[VFB] Re: Active Nymphing was QUOTE FOR THE DAY
Tom and you are men after me own heart. I did not have anyone to teach me but I
found out that doing it this way had been real effective for me. That drift
with some twitching has taken a lot of fish when others had a hard time
catching fish. That "lift" at the end of the swing is deadly. I would say I
catch about 90% of my fish there when nymping or using buggers.
I am self taught and have never had the desire to use "bobbers". I know I am
stepping on some toes but to me worms and bobbers go together.. LOL
Tom, any time you can come by, you are welcome, we will miss you at the Sowbug.
Tony
--- On Mon, 2/16/09, George wrote:
From: George
Subject: [VFB] Re: Active Nymphing was QUOTE FOR THE DAY
To: vfb-mail@googlegroups.com
Date: Monday, February 16, 2009, 10:55 AM
Absolutely Tom, I couldn't agree more with your observations. When I
started nymphing without a strike indicator, my catch rate increased. I have
used the same technique and have also caught fish at all stages of the
presentation.
The fly is only part of the technique, the rest is presentation,
presentation, presentation.
Keeping the fly in the water is very important, even fishing out a bad
cast can produce a catch. I can usually spot a novice by watching the number of
false casts. The fly in the water is what catches the fish, the fly in the air
doesn't.
George Vincent
From: vfb-mail@googlegroups.com
[mailto:vfb-m...@googlegroups.com] On Behalf Of Tom
Davenport
Sent: Sunday, February 15, 2009 18:34
To:
vfb-mail@googlegroups.com
Subject: [VFB] Re: Active Nymphing was QUOTE
FOR THE DAY
I learned to fly fish about 15 years ago when a friend helped me get
rigged up and taught me how to cast and fish. He was a nymph fisherman
(anyone who fishes the Weber River where I fish most often is) and he taught me
to dead drift the fly behind a strike indicator. Later I talked to
another friend who had been a fly tyer and fly fisher for years, and asked him
if he used a strike indicator and the dead drift. He said no, he always
used a shorter line and followed it as it drifted through the deep holes.
So I tried his technique and started catching more fish. Several
years later I realized what I was doing is called "High Sticking" and it
is still my preferred method to dig a bunch of fish out of a deep hole. It
always includes a lift at the end, and often I strip it back, and have caught
fish both ways. Also with a nymph and a swing, especially when there are
caddis hatching.
While the basic idea of the "dead drift" is sound, but I don't think it is
as important as some people think. Sometimes adding a little motion to the
fly is exactly what the fish need to strike. If I am fishing a long, deep
run, I will often combine them all... Maybe cast into a back eddy, let the fly
sink then strip it into the main current, let it dead drift until it comes
close
to me, then lift the line and high stick through the water next to me, with a
swing on the end, followed by stripping the line back. I have caught fish
at all stages of the presentation of the fly.
I think we spend too much time wondering what a fly "represents" .
Most often, it is just something that looks like food to the fish, and
movement can be a trigger.
Perhaps the most important thing is just keeping the fly in the water, and
close to the bottom.
Tom
P.S. By the way, I am officially "back". My strength, energy,
appetite, are all normal. I am also making progress with the other two
side effects of the surgery. Life is good. The only downside
is that my intention to attend Sowbug this year has been derailed by $3000.00
in
medical expenses (since I was in the hospital in December and January, it get
to
pay for two years worth of deductibles).
I was really looking forward to seeing Tony again, but my son is a
trucker, and if he has a run this summer that comes within 200 miles of
Flippin,
I'll be there to visit (I'll call first).
On Feb 14, 2009, at 6:21 AM, Anthony Spezio wrote:
This called the "Miracle Inch". I use it a lot and get
some violent strikes. At first I would get a lot of break offs till I
learned to keep the line loose in my line hand. I would "twitch" the
nymph on the drift let it swing and hold it there for a short. Then
work
it back up stream like a wounded minnow.
Tony
--- On Fri,
2/13/09, KP
wrote:
From:
KP
Subject:
[VFB] Re: Active Nymphing was QUOTE FOR THE
DAY
To: "VFB Mail"
Date:
Friday, February 13, 2009, 5:01 PM
I love upstream dry fly fishng and in the winter I fish my nymphs this
way too. A friend of mine just came back from a course here in the
UK
and they were shown how the masters of short line nymphing do the job.
Your b
[VFB] Re: Active Nymphing was QUOTE FOR THE DAY
Absolutely Tom, I couldn't agree more with your observations. When I started nymphing without a strike indicator, my catch rate increased. I have used the same technique and have also caught fish at all stages of the presentation. The fly is only part of the technique, the rest is presentation, presentation, presentation. Keeping the fly in the water is very important, even fishing out a bad cast can produce a catch. I can usually spot a novice by watching the number of false casts. The fly in the water is what catches the fish, the fly in the air doesn't. George Vincent _ From: vfb-mail@googlegroups.com [mailto:vfb-m...@googlegroups.com] On Behalf Of Tom Davenport Sent: Sunday, February 15, 2009 18:34 To: vfb-mail@googlegroups.com Subject: [VFB] Re: Active Nymphing was QUOTE FOR THE DAY I learned to fly fish about 15 years ago when a friend helped me get rigged up and taught me how to cast and fish. He was a nymph fisherman (anyone who fishes the Weber River where I fish most often is) and he taught me to dead drift the fly behind a strike indicator. Later I talked to another friend who had been a fly tyer and fly fisher for years, and asked him if he used a strike indicator and the dead drift. He said no, he always used a shorter line and followed it as it drifted through the deep holes. So I tried his technique and started catching more fish. Several years later I realized what I was doing is called "High Sticking" and it is still my preferred method to dig a bunch of fish out of a deep hole. It always includes a lift at the end, and often I strip it back, and have caught fish both ways. Also with a nymph and a swing, especially when there are caddis hatching. While the basic idea of the "dead drift" is sound, but I don't think it is as important as some people think. Sometimes adding a little motion to the fly is exactly what the fish need to strike. If I am fishing a long, deep run, I will often combine them all... Maybe cast into a back eddy, let the fly sink then strip it into the main current, let it dead drift until it comes close to me, then lift the line and high stick through the water next to me, with a swing on the end, followed by stripping the line back. I have caught fish at all stages of the presentation of the fly. I think we spend too much time wondering what a fly "represents" . Most often, it is just something that looks like food to the fish, and movement can be a trigger. Perhaps the most important thing is just keeping the fly in the water, and close to the bottom. Tom P.S. By the way, I am officially "back". My strength, energy, appetite, are all normal. I am also making progress with the other two side effects of the surgery. Life is good. The only downside is that my intention to attend Sowbug this year has been derailed by $3000.00 in medical expenses (since I was in the hospital in December and January, it get to pay for two years worth of deductibles). I was really looking forward to seeing Tony again, but my son is a trucker, and if he has a run this summer that comes within 200 miles of Flippin, I'll be there to visit (I'll call first). On Feb 14, 2009, at 6:21 AM, Anthony Spezio wrote: This called the "Miracle Inch". I use it a lot and get some violent strikes. At first I would get a lot of break offs till I learned to keep the line loose in my line hand. I would "twitch" the nymph on the drift let it swing and hold it there for a short. Then work it back up stream like a wounded minnow. Tony --- On Fri, 2/13/09, KP wrote: From: KP Subject: [VFB] Re: Active Nymphing was QUOTE FOR THE DAY To: "VFB Mail" Date: Friday, February 13, 2009, 5:01 PM I love upstream dry fly fishng and in the winter I fish my nymphs this way too. A friend of mine just came back from a course here in the UK and they were shown how the masters of short line nymphing do the job. Your books ref to the stripping the nymph on the lift is how he described the Czech and Polish method of what we call the induced take as originated here by Mr Skues. There is a new (?) method used by these guys that uses long leaders up to 18 or 20 feet long ! At the end of the drift they lift the nymph at a rediculous (to me anyway) speed but it works really well. I have used the same method but with sensible leaders of 10 to 12 feet long. It resulted in a 40cm grayling (thats 16" in proper money) which is big for the UK, on my last trip to the river. SO yes stripping the nymph induces takes from fish so I guess you should try it for a while and compare to your normal slower retrieve. Just my 2pennorth. Cheers Keith PS DonO I am doing the 24hour thing again this year!!! I now work for Orvis UK !!! On Feb 12, 8:46 pm, Michael Bliss wrote: > I am reading a book called "Active Nymphing: Aggressive Strategies for > Casting, Rigging, And Movin
[VFB] Re: Active Nymphing was QUOTE FOR THE DAY
I learned to fly fish about 15 years ago when a friend helped me get rigged up and taught me how to cast and fish. He was a nymph fisherman (anyone who fishes the Weber River where I fish most often is) and he taught me to dead drift the fly behind a strike indicator. Later I talked to another friend who had been a fly tyer and fly fisher for years, and asked him if he used a strike indicator and the dead drift. He said no, he always used a shorter line and followed it as it drifted through the deep holes. So I tried his technique and started catching more fish. Several years later I realized what I was doing is called "High Sticking" and it is still my preferred method to dig a bunch of fish out of a deep hole. It always includes a lift at the end, and often I strip it back, and have caught fish both ways. Also with a nymph and a swing, especially when there are caddis hatching. While the basic idea of the "dead drift" is sound, but I don't think it is as important as some people think. Sometimes adding a little motion to the fly is exactly what the fish need to strike. If I am fishing a long, deep run, I will often combine them all... Maybe cast into a back eddy, let the fly sink then strip it into the main current, let it dead drift until it comes close to me, then lift the line and high stick through the water next to me, with a swing on the end, followed by stripping the line back. I have caught fish at all stages of the presentation of the fly. I think we spend too much time wondering what a fly "represents" . Most often, it is just something that looks like food to the fish, and movement can be a trigger. Perhaps the most important thing is just keeping the fly in the water, and close to the bottom. Tom P.S. By the way, I am officially "back". My strength, energy, appetite, are all normal. I am also making progress with the other two side effects of the surgery. Life is good. The only downside is that my intention to attend Sowbug this year has been derailed by $3000.00 in medical expenses (since I was in the hospital in December and January, it get to pay for two years worth of deductibles). I was really looking forward to seeing Tony again, but my son is a trucker, and if he has a run this summer that comes within 200 miles of Flippin, I'll be there to visit (I'll call first). On Feb 14, 2009, at 6:21 AM, Anthony Spezio wrote: > This called the "Miracle Inch". I use it a lot and get some violent > strikes. At first I would get a lot of break offs till I learned to > keep the line loose in my line hand. I would "twitch" the nymph on > the drift let it swing and hold it there for a short. Then work it > back up stream like a wounded minnow. > Tony > > --- On Fri, 2/13/09, KP wrote: > From: KP > Subject: [VFB] Re: Active Nymphing was QUOTE FOR THE DAY > To: "VFB Mail" > Date: Friday, February 13, 2009, 5:01 PM > > I love upstream dry fly fishng and in the winter I fish my nymphs this > way too. A friend of mine just came back from a course here in the > UK > and they were shown how the masters of short line nymphing do the job. > Your books ref to the stripping the nymph on the lift is how he > described the Czech and Polish method of what we call the induced take > as originated here by Mr Skues. There is a new (?) method used by > these guys that uses long leaders up to 18 or 20 feet long ! At the > end of the drift they lift the nymph at a rediculous (to me anyway) > speed but it works really well. I have used the same method but with > sensible leaders of 10 to 12 feet long. It resulted in a 40cm grayling > (thats 16" in proper money) which is big for the UK, on my last trip > to the river. SO yes stripping the nymph induces takes from fish so I > guess you should try it for a while and compare to your normal slower > retrieve. > Just my 2pennorth. > Cheers > Keith > > PS DonO I am doing the 24hour thing again this year!!! I now work for > Orvis UK !!! > > On Feb 12, > 8:46 pm, Michael Bliss wrote: > > I am reading a book called "Active Nymphing: Aggressive Strategies > for > > Casting, Rigging, And Moving the Nymphs" By Rich Osthoff. In the > > book he talks of moving the nymph, not just like streamer fishing > but > > casting upstream and stripping the nymph (not streamer). I am a > dead > > drifter almost all of the time and this is new to me. Anyone do > this > > and can you shed some perspective on this? > > > > Mike > > > > > > > > --~--~-~--~~~---~--~~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the "VFB Mail" group. To post to this group, send email to vfb-mail@googlegroups.com To unsubscribe from this group, send email to vfb-mail-unsubscr...@googlegroups.com For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/vfb-mail?hl=en VFB Mail is sponsored by Line's End Inc at http://www.linesend.com -~--~~~~--~~--~--~---
[VFB] Re: Active Nymphing was QUOTE FOR THE DAY
This called the "Miracle Inch". I use it a lot and get some violent strikes. At first I would get a lot of break offs till I learned to keep the line loose in my line hand. I would "twitch" the nymph on the drift let it swing and hold it there for a short. Then work it back up stream like a wounded minnow. Tony --- On Fri, 2/13/09, KP wrote: From: KP Subject: [VFB] Re: Active Nymphing was QUOTE FOR THE DAY To: "VFB Mail" Date: Friday, February 13, 2009, 5:01 PM I love upstream dry fly fishng and in the winter I fish my nymphs this way too. A friend of mine just came back from a course here in the UK and they were shown how the masters of short line nymphing do the job. Your books ref to the stripping the nymph on the lift is how he described the Czech and Polish method of what we call the induced take as originated here by Mr Skues. There is a new (?) method used by these guys that uses long leaders up to 18 or 20 feet long ! At the end of the drift they lift the nymph at a rediculous (to me anyway) speed but it works really well. I have used the same method but with sensible leaders of 10 to 12 feet long. It resulted in a 40cm grayling (thats 16" in proper money) which is big for the UK, on my last trip to the river. SO yes stripping the nymph induces takes from fish so I guess you should try it for a while and compare to your normal slower retrieve. Just my 2pennorth. Cheers Keith PS DonO I am doing the 24hour thing again this year!!! I now work for Orvis UK !!! On Feb 12, 8:46 pm, Michael Bliss wrote: > I am reading a book called "Active Nymphing: Aggressive Strategies for > Casting, Rigging, And Moving the Nymphs" By Rich Osthoff. In the > book he talks of moving the nymph, not just like streamer fishing but > casting upstream and stripping the nymph (not streamer). I am a dead > drifter almost all of the time and this is new to me. Anyone do this > and can you shed some perspective on this? > > Mike --~--~-~--~~~---~--~~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the "VFB Mail" group. To post to this group, send email to vfb-mail@googlegroups.com To unsubscribe from this group, send email to vfb-mail-unsubscr...@googlegroups.com For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/vfb-mail?hl=en VFB Mail is sponsored by Line's End Inc at http://www.linesend.com -~--~~~~--~~--~--~---
[VFB] Re: Active Nymphing was QUOTE FOR THE DAY
I love upstream dry fly fishng and in the winter I fish my nymphs this way too. A friend of mine just came back from a course here in the UK and they were shown how the masters of short line nymphing do the job. Your books ref to the stripping the nymph on the lift is how he described the Czech and Polish method of what we call the induced take as originated here by Mr Skues. There is a new (?) method used by these guys that uses long leaders up to 18 or 20 feet long ! At the end of the drift they lift the nymph at a rediculous (to me anyway) speed but it works really well. I have used the same method but with sensible leaders of 10 to 12 feet long. It resulted in a 40cm grayling (thats 16" in proper money) which is big for the UK, on my last trip to the river. SO yes stripping the nymph induces takes from fish so I guess you should try it for a while and compare to your normal slower retrieve. Just my 2pennorth. Cheers Keith PS DonO I am doing the 24hour thing again this year!!! I now work for Orvis UK !!! On Feb 12, 8:46 pm, Michael Bliss wrote: > I am reading a book called "Active Nymphing: Aggressive Strategies for > Casting, Rigging, And Moving the Nymphs" By Rich Osthoff. In the > book he talks of moving the nymph, not just like streamer fishing but > casting upstream and stripping the nymph (not streamer). I am a dead > drifter almost all of the time and this is new to me. Anyone do this > and can you shed some perspective on this? > > Mike --~--~-~--~~~---~--~~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the "VFB Mail" group. To post to this group, send email to vfb-mail@googlegroups.com To unsubscribe from this group, send email to vfb-mail-unsubscr...@googlegroups.com For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/vfb-mail?hl=en VFB Mail is sponsored by Line's End Inc at http://www.linesend.com -~--~~~~--~~--~--~---
[VFB] Re: Active Nymphing was QUOTE FOR THE DAY
I do a lot of nymphing in tailwaters. I generally cast upstream & work my way down stream until I find a pattern that works, especially when the water is high. Sometimes I swim it, sometimes I'll do a drift & lift, but what works in those waters quite often when the water is moving is casting across stream & stripping on the swing. J -Original Message- From: vfb-mail@googlegroups.com [mailto:vfb-m...@googlegroups.com] On Behalf Of Michael Bliss Sent: Thursday, February 12, 2009 2:47 PM To: vfb-mail@googlegroups.com Subject: [VFB] Active Nymphing was QUOTE FOR THE DAY I am reading a book called "Active Nymphing: Aggressive Strategies for Casting, Rigging, And Moving the Nymphs" By Rich Osthoff. In the book he talks of moving the nymph, not just like streamer fishing but casting upstream and stripping the nymph (not streamer). I am a dead drifter almost all of the time and this is new to me. Anyone do this and can you shed some perspective on this? Mike --~--~-~--~~~---~--~~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the "VFB Mail" group. To post to this group, send email to vfb-mail@googlegroups.com To unsubscribe from this group, send email to vfb-mail-unsubscr...@googlegroups.com For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/vfb-mail?hl=en VFB Mail is sponsored by Line's End Inc at http://www.linesend.com -~--~~~~--~~--~--~---
[VFB] Re: Active Nymphing was QUOTE FOR THE DAY
During the winter months, I nymph most of the time just because there is nothing raising. I agree with the you on the lifting technique, I use that same thing in the rivers here in Utah. John Bennett Engineer Tech W-(801)513-9001 F-(801)728-1970 E- jcbenn...@lifetime.com -Original Message- From: vfb-mail@googlegroups.com [mailto:vfb-m...@googlegroups.com] On Behalf Of DonO Sent: Thursday, February 12, 2009 2:19 PM To: vfb-mail@googlegroups.com Subject: [VFB] Re: Active Nymphing was QUOTE FOR THE DAY Mike, Some species of nymphs are swimmers, some are clingers, some are burrowers. If he is short-stripping a nymph (but not darting), he is probably imitiating a swimmer variety. Dead-drifting works for imitating clingers, and also burrowers that get washed up out of the dirt. All they can do is drift downstream until they hit something they can cling on to, or end up in an eddy (or a gut). Depending on the fish and other circumstances, one way may work and the others won't. One thing that does work for me is the lifting technique, imitating a nymph that is rising to the surface. Whatever way I drift the nymph, at the end of the cast I make a slow deliberate lift to the surface, pausing before I pull the nymph from the water, especially if it ends up in slack water. Like you, my most productive nymphing is dead-drifting with a strike indicator down the seams in the river, where the still or slow water meets the fast water. Next I'll choose area in front of obstructions and then directly behind. If that doesn't work, I'll look for deep pockets and eddies. I have rig-ups and lines for all types of approaches and nymph-sinking methods. In the N. Platte R., that puppy's got to be bouncing along the bottom- seems to trigger the takes. But all of this happens only if the dry-fly fishing is unproductive or if it's just too windy for dries. D - Original Message - From: "Michael Bliss" To: Sent: Thursday, February 12, 2009 1:46 PM Subject: [VFB] Active Nymphing was QUOTE FOR THE DAY > > I am reading a book called "Active Nymphing: Aggressive Strategies for > Casting, Rigging, And Moving the Nymphs" By Rich Osthoff. In the > book he talks of moving the nymph, not just like streamer fishing but > casting upstream and stripping the nymph (not streamer). I am a dead > drifter almost all of the time and this is new to me. Anyone do this > and can you shed some perspective on this? > > Mike > > > > > > -- > No virus found in this incoming message. > Checked by AVG. > Version: 7.5.552 / Virus Database: 270.10.23/1947 - Release Date: 2/11/09 6:11 PM > > This email has been proactively scanned for all known and unknown viruses. This message is now certified Virus-free. --~--~-~--~~~---~--~~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the "VFB Mail" group. To post to this group, send email to vfb-mail@googlegroups.com To unsubscribe from this group, send email to vfb-mail-unsubscr...@googlegroups.com For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/vfb-mail?hl=en VFB Mail is sponsored by Line's End Inc at http://www.linesend.com -~--~~~~--~~--~--~---
[VFB] Re: Active Nymphing was QUOTE FOR THE DAY
Mike, Some species of nymphs are swimmers, some are clingers, some are burrowers. If he is short-stripping a nymph (but not darting), he is probably imitiating a swimmer variety. Dead-drifting works for imitating clingers, and also burrowers that get washed up out of the dirt. All they can do is drift downstream until they hit something they can cling on to, or end up in an eddy (or a gut). Depending on the fish and other circumstances, one way may work and the others won't. One thing that does work for me is the lifting technique, imitating a nymph that is rising to the surface. Whatever way I drift the nymph, at the end of the cast I make a slow deliberate lift to the surface, pausing before I pull the nymph from the water, especially if it ends up in slack water. Like you, my most productive nymphing is dead-drifting with a strike indicator down the seams in the river, where the still or slow water meets the fast water. Next I'll choose area in front of obstructions and then directly behind. If that doesn't work, I'll look for deep pockets and eddies. I have rig-ups and lines for all types of approaches and nymph-sinking methods. In the N. Platte R., that puppy's got to be bouncing along the bottom- seems to trigger the takes. But all of this happens only if the dry-fly fishing is unproductive or if it's just too windy for dries. D - Original Message - From: "Michael Bliss" To: Sent: Thursday, February 12, 2009 1:46 PM Subject: [VFB] Active Nymphing was QUOTE FOR THE DAY > > I am reading a book called "Active Nymphing: Aggressive Strategies for > Casting, Rigging, And Moving the Nymphs" By Rich Osthoff. In the > book he talks of moving the nymph, not just like streamer fishing but > casting upstream and stripping the nymph (not streamer). I am a dead > drifter almost all of the time and this is new to me. Anyone do this > and can you shed some perspective on this? > > Mike > > > > > > -- > No virus found in this incoming message. > Checked by AVG. > Version: 7.5.552 / Virus Database: 270.10.23/1947 - Release Date: 2/11/09 6:11 PM > > --~--~-~--~~~---~--~~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the "VFB Mail" group. To post to this group, send email to vfb-mail@googlegroups.com To unsubscribe from this group, send email to vfb-mail-unsubscr...@googlegroups.com For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/vfb-mail?hl=en VFB Mail is sponsored by Line's End Inc at http://www.linesend.com -~--~~~~--~~--~--~---
