It is not often possible to interest a nymphing trout with a dry fly, [but] a fish taking floaters well, will also take a nymph even more readily. The eyes of a rising trout though interested mostly on what is happening on the surface area are also keen enough to see movement beneath it. If you care to watch one you can soon learn that should a nymph move beneath the surface in a trout’s vision whilst a fly is floating over him, the fish will most often taken the nymph in preference.
The nymph fisherman then has the advantage over the dry-fly man in that the fish is more likely to take an offering beneath the water than upon it. But the advantage gained in one way is lost in another. A fish taking floaters readily can usually be caught with a dry-fly pattern. The dry fly man has the advantage of being able to see the head of his fish appear as he takes, or at least a rise form which gives all the indication necessary. Indeed he gets a signal very plain to see and if the fish is missed, well it is just too bad. Actually this fisherman has but one thing to occupy his mind – just one indication to tell him his fish has been deluded into taking – a rise form. One thing is very certain – fish cannot take a fly from the surface without breaking it, and so telling you that he has done so. Underwater it can be very different. While after fish which are plainly visible, one learns just how a nymph is taken and it becomes increasingly obvious that sometimes the indication shown is so slight that without very keen attention, a trout can have your nymph in his mouth and spit it out without you knowing a chance has been missed.
Frank Sawyer, The Nymph and the Trout
******************************************************************* Jimmy D. Moore - Scout Exec. BSA (Ret.), TOWA, TF&G Contributor, GRTU Past VP. Past Pres. McGregor Rotary. Freelance Outdoor writer, humorist, half-assed Texan and collector of classic bamboo fly rods and classic golf clubs
Author - "MOON HOLLER MISFITS Fishing & Hunting Club", © JIMMY D's Fly Fishing Website: http://home.earthlink.net/~rayado/rayadoflyfishingflypatternstips/index.html ******************************************************************** "Being able to read trout streams is just as valuable to a fly fisherman as the ability to read a defense is to an NFL Quarterback." Jimmy D. Moore - © [2004] *******************************************************************
