Angling Publications - Index

Angling Publications - april2008 - Index

6
Nymph fishing is typically thought of in the realm
of trout, but some of the same techniques that work well on 13inch
browns can also be used on 30-pound king salmon (and
other anadromous Oncorhynchus). I am not talking about size-20
pheasant tails and 7X tippet here, but instead the techniques
and ideas of nymphing being re-purposed for heavier duty work.
Growing up with a hard-core, nymph-fisher
father, I was directed to think of the idea of nymphing
as being more than an activity built only
around subaquatic insects. Indeed, if a fly could
be fished between rock bottom and the surface
film, I was encouraged to think about it in terms
of various nymphing techniques. That mind-set
encompassed dry flies fished wet, as well as the
biggest flies in my trout box—streamers—fished
dead-drift on the bottom. It is the streamers—the
“meat-and-potatoes” of the fly-fishing world—that
this article will focus on.
Although there are many rigging options and
techniques with which to deliver a nymph (or size-2
strip leech), I’ll keep things relatively simple here.
The rig will consist of a floating line, a 9-foot leader,
split shot and the fly (and potentially an indicator,
if deemed necessary for the situation). The presentation
will be up-current, though the fly could be
presented from a variety of angles.
When delivering the fly in an up-current
fashion, precise placement of the fly in relation to
the fish can become quite important. The factors
of time-to-depth and relative take position both
come into play. In order for a nymph to reach
a fish’s level, it has to have enough time to sink.
If the fly enters the water too close to the fish, it
may not get deep enough before it passes the fish’s
position. So, the fly has to be cast far enough upcurrent
to sink fully and/or it has to be cast with
a technique—such as a Tuck Cast combined with
extra slack—that will allow it to sink rapidly in a
short period of time.
Relative take position has to do with knowing
when to strike. Big fish may hold in deep water, and while the body
of a fish may be generally visible, a take can be difficult or impossible
to see. This is a problem that plagues anglers in many nymphing
situations. A potential solution is to deliver the fly just to the near
side of the fish (while still presenting far enough up-current). This
TECHNIQUES
Jason Borger
way, the fish will have to move slightly to the side in order to take
the fly. Such a movement is usually fairly easy to see. Of course, the
fish may simply be having a look at the fly and not actually taking,
but it’s better than trying to guess.
Split shot (or weighted putty) can help to get the fly down and
keep it down. One caveat with weight is to only use as much as
necessary for a given situation. Too much weight
and you risk hooking the bottom, which can dull
a hook with surprising ease. In the past, I lost more
than one big king while nymphing due to bottomdulled
hooks. I now apply weight very carefully
and check my hook religiously if something solid
and stony makes undesired contact.
If an indicator is deemed necessary (due to
poor visibility, etc.), understand that the indicator
is not meant to suspend the fly. A small tuft of
yarn, small foam ball, or similar device may allow
you to more-easily follow the drift of the fly (and
take of the fish).
With all of this, the idea is not to cast and strip,
but to allow the fly to travel along near the bottom,
right past a fish as it holds in position. You may
wish to give the fly a quick hop to get the fish’s
attention, or to clear an obstacle, but resist the
temptation to begin an active retrieve.
My father, Gary, had one particularly memorable
day nymphing for kings while on an Alaskan
float trip some years ago. He found a line of kings,
nestled in tight against the bank, and proceeded to
work them up-current with a black strip leech. Not
every fish was interested, but those that did find
my father’s offering acceptable gave him one of the
most enjoyable days he has ever had with kings.
Nymphing for kings can indeed be classified
as a specialty technique, but you may find that
it leads you to new and exciting successes with
these great fish as you fly fish America.
Our thanks to Jason for 10 years of great Techniques columns.
We asked readers to vote for their favorite columns, and we’re running
the top six throughout our 2008 issues. Jason will continue
to contribute feature-length articles. Look for his upcoming piece,
Fishing Nymphs as Dry Flies, in the May 2008 issue.
JASON BORGER ILLUSTRATIONS (CENTER AND TOP LEFT) JOSEPH TOMELLERI FISH ILLUSTRATION