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Excellent references for European nymphing. (A. Barthelemy)
(This article is co-authored by Aaron Jasper and Torrey Collins. Thank you to Davy Wotton and Loren Williams for instruction on the techniques.)
A popular video called "European Nymphing" from Jack Dennis and Vladi Trzebunia introduced most Americans to a productive style of fly-fishing, known as French nymphing. In the DVD, a member of Team USA Fly Fishing Pete Erickson demonstrates the method using a technique known as the "French roll.” The book by Karel Krivanic et al entitled "Czech Nymph – and Other Related Fly Fishing Methods," explained numerous related methods and complicated tapered leader formulas. The final, perhaps more esoteric reference to cite is the book by Jaromir Karafiat et al entitled "Fly Fishing and Fly Tying" and its included video of an expert Czech angler dissecting a grayling lair and accurately casting to its occupants.
This article and others on European nymphing, drifts, and anchor flies, describe the author’s interpretation of the method, based on several years of experience and discussions with other practitioners. So many varieties and descriptions exist, it is impossible to produce an exhaustive coverage of them all. Other anglers may refer to this style of angling by another name, but the name itself hardly matters. What matters is this method’s effectiveness on stream.
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A grid-casting approach goes along with French nymphing. (A. Barthelemy)
Equipment
More than short-line methods, French nymphing requires an actual cast consisting of a tight loop obtained by good form. The tight loop is required to transfer the line’s energy into a pair of lightly weighted flies. Casting such a rig is difficult, especially in windy conditions. The rod requires a soft tip for sensitivity, but enough strength in the butt to power the cast. The angler’s subjective nature and skill level also play a part, but modern rods such as the Grays Streamflex 10-feet 3-weight suit many anglers. Any modern reel that balances the chosen rod is appropriate.
Rigging
The system’s main component, the leader requires some explanation. The leader’s length is typically 25 feet, far longer that most anglers are accustomed to. Personal preference greatly affects the needs and desires of the angler’s leader, so it is impossible to recommend just one. A typical leader knotted to the welded loop in the fly line might consist of a thick butt section of about 4 feet of 25-lb or heavier test monofilament of a stiff variety like Mason’s hard nylon. The material’s diameter must be equal to or slightly larger than the butt material in the next leader segment. The stiff material will facilitate energy transfer during the cast. The next section’s options are limitless, but many excellent salmon/steelhead leaders are available in 15-foot lengths and tapered down to about 0.013 inches. The next part of the leader is the sighter, or strike detection aid. Myriad sighter arrangements exist, but two common ones are the coiled monofilament version and the backing sighter. A separate article discusses sighter construction.
After the sighter, a long length of level fluorocarbon leader actually presents the flies underwater. For this example, consider using a 6-foot length of 5X (0.006-inch) diameter material. Approximately 18 inches from the terminal end; attach a 4-inch long dropper tag using a Triple Surgeon’s knot. Future articles will discuss the rigging’s knots that employ the Davy Wotton knotting scheme along with the Triple Surgeon’s knot.
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Flies
A tandem pair of lightly weighted nymphs is suitable for most applications. For example, tie a size 16 tungsten beaded olive caddis larva to the anchor position; with a size 18 weighted gold-ribbed Hare’s ear flashback to the dropper. Fishing productivity with this method, when applied during a hatch, has little to do with specific flies. The method’s presentation is the key element.
The cast
Two options are available to the angler, a traditional overhead cast, or a modified roll cast. In either case, the most critical element is the rod’s dead stop at the 10 o’clock position. The position of the stop also acts as the angler’s ready position to commence the drift. Instant ready position is critical, since strikes are often instantaneous. The dead stop is standard practice for all fly-casting, but especially crucial here, as it will unload the rod’s energy into the line to straighten out the rig and complete the cast. Curiously, the wind drag caused by the tube-shaped coiled monofilament sighter actually helps the cast like the fletching on an arrow or a small parachute. The additional wind drag holds back the mid part of the leader to help the lightly weighted flies land in advance of the leader assembly.
Tactics of presentation
French nymphing’s productivity relies on its rapid coverage of water accomplished by grid casting, along with the induced search and take of its presentation. This section describes these three key elements. French nymphing is solely an upstream presentation method, and best practiced in shallow riffles or pocket water. During a hatch of explosively emergent insects, it may also take fish from deeper stream sections.
Grid casting is a means of covering all the likely holding water in a stream area. The angler positions himself downstream from the likely quarry, at a distance of 20 to 30 feet. Preferably, for a right-handed caster, the angler should be able to execute the casts using a forehand motion by positioning himself on the left half of the stream looking upstream. It is possible, however, to execute the cast using the backhand. Looking upstream, the angler might envision the grid in 10 segments from left to right. The angler’s goal is to fish each segment systematically.
Make a cast to a grid point, with a forceful upstream and slight tuck cast (lift rod vertically slightly just as cast straightens out) motion to force the flies into the water with a loud disturbance or plop. The plop activates a trout’s instinctive search reaction, so the angler has executed the induced search, alerting the fish to a possible food item. Right after the plop, the angler should be in the ready position and ready to strike since fish often strike the perceived food item instantaneously.
After the slight tuck, the flies quickly plunge in a vertical sense towards the river bottom. At this instant, the angler should begin lifting the rod from the 10 o’clock position towards the vertical (noon). As the angler lifts the rod, he will also be perceptibly leading the flies drift downstream and maintaining perfect contact with them. Leading and contact are the two central tenants of European nymphing. After about 2-3 seconds of drift and a distance of about 5 feet, the angler should ready for the next cast. As he readies the cast, a quick wrist flick downstream loads the rod for the back cast, but also acts an additional induced take mechanism. The trout’s reaction to the induced take comes about since it believes a food item may flee. The wrist flick also sets the hook to a responsive fish at this time.
If the angler intends to use a French roll method for recasting, he should allow the rod to descend to the 2 o’clock position then cast again.
Modifications
When contact is difficult to maintain, a greased version of the coiled sighter is called for. Simply apply some silicone (green tub) Mucillin to the coils before and during fishing. After the cast, allow the sighter to float on the surface like a traditional indicator, but a far more sensitive one. During a fish’s strike, the angler should witness the first few coils gradually sinking underwater and raise the rod to set. This method is especially useful during low water, late summer/early fall conditions and it produced outstanding results this past season during that time on Connecticut rivers.
For more information: European nymphing, French nymphing, French roll, Jack Dennis, Vladi Trzebunia, Karel Krivanec, Jaromir Karafiat, Czech nymphs, future articles
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