Articles in the Category Nymphing

For over a decade, I’ve written and talked about fishing a Mono Rig for all underwater presentations — nymphs with and without an indicator, with and without split shot, dry dropper, streamers of all shapes and sizes and even pure dry flies.

I’ve detailed the formulas for my favorite leaders in many places, but I’ve never put everything together from the ground up. This video answers the most frequent questions about reels, fly lines, leader connections, materials and knots. No matter what tight line leader you choose to build, the principles shown here apply.

Seeing the fly is one of the most enjoyable aspects of fishing. But there’s a world of education inherent, too. Watch the fly dance and fall as it mixes with the currents. Notice how it responds to rod tip animation and line strips. Then see a trout materialize around the fly and judge its reaction. Visible flies are teachers. Whether dries, wets, nymphs or streamers, watching the fly helps us refine the techniques that catch fish.

Here are specific strategies for targeting edge water, with footage from two trips — one on small water and one on a larger river. I fish nymphs and streamers, changing frequently to suit the conditions.

I use one fly rod for everything. It doesn’t matter if I’m fishing dry flies, nymphs, wet flies or streamers, the rod I leave the truck with is the rod I’m using all day. If you’re locked into the mindset that you need a bunch of fly rods to fish different tactics and flies, think again. I promise, there’s an easy, efficient, effective way to use one rod for everything.