UW video of trout eating nymphs and why you don't feel 'em.

[tommylee]

This video explains a lot. I started the practice of the random small hook sets you mention after hooking fish when I just 'felt' I should set, with no visual sign of the leader doing anything unusual (fishing without an indicator). I foul hooked a rainbow over 20" with this method, but fair hooked many more than I would have just waiting for something to happen. Thanks for the research.

[jjjewett]

Any thoughts on using a dubbed nymph (hare's ear, bird's nest, etc) vs one that isn't?

I feel like the dubbed nymphs seem to catch on fish's teeth better and stay in their mouths longer than ones that aren't.

-JJ

[Ralph]

Any thoughts on using a dubbed nymph (hare's ear, bird's nest, etc) vs one that isn't?

I feel like the dubbed nymphs seem to catch on fish's teeth better and stay in their mouths longer than ones that aren't.

-JJ

I don't know about getting their teeth stuck, but trout definitely hold onto soft flies longer than hard ones like Copper Johns or epoxy flies. On the other hand, hard nymphs generally get into zone quicker.