Posted by Jim E (24.116.99.140) on May 06, 2004 at 16:17:38:
Getting down
Nymphing requires an underwater presentation. And 98% of the time your nymph had better be right on the bottom. The first thought to accomplish this is to add weight of sorts to the fly. Yes, that is one way, but that added weight can prevent the fly from looking or acting naturally. (Talking about a fly that has weight tied in as part of its construction, bead head, lead wire underbody, etc.) A better way to sink a fly without sacrificing natural movement is to add a suitable sized split shot 9-14 inches above the fly no the tippet. Admittedly, I hate doing this, as it is a little bit more time consuming, often the split shot doesn’t stay put and a missed strike or a bumbled cast can lead to the discovery of unknown to man knots (You know, the ones you have to sit down to work out. I call that “time out” or “sitting in the penalty box”.), but if that is what it takes, so be it. I would recommend starting with a smaller split shot and then test your drift to see if it is sufficient to reach the required depth. Adding more small split shots makes it easier to adjust the weight rather than starting with a larger split shot that ends up being too heavy and having to remove it, then select another one….so on and so forth.
Another method to get your fly down is stepping down to a smaller “X” rated tippet. The smaller diameter will allow the fly to sink faster and deeper. It is common on the Arkansas “big three” rivers to use only a long section, maybe 10 feet, of 5x or 6x tippet with no leader while nymphing from a boat during generation. Getting down during that much current is imperative to the catching. Nymphing any other way can often leave you just out for a boat ride.
Mending early in the drift will also help your nymph rig in sinking. You may need to cast a little further upstream and throw in some big mends to facilitate the flies desired depth before it reaches the intended holding area. A nymph drifting above the fish’s head is usually not natural and they may not even give it a first look.
Fly size is another factor to consider. Larger, bushy flies sink slower than smaller, thinner flies do. Obviously you still need to match the hatch but use the smallest one that you can to get the job done.
I must also mention using a sink tip fly line for aiding the sinking of your offering. I have never used sink tips for nymphing so all I will do is mention it. If you have experience or thoughts about this method, please chime in !!!
Nymphing is very important. I’ve always heard that 90% of a fish’s feeding is underwater and thinking it through, it has to be true. So a fly fisherman wanting to catch fish consistently must have the “getting down” part well….uh….down.
Thanks for reading and as always, comments are welcomed.
Jim Enns <*;))))))))))><