Highly technical nymphing discussion

[slimfishin's]

Lately, I've been thinking a little about the pro's/con's about various nymph rig setups and thought a little discussion on what others are doing would be interesting. I usually fish a two-fly rig, and crimp my splitshot above the flies. I usually use a corky-style indicator because I like the adjustability, but will use a yarn indicator when fishing a really heavy rig for deep water. Often, I'm running straight mono to the tippet, unless I anticipate taking the strike indicator off later to fish dries or such on the same rod.

Has anyone had any experience with putting splitshot below the flies? I think that might be called Teton rigging...?

What kind of leader do you like? Straight mono? Fluoro? Tapered ?

I usually put the bigger fly on the top, but what about egg-pattern placement? I've had success with eggs as the top fly, but some swear to only place it on the bottom....

SF

[nightgoat]

Hey SF, good questions. I'll be curious to see some of the answers. Personally, I use tapered mono leaders. Not for any particular reason, just what I've always used. I try to stay away from floro because of the environmental issues.

Depending on how you rig your leader, it may not be legal to have shot below your flies? From the DFG regs:

"It is unlawful to use any weight directly attached below a hook."

I'm not really clear on what "directly attached below a hook" means though. Just thought I'd throw it out there....

[JC Peterson]

OK Guys here goes my attempt!

In October I fished the Green River in Utah below Flaming Gourge Dam & was introduced to several new nymph rigs.

A small party ballon (inflated to about the size of a nickle) was used as an indicator instead of the traditional "corkie" or yarn indicators. I fished the Rogue in November near Shady Cove & was suprised that the ballon indicator was also used in Oregon. The logic is that the ballon is a better indicator when passing over heavy weed growth, is "readable", snags less & rain will not inhibit it's floatation!

Regarding Nymphing rigs - use straight level mono, total length varies depending on depth. I use small spools of Berkley Vanish Flurocarbon 12# down to 2# for leader/tippet material (it's inexpensive, sorry Bill) example of a 9ft rig: loop to loop at floating line leader, start with approx. 7' of 6# fluro material & surgeon's knot to 3' length of 4# fluor material & surgeon's knot to 12" of 3# fluoro material. Tie a double knot at bottom of 3#, add split shot above the knot as needed, if the shot snaggs the 3# will break away saving the flys. Here's where it gets interesting: At the junction of the 6#/4# surgeon's knot leave a 6" pigtail of the 6# material, similarly at the 4#/3# surgeon's knot leave a 6" pigtail of the 4# material. The heavier pigtails will exit the surgeon's knot somewhat at right angles to the leader. Top fly is usually a weighted nymph tied on the tag & a midge for the bottom fly. I use a loop knot which allows the fly freedom of movement rather than a cinch knot.

I have been using this pigtail arrangement for some time (for the top fly only) on long 12' leaders when fishing Crowley Lake (chronomids). They use three fly's below an indicator where only the top fly is tied off the pigtail (to imitate perch fry), next a nymph is tied directly to leader (no pigtail) & then the chronomid from the curve of the nymph hook.

Obviously there is much more explaination needed as to the why's of these rigs, fly choice & exactly how they are fished. Suffice it to say that I have had good success with the rigs described above. After all, they are just another way of presenting a fly!

John Peterson

[PaulC]

Hey Slim,
They had an article a year or so back in fly fisherman on bounce nymphing using weights at the end of the line. Don't know about legality issues tho. Might be worth looking through their articles online to see if you can find it.

I tend to use the following with an indicator:
1 foot 20lb mono to indicator.
6 feet 2x or 3x tied off indicator.
surgeons knot or nail knot with half hitches to 1 foor and then point fly.
12 inches of 3x to dropper.

Weight goes above surgeons knot/nail knot to keep it from sliding downward.


With a dry dropper I use a larger dry fly with the dropper either clinch knotted off of the bend of the hook OR I use a dry with a loop tied in at the back end for attaching the dropper. You don't have to worry about the knot slipping off if you are using barbless hooks.

I'm using all straight mono or fluoro depending on the conditions and what I'm targeting.
-Paul