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Fishing the Nymph for Wild Browns

Our June 2000 contribution from Lesley Crawford

If you are a traditional wet or dry fly fisher, first attempts at nymph fishing often meet with mixed success. There is something very different about working an invisible pattern, deadly but unseen, amongst the deeper nooks and crannies of your chosen water. The pace is slower, the mystery more intriguing and the anticipation intense as you wait for that sudden tweak on the end of the line. Takes may be firm and thorough needing no more than a lift of the rod tip to meet them but then again they can be delicately subtle requiring the most sensitive of hands even to detect them.

I've had an on off love affair with using nymphs for some time now beginning in the 80's when we first moved north to our Highland home. I found certain situations on lochs containing larger than average wild trout demanded the nymph particularly in hot bright conditions when trout were lying doggo and nothing would show to the usual wet fly methods. Equally when fishing rivers, I found high fast water or difficult days of brilliant sun cried out for nymphs. While all else would fail miserably, the nymph fished upstream or across and down would often produce the goods when other anglers had given up and gone home.

Let me share with you some of these experiences as nymphs can help you winkle out a trout or two even when things look impossible...

WHEN & WHERE TO USE THE NYMPH

Nymphs are often at their most effective in poor conditions, particularly overly bright light. Equally they are an obvious choice when there are either no trout on the surface or the fish are rising in a swirling motion with their backs barely breaking the surface (typical nymph feeding behaviour).

Nymphing is also productive in early Spring when trout are close to the bottom and not so active in chasing down prey. Unfortunately it is often the case that nymphs are only resorted to when all other tried and trusted patterns have failed. This is a pity for by that time you are normally becoming desperate and concentration will have reached its lowest ebb. Instead I would suggest a little prior research before starting fishing to ascertain the necessity for using nymphs. If you turn over a few stones in the margins you are very quickly going to see whether the loch or river is suited to nymph angling. The prevalent diet of the resident browns is of critical importance in fly choice and waters where there is an obvious high percentage of bottom fodder particularly crustaceans, will often call for the sunk nymph. Rivers and or lochs where the trout rely mainly on terrestrial air born insects may not immediately demand nymph patterns though these can still be used with some success.

NYMPH TACTICS ON LOCHS

From lengthy trial and error I have found that trout in lochs of an alkaline nature (Caithness has many!) often require a more adroit use of the nymph to tempt them. This is simply because the base feeding in eutrophic waters is so rich in caddis, shrimp, snail and bloodworm that the trout are rarely attracted away from it. There has to be a highly prolific surface hatch of say mayfly, Daddies or Bibios before the big 'uns will venture off the loch base to put a snout skyward. Of course nymphs will also work well on neutral to acid waters however their use is generally not so essential.

When fishing, depth of fly is critical. Within each water there will be hot spots for nymph angling usually close to weed beds, underwater reefs and marl clay beds all of which are productive for invertebrate life. On shallow lochs use a floating line and a 12ft leader with 2 nymphs at 5- 6ft apart. This allows each fly to work independently of the other. Rub the nylon with some mud or Fullers Earth to eradicate as far as possible, any glitter common in bright clear water. Deeper lochs or waters with ledges and drop offs may require the same set up on an intermediate, sink tip or even a sunk line. Select imitative nymph patterns suited to the water you are fishing. Normally these will include Hares Ear, Olive Nymph, Pheasant Tail Nymphs, shrimp patterns and those of that ilk. I make my own with brown wool, black thread and gold or copper wire adding more than a hint of orange seals fur (sizes 10 to 14) because the lochs I fish hold an abundance of bloodworm on which the trout feed avidly. Depth can varied by the addition of copper wire at the head. The nymphs are then fished on a slow rise and fall retrieve so that the tail nymph twitches along slowly fairly close to the bottom. With perseverance and good/realistic presentation, a trout will usually eventually hit one of the nymphs (often the tail fly) from presumably taking it as a caddis or a monster blood worm!

NYMPH TACTICS ON RIVERS

Most of us have by now heard of Czech or Tungsten nymph patterns first introduced into this country by river competition fishers intent on depth and catching fish no matter what the conditions. To some extent these heavyweights have superseded the more traditional nymph fishing popularised by Skues, W C Stewart, Sawyer, Walker and Kite each of whom had their own strict 'codes' on how or how not to use nymphs. Today we very much see a blend of old and new on our rivers with the heavy nymphs often employed in high or very clear bright water. These are roll cast upstream on a short line and allowed to trundle back down near the wading anglers feet. The actual area fished is small when compared to the traditional across and down wet fly approach yet the results can be spectacular.

As with loch nymphing, a knowledge of the waters topography is essential for success. Two nymphs can be fished though note the upper nymph is normally heavier in deep fast currents to act as something of an anchor in weighing down the tail nymph which then does the business. Use a sink tip or intermediate line for best execution in high water, for low clear water a floater and perhaps only one subtly presented nymph. Favoured patterns include Pheasant Tail Nymph, Mayfly and Olive Nymphs, Hares Ear, Stonefly and Czech Nymphs. Sparsely tied Snipe and Purple and Partridge and Orange can also be effective as sunk nymph patterns. All should be fished slowly and naturally so that they trundle along in the current. Kite recommended the 'induced take' which really amounted to a lift and drop of the rod tip in order to imitate the natural progression of a nymph to the water surface, but a natural presentation is what you are looking for. Keeping control and in touch with the nymph(s) is the most important element in river trout angling. Do that successfully and the rest should follow!

AND FINALLY...

Try not to use nymphs simply as a last resort. Check the conditions, what the trout are feeding on and the general lie of the land. Employ nymphs accordingly and at suitable depths. Persevere particularly when the going is tough and in the end you should be rewarded, often with a larger than average butter rich trout.

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