Just dipping your toes into the Euro nymphing pool? It can be intimidating. Where to start? There are a pile of lines, rods, leaders to...
Use your existing setup
This is the way that most of us will start Euro nymphing. Most of us own a 9' 5wt for the trout fishing that we know and love, the trout fishing that our grandpa taught us. We can absolutely use that same rod, reel and line to start Euro nymphing. Here are a few different ways to get that done:Using your existing line: This is not ideal, but many of us have been doing it for years. Have you ever forgotten to bring a bobber? Tight line nymphing is essentially what Euro nymphing is. A traditional fly line is not ideal for Euro nymphing, but it works when it has to. Those lines are heavy compared to a Euro line, and that weight makes it hard to keep a tight line, aka, there is lots of "line sag". While it's not ideal, it gets you in the game, and that is the most important part. Just give it a shot next time you are nymphing... take off that bobber.
Hanak 30' tapered leaders: This 30' leader is another option for Euro nymphing that can be used in conjunction with a standard floating fly line. Many of the "pros" prefer to us just monofilament when they fish. These 1x leaders are easy enough to cast and do not have significant memory issues. To make this a killer leader, I would add a couple feet of two-tone indicator tippet from RIO or Cortland, and then a tippet ring* to make a complete Euro leader. Add 5x/6x tippet and flies to finish it off.
*A tippet ring is basically what a swivel is to gear fishermen. It is added to the end of a leader so that tippet is tied directly to the ring instead of the leader. The leader will stay the same length, which is ideal, and changing flies and tippet is quicker. We have tippet rings from RIO, Hanak, Cortland and Orvis.Euro Leaders: If you are a newbie to the Euro game, the easiest way to complete a setup is to add a pre-made Euro nymph leader. We highly recommend that anglers just use one of these to start. It will make the transition easier, and it is one less thing to be uncertain about. We have options from Orvis, RIO and Cutthroat Leaders. Once you learn what you like for length and strength, it is easy enough to make those type of leaders from a variety of colored tippets, but the pre-made leaders are just easy enough that it is worth buying one to start. You just have to add 5x/6x tippet and some flies...
Making the leap
If you want to get a dedicated Euro nymph rod and reel, there are a ton of choices. Getting a rod/reel combo is the easy way to go, and we have a bunch of combos available. We will match the reel up to the rod and you won't have much to worry about. If you want to piece it together yourself, here are some things to consider:Lines
RIO FIPS: This Euro line is the easiest full-length Euro line to deal with, and is what we generally recommend for newbie nymphers. It performs well, but the color changes as well as the front and rear welded loops make it an easy line to fish with and to start off with as a newbie. We are trying to make it all as easy as possible to get into a new technique without confusion. This features a "low stretch core". I cannot confirm that it is a nylon monofilament, but I would suspect some type of mono. |
| Cortland Euro lines are simple and effective |
Mono core lines have less sag, as in the line is stiffer than the braided core. The experts will also say that mono has a better "energy transfer" that makes casting easier. The drawback to these is that they have memory issues when it is cold out, and that there is a little less "feel" for strike detection as there is a little bit of stretch in the material.
Braided core lines have great feel to them. You can tell every little tick, rock, leaf and bite very easily with braided core lines. However, there can be that dreaded sag, especially if trying to fish at any kind of distance or in warmer conditions. It's not much sag, but it's enough that anglers have noticed... Both of these options have their drawbacks as well as their positives.
Double Taper vs. Level
Cortland has double taper Euro lines and level Euro lines. The level lines are as thin as legally allowed (for competitions), which means the best in strike detection, less sag and better feel. The double taper configurations are better if you want to make any type of longer cast or you want to try to throw a dry fly when you run into that pod of trout sipping on mayflies. Basically, if you are not 100% sure that you want to have a purely dedicated nymphing rod, get the double taper. I am ok with bringing a second "dry fly" rod with me when I go fishing.
Scientific Anglers Competition Line is a nice Euro line that features a mono core. It is level diameter, but is also available in a floating variety or in a clear intermediate sink. The sink is an interesting concept, because it will now allow you to dredge that pool at the end of the riffle without having to add extra leader. This line comes with "braided" loops in a package that can be added on to the line at home. The way that all lines used to be.
So we mentioned the welded loop connections on the RIO FIPS line. RIO is the only one of these brands that offers the welded loops for easy leader connection. That is because many of the "hardcore" Euro anglers prefer to make the connection themselves to the leader from the fly line. There are many ways to make a slim connection that is strong, but most of us regular anglers prefer to go with the welded loops, and that is why we sell the RIO FIPS line at about 10:1 to the other options, especially when dealing with newbies.
Reels: Matching the weight:
Know that almost all Euro rods are made between 10' and 11' long, and are available in 2-4 weights. This really limits the possibilities for reel sizes, because there is no 12' 6 weight Euro rod or 8'3" 1wt.... yet. Most of the Euro rods that are over 10' will perform better with a heavier reel on it, usually a 5/6 reel. Most rods that are 10' will do fine with a 3/4 reel. The extra length makes the "swing weight" more, so anglers will want a little bit heavier reel to counterbalance that extra rod length. A 10' 4wt can really go either way, but I lean towards a bigger reel on that rod. It comes down to preference and/or weight of the rod and reel.Beyond that, the reel needs to function well and look good doing it. There is usually no issue with line capacity or a need for a sealed drag. Some anglers like a reel with a "caged frame" to prevent the line from slipping between the spool and the frame, but those are not widely available in smaller sizes, and that line issue is not a widespread problem on the water. A well manufactured reel should not have an issue keeping the line on the correct side of the frame.
Rods:
Again, there are now tons of rod options out there. Most rods are worth the price tag, so the more you pay, the more you get. The good thing is that the "low end" rods are much nicer than they were even a few years ago. The bottom end of the market is coming up quickly. |
| The Syndicate P2 is our best seller |
Almost all Euro rods are either 10', 10'6" or 11' in length. 10' Euro rods tend to have a bit stiffer action than their 11' siblings. This is because many anglers use them as a dual purpose rod, so they are built to have a good action for anglers that need to throw on an indicator or toss that dry fly when the situation arises. A 10' rod is still a good length to manage a dry/dropper if needed, so the taper of the rod is made to accommodate, usually. 10'6" rods are a little less friendly towards multi-purpose use, and tend to have a bit more wiggle on the top end.
11' rods are pretty darn poor at throwing dry flies, although it is not out of the question. I forgot my 9' rods on a float trip during the middle of the salmonfly hatch, and I managed to get an 11' 3wt to huck a big salmonfly dry fly well enough to catch fish, although it was definitely not as easy as it would have been if I had remembered ro bring the 9' 6wt.
11' Euro rods tend to have a really soft action on the top half. This really helps with the sensitivity of the rod. They are a bit more "noodly" than other rods of similar length, but it makes for a fun time fishing, although a noodly rod is not everyone's cup of tea. The length is not usually to be a problem for most anglers except for dealing with brush overhead when casting. The actual length doesn't get in the way when standing in the middle of the river, and it really helps when you are reaching to get around that rock that is at the edge of your capabilities.
Other Considerations:
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| Bread n Butter - Jigged Tungsten |
One last consideration is the use of jigged hooks on flies. Because tungsten flies sink very quickly and it is possible to dredge the bottom, flies can get hung up on rocks and whatnot a bit easier. Jigged hooks hang up far less than a standard nymph hook, and some would say that they stick in a trout's mouth better as well.
If you are just starting to dabble in the world of Euro nymphing, good for you. It is super fun and very productive. It really helps you figure out where fish are and how they are reacting to different flies. Instead of wondering if there are fish in this run, you can know how many, where, and what they are eating.
-Fishing, usually not catching
