is rare.

 

If there is nothing doing, I nymph. Why - because I like to fish. Do I like it - well it works. Would I rather fish dries rather that nymphs? How about neither, what I really enjoy and remember is those fish that feed, I can see them and it takes sometime to work it out. Be it nymphs or dries - who cares. It's the challenge.

 

As far as streamers fishing - I put that in the same league as trolling. Ya might have do it sometimes but who'd want to.

 

 

 

catch ya'

 

 

Don

[DennisS]

I guess you knew I had to put my 2cents worth in here. First and fore most guys just know that I enjoy flyfishing be it Dry, Nymphing. emergers or yes even the evil streamer fishing. Like Don said I use what ever the situation calls for. 9 time's out of 10 I grab a dry fly first then work my way to nymphs if the surface is not working. Last time out this year for Grayling I just knew due to temp and the weather that dry's were not going to be the ticket so went to a nymph right away. That all was determind by observation of what was going on around me.

It proved to be the correct choice. Both methods of flyfishing have their challenges. Neither are right or wrong.

 

I'm thinking the conception is that a cane rod was created to be a dry fly rod. I wouldn't want to try and convince Skue's or even Helford on that one. When Cane rod's came out they were the Graphite rod of their time. No more no less. So I'm sure they we're used both for Dry's and Nymphs.

 

As for presentation I can present a fly just as soft or delicate and accurate with a my graphite as with a cane rod. I'm thinking presentation is more the caster controlling it. Be it a Graphite, Cane, or even a broom handle.

 

For which method is more challenging. I think they both have their challenges. You still have to present your fly, be it dry or nymph in the fishes feeding lane. You still have to present the fly in a way that looks natural to the fish. The only difference is where in the water collum your fishing.

That said when you are fishing nymphs there is 2 main areas to be fishing either the top 8 inches or the bottom 12 inches. Most times the fish are holding in the bottom 12inches there are several ways to get to that area. That is using weighted nymphs, or weighted line. Adding weight to the fly is accomplished by adding Lead or ecco friendly Tungsten and by the way tungsten is heavyer then lead so you can use smaller beads to get down. I like to fish where the fish are, right in their living room not in there bathroom, there not there much.

 

As for lobbing your fly it still takes a skill to cast the additional weight. Yes you need to widen out the loop but the casting machanic's is the same. If you don't use it you don't cast it.

For durablity with the rod tip being broken by the weight, I'm thinking the the Cane rod would hold up better than a graphite rod. Graphite tends to schatter where Bamboo would shatter as easy.

 

I think that if you can do both Dry & Nymph fishing when called for it makes you a more all rounded fisher person. Not 1 dementional but 2 dementional. Mind you I guess if you fish Nymph your actually 3 dementional because you can now cast with either a broom handle or willow stick.

 

Okay guys keep up the friendly banter this is a good one.

 

Tight lines Always

Dennis S

[Junior]

Dave and Grumpy, yes, I've tried naked nymphing, and no, not that new to fishing. "Go back to your Spinning rod"? Really? Nice. Charitable, even.

 

Like I always say to the fish, at least I got a rise out of you.