Gorge Fly Shop Blog: Tight Line Nymphing Small Streams

Upstream a boulder sets up a small slick. Landing the a case caddis nymph just up and inside from the boulder sets up for a great drift. Rod tip high with line in control the caddis ticks its way down right into the thick of the slick. Quick as a flash of lightning the sighter jolts to a stop. I snap a hookset on another wild brown sitting undetectable in gin clear water.

Time and time again this method shows me fish hiding in plain sight. Fish that don't move for anything except what drifts in their feeding lane.

I never have and probably never will claim to be a trout expert. While deep into my middle age, the first two thirds of my life I never even lived near trout water. Over the past dozen years or so tinkering in trout streams I have come to one solid conclusion regarding this species. There are days they move and there are days they don't!

In recent history I got a chance to explore some of the famous Pennsylvania spring creeks. A friend and a true local of this water took his time and shared with me what these spring creeks are all about. What I learned in a week is with my limited western trout knowledge I would have failed miserably in this land of small and clear water had I'd been on my own trying to do it myself.

While much of the time trout were willing to move for flies in an equal amount of time they didn't move at all. Lucky for me my friend was willing to share his knowledge of tight line nymphing and continually he showed me fish that I could easily claimed are not there.

Back at home I proceed to put these "euro" methods into play on some late summer, clear and small streams. Just like in my recent experience soon I was setting hook on fish that I was sure wasn't there.

So what does this all add up to...
While I'm not ready to closet all my other trout gear and go all in on euro I am excited for what I've learned and it has added much insight to my understanding of trout behavior that goes well beyond the usual match the hatch and don't blow the cast, you suck as a trout angler personal profile.

My understanding has advanced in the way of how trout move, or don't move and how to match the situation for any given trout attitude that one may encounter during his hour on the stream.

If you find trout moving with reckless abandonment feed them a streamer. If you find them rising to a hatch, match the hatch. If you find them foraging the runs, swing a fly. If you can't find them at all...I recently learned a trick that will show you where they are. Are you interested?

Some say it's boring! You can't get bored with euro if you are properly engaged. It takes much effort to keep in contact and control of your fly. I guess if you stood in one spot that would get boring but that's true no matter what tactic you choose.

My limited outside instruction included this tidbit; Methodically pick apart your water and believe every rock, depression, seam, etc, holds a fish. Give that fish the opportunity to eat but if he doesn't eat let him be and continue on.

When I started seeing fish come from unlikely spaces is when I started to believe every rock held a fish. Pretty soon the world opened up and the idea of random fish went out the window.

As excited I am to learn a new technique I believe I'm even more excited about a deeper learning of trout and their behavior. Tight line techniques have supplied me the confidence that I am fishing where fish are. Now I can go to work on what makes them commit to a fly. It no longer feels random.

Find Euro Nymphing Gear at "The Gorge"