Archive for October, 2006
How to Fish for Trout in Still Water with a Nymph | Trout Nibble Nymphs
30 October 2006It was probably about 25 years ago that I learned one of the most important aspects of how to catch trout with a nymph in still water. It happened in a muddy small pond on a very still and balmy day not far from Johannesburg. There were trout in the pond and you could catch them so long as you paid for what you caught.
The lesson was so profound and meaningful that I recall it every time I go fishing and I apply it to about 90% of my fishing for trout with a nymph in stillwater.
The lesson was ever so basic and the books discuss it in general sense but I don’t think I’ve ever seen what I’m going to describe told in this way.
On this day there were a few things in my favour:
The water was extremely murky to the extent I couldn’t see to any depth at all. This also meant the fish couldn’t see me.
The air was still and the water extremely calm to the extent that the meniscus where the floating line met the water surface could be seen
The water was quite deep (4 feet or so) only metres from the bank.
The bank created a comfortable seat where i could relax and keep out of sight. And trees in the background further camaflauged my presence.
Here’s my story of that day
I cast my line a very short distance from the bank while I fumbled with a cool drink or something ( may have been lighting a cigarette at the time, I can’t quite remember). I was using a pheasant tail nymph unweighted which meant the rate of sink was quite slow in the murky water.
Because the leader was not far from where I was sitting I could watch as every inch of leader slipped below the surface dragged down by the sinking nymph. Most of the time there would a continuous slipping away of the line as the surface tension was broken by the pull from the slowly sinking nymph.
As I watched the sinking stopped for a brief moment and this coincided with my lifting the rod to cast a longer line. As I lifted I immediately felt the weight of a fish which became hooked by the lifting action and it dashed away.
After landing the fish I repeated the process and was quickly able to see in the calm water exactly how the fly and line reacted during the sinking process. Over the next couple of hours I caught about 10 fish and not one moved the line more than an inch and in most cases all that I saw was a holding-up in the sink rate.
It was easy to work out what was happening … the nymph was sinking slowly, the fish sensed the rate of sink and they knew there was no hurry. The trout knew that this nymph was going nowhere fast. So they swam slowly up to the nymph, mouthed it for taste and this action stopped the downward motion but for only so long as the nymph was in the mouth of the the stationery fish. If the trout spit out the nymph it continued on its descent. This registered as a STOP on the leader. This lasted no more than 1 second. If the fly moved with the fish in its mouth the leader would move sideways to a small extent or sink at a different rate than I’d observed.
The fundamental lesson I learned that day was that irrespective of the water, its size, clarity or whatever trout will slowly swim up to a sinking nymph (not dash at speed), examine it and mouth it even knowing they can spit it out.
I learned that successful nymph fishing was based upon seeing very small movements in leader whcih meant fishing nymph at long distance was a distinct disadvantage. Even when using an indicator (either dry fly or some other means) the majority of “takes” will be so slight as not to register at all. I realised I was catching a tiny proportion of the takes I was getting.
From that day forward most of the trout I’ve caught in still water using nymphs have been caught close to the side “on the drop” or “on the rise” … the actual retrieve of a nymph has caught me fewer trout. I use a strike indicator 90% of the time to improve my chances of seeing slight movements.
I stopped fishing with sinking lines from that day on except in very exceptional circumstances.
If there is only one lesson I can pass on to help you discover how to fish for trout with a nymph or sunk fly it is to tell you to find a quiet spot in a place where you know there are trout. Be there alone, sit down, fish a short line, and keep watching. I think you will be surprised at what you learn. And if you don’t succeed on the first day go back and repeat the exercise. Use a small nymph no bigger than size 14 and a GRHE would be ideal. If you can do this close to a weed bed all the better and be aware that you could get a big one.
