Like beadhead nymphs in the 80’s, Czech-Euro nymphing is a development in fly fishing that is here to stay. Even though I make my livi...
Like beadhead nymphs in the 80’s, Czech-Euro nymphing is a
development in fly fishing that is here to stay. Even though I make my living in the fly
fishing world, I had originally dismissed it as a fad that was strictly for the
competition world, or frankly for the youngsters that really didn’t know how to
fly fish. Well that fad became a craze,
and that craze is now a fixture in the mainstream world of fly fishing, rod
makers all market Euro rods, line makers have euro lines, leader makers have
euro leaders, everyone makes tippet rings, hook companies all are onboard. Nymphing rods are Big Y Fly Co #1 selling
category of fly rods hands down. New
flies that are Czech style outsell all other new flies, phone calls, emails pour in from fishers seeking info, tips,
advice, all led me to face facts this style of fly fishing was here to stay. And it was time I opened my mind a bit. Sometimes you have to ask yourself what took
so long.
I am not so much a
purist that I will only cast dry flies when fish are rising, who has the time
to schedule that or the proximity to a river to check on these specific conditions,
to get your fishing fix. I even learned
to fly fish nymphing. I came to fly
fishing from spin rod fishing using stoneflies and what we then called
periwinkles as bait, then in the summer we’d catch hoppers. I began fly fishing in the 70’s with a Fenwick Rod, Pflueger Medallist reel, and Cortland 444 Peach Fly Line. And I was hooked
with the first cast. I strictly nymphed
for many years. Back then flies were kind of hard to find, I
only knew of two honest to goodness fly shops and flies sold for over $2 each
when you wanted weighted flies. A
considerable sum when you made $1.85 per hour.
But we didn’t have beadheads yet, and the only other way to get your fly
down was split shots, lots of them. Using
almost now defunct patterns like stovepipe, tied down caddis, and some other
local creations, they gave way to Muddler Minnow and Hare’s Ears as my
knowledge and the sport in general spread.
 |
| Stovepipe courtesy of Riverkeeper Flies |
Other developments came too.
I actually discovered Sunset Amnesia Mono after a few years. I used it between my fly line and
leader. The original reasoning was to
save my fly line. There was no loop to
loop connection, so every time you changed out your tapered leader, you lost a
few inches of fly line. So putting a
couple of feet of Amnesia on saved the fly line. The added bonus of being able to see your
leader better was an unexpected bonus.
Then a friend discovered Palsa strike indicators and holy smokes the
hookups increased. Somewhere in there
beadheads came along as well, and I stumbled on the Beadhead Prince Nymph. Then I began to tie flies and created a
better Prince at least for where I fished and a Caddis Emerger pattern that
just almost made fishing unfair. I no
longer can duplicate that pattern as I think the materials I used are no longer
available. Or I have forgotten the actual
pattern.
Anyway, the first place I ever fly fished is still my
favorite, although sub-divisions have exploded in the area, the location is
designated wilderness and after a 20-30 minute rather strenuous hike the
surroundings look unchanged. The slot is
what I call the spot I thought was tailor-made for trying out this new fangled
fishing technique called Czech Euro Nymphing.
Let’s face it, the last great European invasion, no not the Beatles, but
the beadhead nymph was quite a sensation.
Rigging up with a Douglas Sky 3 wt 11 ft rod, Big Y Standard5/6 reel, Rio Fips Line, and a Rio EuroLeader, and a couple yet to be released
Big Y Czech/Euro Nymphs that resembled nymphs I felt confident would work on these
fish I know so well.
The first thing I had to get used to happened even before I
got on the river. The hike is down a canyon
with low growing trees and brush. After
all these years I just know how much room a 9 ft rod needs for clearance the Douglas
needed more, multiple stops to wiggle loose the tip, was a minor frustration
that built on the nagging feeling this might not be for me. I do fish spey rods and switch rods for
steelhead, so I am not unfamiliar with carrying longer rods, but I tend to fish steelhead closer to my car or walk up the mouth of the Deschutes River where brush is not a problem.
Once to the water, It took very little time, maybe thirty
minutes, to get the hang of handling the extra two feet. And about the same amount of time to start
hooking into fish. Those thirty minutes
were probably filled with inner dialog of doubt, and perhaps even some derision
of the technique itself. Funny how that
first hook up can quickly change one’s attitude. Then they just started coming, fish after
fish, so many fish one starts to feel a little guilty. But what the heck, I haven’t really had any
summer steelhead action in two years, so some frenzied spring trout action was probably
karmic balance in the mind of the fly fishing gods.
What I really didn’t expect though was this. How much I enjoyed the form of fly fishing
called Euro Nymphing, Czech Nymphing I am not sure we have totally decided yet,
or maybe these are hairs not worth splitting.
But I began to find it elegant. I
liked the direct connection with the fish, I liked the slam of the take. It somehow reminded of a great dry fly
session with a size 16 parachute pattern.
Simple carefree, at one with the universe. In touch with Mother Nature.
All right I’ll reel it back in, like those biggest of
fish. My point is this, I enjoyed it a lot. After two long days mixing Euro Nymphing with
some fantastic dry fly action, I think I will put away my 9’ for nymphing,
forget the strike indicators and the split shots. And simplify, like Walden’s Pond.
It felt to this maybe skeptical of new things forty-year
veteran of fly fishing like a partial rebirth.
I wondered what else I have been somewhat dismissive of in this great
pursuit of enjoyment. And then I also
did the hopper/dropper thing but that will wait for another blog post. I posit to those of you that have countless
hours of experience on the water, that have been closing your mind to Czech
Euro fishing it just might be worth a look.
I for one and this might be a little strong, but probably not, found it
something like falling in love with fly fishing again. Maybe old dogs can really learn new tricks,
unless they are my faithful basset hound, George.
