Increase Your Chance Of Success/Fun – Fish With Nymphs

Just a fantastic read from start to finish about why fishing nymphs is so important on Hipwader.com

A great quote from the article:

…all you really need is two or three all purpose patterns in a couple of different sizes. If one doesn’t work, try another. If none of them work, try a new hole, chances are there are no fish at that one. And since nymphs make upwards of 80% of a trout’s diet, you will be more successful, which will make it more fun, which in turn will keep you fly fishing.

I completely agree. Under the surface of the water lies an entire ecosystem ready to be explored, particularly for the person just starting out with a fly rod.  I wish I had started fishing nymphs first, rather than trying to demystify the cast, presentation, and drag aspects of the dry fly presentation all at once as a novice.

As it happens, my sister recently started fly fishing and my father and I started her using nymphs and streamers first — showing her the techniques of keeping the fly in the water for as long as possible and managing line, and not as much on casting.  She’s had much more success early on than I ever did, and has an appreciation for the sport and practice right from the beginning because she’s had success to go along with her patience.  She ended up catching a beautiful holdover 17″ Brown Trout as her very first catch — an experience I sure wish I could relate to.  Kinda like hitting a 300-yard drive straight down the middle the first time you ever pick up a golf club.

But to bring it all back around, the fly was a #8 Peacock Backed Wooly Bugger, perfectly dead drifted along the seams of a nice piece of pocket water on the West Branch of the Ausable. Classic Adirondack fly fishing…

And I think it’s still her go to pattern!  So the tenants of the article ring true for me and the experiences I have to share, fish nymphs and streamers and your rate of success and the amount of fun you have while fly fishing is sure to increase as well.