Tightline nymphing

[GreggH]

I read a basic tutorial on tightline nymphing on a Washington forum and it sounded intresting. I would like to learn more so if any of you could you share your experiances with this technique that would be great. Small water, tight cast, line control, first light ect, ect. Thanks in advance.

G,

[Rich Leonetti]

If you're local head in to Kiene's and talk to Bill Carnazzo

[PatrickM]

Gregg,
I use the tight line/high stick method for the majority of my nymphing. It seems to work best in pocket water or broken up water (say at the head of a run). Really big water, slow pools, and very clear water are probably better fished with an indicator or dry/dropper rig.
There are several different methods, but the way I do it is to cast (more like lob) the fly upstream of the lie you want to fish. Keep the rod upstream until the fly drifts down to the same point as the rod tip. Usually the fly will have sunk to the desired depth by this time. At this point, pick up the slack so you have a tight line to the split shot, and then move the rod downstream at the same rate that the flies are drifting. Hopefully, you'll be getting a nice natural drift, while still maintaining a tight line. Move the rod downstream as far as you can, and then either give a blind set at the end of the drift, or let the flies swing out (this works especially well when fishing a caddis pupa).
Getting a decent drift is actually fairly easy. Figuring out what a take feels like is the hard part. Basically, there are three ways to determine when a fish has taken your fly. First, you might feel a slight tap run up through the line and down the rod. Second, you might see the line jump a bit, or more often, just come to a stop. Third, you might see a flash down where you think your flies are drifting. If any of the above occurs, set the hook immediately. You'd be amazed how subtle the takes can be (you'll realize how many fish we miss when using an indicator), so just set the hook on anything. If you're foul hooking fish, chances are that you're setting too late. Stick with it, and you'll get it figured out.
When high-sticking I don't think it's necessary (or even helpfull) to use a tapered leader. I use a three foot section of 1X mono tippet material as a butt, then attach about the same length of either 4 or 5x tippet (I like the double uni-knot when attaching materials of different diameters). Then attach another eight inch section of the same tippet material by a double surgeon knot. This is used so you can put the split shot above the knot without it sliding down to the fly. Then tie your bigger fly on, and drop a smaller fly from the hook bend by a foot-long section of tippet. I find it helpful to put a small piece of Orvis stike putty on the knot where the butt section joins the first section of tippet. It's not really a strike indicator, but it helps you guage where and how deep your flies are drifting.
In a really big nut shell, that's it.
As you can tell, I really like fishing this method. Once you get it down, it can be very effective.
Hope that helps, and best of luck.

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

Old Trout Belly is right.

Local Nor Cal fly fishing guides Bill Carnazzo and Ron Rabun use a form of "tight line/high stick/short line nymphing" developed by old timers like Ted Fay.

Bill Carnazzo even has a custom multi-colored leader system he makes up that we sell at Kiene's Fly Shop and is also available at the Ted Fay Fly Shop in Dunsmuir, CA.

We were taught this method in the 1970s by old timers like Neil Hansen and Joe Patterson (retired Cortland Rep). when we started back then indicators had yet to be invented. We watched the end of our (Peach) fly line where the leader was attached to see the subtle 'stops'.

It is killer on most pocket water on freestone trout streams anywhere.

[Darian]

This is one of my favorite methods of Trout fishing. The high-stick technique requires a very short line beyond the tip of the rod. In some instances, none of the line is beyond the tip and the only part in the water is the leader....

I like to weight the fly(s) instead of placing weight on the leader system. This allows you full control to the fly and can be lobbed easily upsteam.

Some flies that're effective are Rubber Legs, Wooly Buggers, Bombers (brown/black), Any of the flies tied by Joe Kimsey at the Ted Fay Fly Shop and those tied by Bill Carnazzo.

Not sure what kind of wader you are (aggressive or not), but it's good to place yourself on the opposite side of a boulder that you wish to fish and drift the fly into the depression formed around the bottom of it.... pm's technique works really well that way.

Good fishin'.... :D :D :D

[DFrink]

Great information guys. I've actually been experimenting with this method lately and your suggestions will be very helpful. Does anyone have any recomemdations for what to use for a depth indicator on the line?

[Hairstacker]

Great information in this thread! I recall having great success using this technique in the pocket water of a small stream quite a few years back. Just the fly on the tippet and a split shot about 18" up. Would fish individual boulders by flicking the fly upstream and getting it to sink in front of the boulder and then letting it drift around and out past the slow water on the backside of the boulder. Seemed like the majority of the hits were occurring at the end of the drift but it may just be that I was better at detecting the hits there. One of the beauties of this technique, of course, is that you're fishing in such broken, turbulent water that you can wade right up to the action.

I recall one warm morning when I just cleaned up in a long stretch of pocket water by targeting boulders this way, and when I reunited with my partner at lunchtime to compare notes, I found he had blanked fishing pools and other slower stretches. I'm guessing the fish were concentrated in the faster, rougher water due to the higher oxygen content.

[Darian]

I agree with Mike. I fished the upper Sacramento River near Dunsmuir many times using this method. All of the fish were taken near boulders/fast water and/or pocket water in riffles. I've always thought that was because of the higher oxygen content there.... :cool:

Not sure you need a depth indicator.... You'll be fishing close enough to the flies to be able to feel it if your flies are on the bottom. :confused:

[DFrink]

I agree with Mike. I fished the upper Sacramento River near Dunsmuir many times using this method. All of the fish were taken near boulders/fast water and/or pocket water in riffles. I've always thought that was because of the higher oxygen content there.... :cool:

Not sure you need a depth indicator.... You'll be fishing close enough to the flies to be able to feel it if your flies are on the bottom. :confused:

That makes sense. I saw a cool video on this style of nymphing and the guy had what he called a depth indicator on his line. I wasn't using one last week and definately felt the fly / weight bouncing bottom so I guess I was fishing it correctly. I look forward to trying this technique in some of the deeper pools around my neck of the woods.

[bonish]

Other good resources are Fred Gordon in Dunsmuir (though he doesn't use this technique that often these days - perhaps because his focus is more on size rather than numbers) and Rick Fox locally. I think Rick teaches his version of this technique at his Scott Rods clinics on Putah.

[pvsprme]

I use this method on Steelhead with success. I often will use a soft hackle as the tail fly (as in October Caddis nymph on the lead and a Peeking Caddis on the tail); and as the line drifts downstream past the point where I feel I'm losing the "feel", I will mend or throw extra line out to develop the drift into a bastardized "swing". Get a lot of takes at this point as the trailing fly rises as it would naturally in the water column. Also get takes on the hang, if there's the right current I will let it hang for up to 30 seconds.
It's easier than casting an indicator for me and allows to transform into a natural "swing" presentation without the indicator disturbing the surface. Need to cast with an open loop (slow down) or often I'll just "water load" the cast after the hang and fire it back upstream.

[GreggH]

Good, good stuff. I don't believe it was here but I read from someone that he works up stream while tightline'n. Any ideas? Thanks again for all your input.

[Rick J]

I have always called it tumble bugging (a name my friend Brett Jensen came up with) and I use it with both short and longer lines and stack mend (with the longer line version) and just watch the line where it enters the water. It is a very effective method on the North Umpqua with big ugly bugs.

Bruce and I used it alot on a two week trip back in Montana in the mid 80's on the Madison. And you can move either up or downstream - effective either way. For real short lining in pocket water it makes sense to move upstream.

I just don't fish this type water much anymore preferring spring creeks

[Don Powell]

For me this is way more fun than indi fishing because you have a direct connection to the fly (if you manage your line well) and feel the take when a fish grabs your fly.

It works in small streams for trout and rivers like the Trinity and Rogue for steelhead.

For steelhead I use a conehead black rubberlegs for the lead fly (weight to get the fly down) and a trailing nymph or glo-bug variation. The take results in an instant "hook-up" without having to rear back to hook-up as in under an indicator.

For me swinging is #1, but I really enjoy this technique also.

[Hairstacker]

Good, good stuff. I don't believe it was here but I read from someone that he works up stream while tightline'n. Any ideas? Thanks again for all your input.

I think Rick's right about moving in either direction, although I preferred to move upstream, going from boulder to boulder and steadily working my way up the stream. I did not spend much time at all on any particular rock, as I preferred to keep moving and presenting to as many fish as possible.

[YEM]

Al Kyte introduced me to this technique on the Upper Sac in the 90s when I started fly fishing. He used an inch of old flyline as an indicator/depth marker, i.e. the leader was threaded through the middle (hollow part) of the flyline.

[Notch]

Tightline nymphing is my bread and butter on all trout streams. It can be difficult to get the hang of at first, but once you get the feel of a good drift and learn how to recognize a strike you'll never go back to throwing indicators in close-quarter situations.

I think the key to this technique is to have a lot of weight. I mean like four or five BB's. This is crucial because you want your fly to get down deep, fast. Most of the time you have 10ft or so of pocket water to work with, so by using a lot of weight your fly will spend more time in the strike zone. Sure you'll get hung-up often, but after some practice you can read the substrate and know when to lift your fly over rocks and drop it into deep in holes.

Another trick is to watch your leader to recognize a strike, rather than feeling it. By the time you feel a strike the fish has already been pricked, and more times than not will drop the fly before you can set the hook. If you watch the line closely as it drifts down, often you'll see it twitch or slow down when you get a take. Most of the time you're hitting bottom, but if you set the hook on every "tick", you'll be suprised by how many of those are trout.

[bigfly]

Try a sinking leader with a few less split shot, then use a quick decent fly( eg. Burk's bottom roller or a big bead head pattern.), then a soft hackle dropper or two below.
I recommend deep soft weight on the lighter tippet rather than weighting my the leader or the flies. Gets them in the zone, but maintains action and doesn't weaken tippet. Fishing this rig on a 10 ft, or 11ft. switch rod is helpful too. Drag it ever so slightly faster than the flow. This keeps the line tight allowing you to feel more takes. Enjoy!

[jburge]

Just a big thanks to all who have contributed. This is REALLY helpful to noobs like myself. Keep it coming ;-)

John

[EricW]

I was wondering how you all prefer to play the fish with these methods once hooked. A lot of times, especially when hooked directly across, the tip is so high that the fish comes to surface near instantly upon setting and there's no line on the water to cushion or play. Add a jump or two and they can come unbuttoned pretty quick. Slip line to the reel or drop the tip or ???

[Darian]

I guess I use a heavier leader tippet than others.... Aside from the fact that barbless hooks create opportunities for fish to slip off, I've never had a problem landing fish on a short leader/line. Had several occasions where I had a double hook-up and landed them both without break-offs. :cool:

My method is to strike and lift, keeping the line tight. Unless the fish is large or there is more than one, the fish come right out of the water without much need to play. :cool: If I have to play a fish longer, I play them from my stripping hand until landed. Fishing in places like the upper Sacramento River, I Haven't found too many fish that require putting them on the reel using the high stick technique.... :-|

[bigfly]

Landing fish requires as much study as the rest of this sport. Alas! Considerible touch on lighter tippet is needed. Prefering to strip set if possible, even with dries.
Only bringing line tight till I see who is on. Maintain a 45deg angle to the fishes pull, not straight up! A small bow might be in order if it is a biggy piggy. If the fish changes direction you do too! Try not to pull them to the surface, they have the advantage there. Leave them deep if possible. I much prefer to play a fish on the reel because I've blown it by standing on loose line, and have had a loop or two flip over rod butt or reel handle. After going to all the trouble finding them, I hate losing them!