The Good the Bad & The Ugly
maybe this title should be: The Versatile Nymph
We've all seen the movie, Now I'd like to explain to you why I like Nymphs so much.
I like fishing nymphs, there I said it. Far be it from me to tell anyone how to fish BUT, I see many a fisher person (politically correct) unwilling to fish nymphs. It's a fact, trout feed under the surface more than on top. I've read that trout feed 80% of the time below the surface. Coming up to the surface, or breaking the meniscus requires more effort than feeding under water. Mother nature is not foolish, animals, fish or anything that has to work for it's food will take the easiest fare. Most of the large fish I've caught and have seen caught have been taken below the surface.
There's nothing really fancy about any of the above Flies, in fact their all just plain old nymphs, very common in fact. No matter which pattern is your favorite; Pheasant tail, Hears Ear or Zug Bug, there are literally hundreds that you can buy or tie. However, what is the one thing they have in common? They're buggy. Buggy with moving parts, weather it be tails, abdomen or thorax, movement is what it's all about. Moving parts can hold air, which gives the suggestion of a nymph pumping air into it's nymphal shuck adding the needed buoyancy to reach the surface. This can be achieved by coating the nymph with a floatant, then adding weight to get it down. Or tying the nymph with CDC, or after-shaft feathers. The wire ribbing or Krystal flash we add, aids in this deception. Movement also imitates any swimming action or gills along the abdomen and legs along the thorax. Movement can also be added by the fisherperson via stripping in line or lifting the line.
In order to deceive the trout, you need to know what the food looks like!!! How many fisherman do you see bugging? Craig turned me on to this more than anybody else. He really gets into it. I will say, I've learned more about nymphs this way than any other research. Don't get me wrong books are great, we'd be lost without them, but they don't show the insects under your feet. Often, they are written about famous streams out West or up in the Catskills. After looking at live insects, under magnification, I've inventoried my nymph box and many that used to take up space have since been retired.
Although I don't think you need perfect imitations to fool trout. There are certain key indicators that the nymph must have in order for the trout to bite.
What are these key indicators?
1) Movement, they're alive you know.
2) Obviously size and color are as important as well.
3) Any flash or air bubble like elusion.
Are there more? Sure, I guess we could all come up with further ideas, but I think these can be attributed toward the more key attractors the trout are looking for.
When I come to the stream the first thing I do is stand and look. I like to see how the trout are feeding. You can tell the way the trout are feeding, just watch the splash left by their momentum. (I really don't want to get into reading the ring, I think it's an article in it's self) If I don't see a splash or active feeding I go underwater with nymphs. Slinging lead is not always fun mind you, but if I want to catch fish and there's nothing coming off under I go.
How about floating a nymph in the film? Man you can do so much with nymphs, they don't have to be sunk, dunked or drown. Float them in the film as an emerger, try it you'll like it. You'll see that working with nymphs is more fun the meets the eye.
Until we meet again
Henry