Sometimes, delivering tiny nymphs to the trout is the only way they’ll eat. And you can fish those nymphs with confidence by making a few adjustments in your rig and presentation.

Hatch Magazine published my article, “Tips for Nymphing with Tiny Flies.”  Why, when, where, flies, sizes, hook type, weight, tippet and rigging — it’s all there. And it’s all stuff I’ve learned from some of the best anglers I know.

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. . . Fishing extra-small nymphs is a little different than fishing the standard fare, and for many anglers it’s hard to have confidence in them. But a few refinements in tackle, rigging and onstream approach can help make the most of the itty-bittys.

. . . Here’s another thing to consider: Tiny nymphs are often the most natural flies in our box. The next time you’re enjoying a beer and sitting on a streamside log (you should do that often) reach down and pick up a couple hand-size rocks from the riffles. You’ll find that sizes #18 and smaller are the most common wiggly things making a home on the bottom of a river. Midges, caddis, mayflies and stoneflies — even large nymphs were once small, right? They all start from eggs and grow larger. The point is, there’s a lot of tiny stuff down there, and trout know it.

. . .The smaller the fly, the more difficult it can be to get a solid hookup. And while releasing a trout, we might find our #22 hook precariously grasping the slightest bit of trout skin in or around the mouth. I like to use hooks with wide gaps to compensate.

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Read the full article at Hatch Magazine

Enjoy the day
Domenick Swentosky
T R O U T B I T T E N
domenick@troutbitten.com