Do you agree or disagree with this Czech nymphing article

[Fish For Life 0]

http://www.czechnymphs.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=212%3Ano-more-czech-nymphing-in-fly-only-waters&catid=1%3Atactics-tying&Itemid=3&lang=en

[FlyFishin'Jam 0]

Interesting, i read the rules from my club which i believe are IGFA and here are a few tidbits...

 

2. Casting and retrieving must be carried out in accordance with
normal customs and generally accepted practices . The major
criterion in casting is that the weight of the line must carry the
lure, rather than the weight of the lure carrying the line . Trolling a
lure behind a moving watercraft is not permitted . The craft must
be completely out of gear both at the time the fly is presented
to the fish and during the retrieve . The maximum amount of line
that can be stripped off the reel is 36 .57m (120ft) from the lure....etc etc

 

Then...

 

The lure must be a recognised type of artificial fly, which includes
streamer, bucktail, tube fly, wet fly, dry fly, nymph, popper and bug .
The use of any other type of lure or natural or preserved bait, either
singularly or attached to the fly, is expressly prohibited .
The fact that a lure can be cast with a fly rod is not evidence in
itself that it fits the definition of a fly . The use of any lure designed to entangle or foul-hook a fish is prohibited .
No scent, either natural or artificial, is allowed on flies . The use of
scented material in a fly is prohibited .

 

 

So for me probably not, seems norty.

[shoebop 0]

Interesting...I'm not sure what to think about this...DryFlyPurist, what do you think?:/

[phg 0]

I have no fear for Czech/French/Polish nymphers. Few actually do it correctly, and those that do aren't usually fishing the same waters I do. Besides, there are times when water and hatch conditions dictate the use of a weighted nymph.

 

While I prefer dry fly fishing, I have to drive 3 hours to get to trout water. If dry flies aren't working, for whatever reason, I'm still going to fish, even if that means tying on a nymph and a strike indicator.

[williamhj 0]

I guess fishing some of my weighted streamers are out too, they'd probably propel the line on their own. If land owners or citizens via public officials want to dictate how particular water is fished, that is fine, beyond that I'm not too interested in 'what is fly fishing' discussions. Tough to find agreement and when it is found it typically eliminates methods used by some fly anglers.

[m_grieb 0]

Yeah I think I agree. I tend to be a bit of a traditionalist, so this seems a little bit non traditional and cheating in a way.

[Rocco 0]

The Austrian guy is not ruling out indicators or weighted nymphs per se as I read his article but casting flies w/o a traditional fly line as the delivering mechanism for the cast. I see his point.

 

It is quite common in Eastern Europe for guys to use a transparent plastic bubbles (kugel?) on spinning tackle as the weight for delivering wet flies to trout. Some forms of Czech-style nymphing similarly do away with a fly line and just use long weighted leaders attached to mono.

 

In addition, some US salmon/steelheaders use a string of heavy weights encased in parachute chord to deliver all kinds of flies using just running line on the reel. Known as the "chuck and duck" approach, it is quite deadly but also causes a lot of snagged fish. ( I have used the latter method myself but never felt right doing it.

 

IMO. there is a difference between fishing with flies and fly fishing. Sink tips and weighted flies can work effectively too w/o crossing the line.

 

Rocco

[brookiehunter 0]

As long as someone is not breaking any laws and is ethicaly fishing, I could care less how they are catching fish. Whether it be spinning or "fly" tackle, just have fun and be respectful to others on the water.

[natedubay 0]

I honestly never see anyone really doing it where I fish. Don't really care as long as they aren't breaking off rigs constantly and leaving them in the river for me to pick up later.

 

In addition, some US salmon/steelheaders use a string of heavy weights encased in parachute chord to deliver all kinds of flies using just running line on the reel. Known as the "chuck and duck" approach, it is quite deadly but also causes a lot of snagged fish.

 

And leaves lots of lead... see the following post...

 

http://www.flytyingforum.com/index.php?showtopic=74616&hl=

[SilverCreek 0]

The article confuses fly fishing with fly casting.

 

Traditional fly casting is done with a fly line.

 

Fly fishing with done with a fly.

 

Tenkara fly fishing done with a long tapered leader attached the end of a rod is fly fishing. Traditional central core plastic coated fly lines are not used. Tenkara lines from Tenkara USA are basically furled leaders or fluorocarbon leader material.

 

http://www.tenkarausa.com/product_info.php/products_id/60

 

http://www.tenkarausa.com/product_info.php/products_id/158

 

Flies cast and fished with casting bubbles and spinning rods in Yellowstone park are considered fly fishing in Fly Fishing only areas.

 

http://www.nps.gov/yell/planyourvisit/upload/13FishReg.pdf

 

"Flyfishing only: Madison River, Firehole River, Gibbon River below Gibbon Falls (not including their tributaries). Use only artificial flies regardless of the type of rod or line."

 

This article to me is exactly why fly fishers are considered elitists. Would the author consider Czech nymphing to be fly fishing if the leader was furled or used with tenkara fluorocarbon line? I doubt it. And yet I would wager that he considers Tenkara to be fly fishing. This guy needs to take a course in logic and argumentation. Opinions are like you know what, everyone has one. But some are larger than others.

 

This article is a not so thinly veiled attempt by the author to appoint himself the Czar of all things fly fly fishing. It reminds me of the attempts by purists to label the use of strike indicators as one step from bobber bait fishing. Even earlier, bamboo purists considered fiberglass rods as not real fly rods. Before that nymphing was not considered real fly fishing by Halford.

 

http://midcurrent.com/history/halford-and-skues-this-chalkstream-aint-big-enough-for-the-both-of-us/

 

This too shall pass and despite the elitists' cries of despair, fly fishing will survive and prosper.

[Rocco 0]

We should note that he is solely talking about changes effecting flies only sections of moving waters. FFO is another 'elitist' idea, I guess, as are barbless only and catch and release restrictions on some waters. They are all about preserving a sport based on limited and fragile resources in the face of growing demand and commercialism that now includes trout tournaments emphasizing tactics designed to dredge up every fish in the river. The article is a thoughtful reminder that we may need to rethink what defines our sport and how to conserve it.

 

Rocco

[Crackaig 0]

My stance has always been that rules of the fishery govern all who fish there. My opinions govern how I fish. I may not do it, but, so long as it is within the rules of the fishery, you can.

 

We are sure that fly fishing is getting on toward 2000 years old. Casting a line is a recent development. Casting a plastic line a very recent one. For over a thousand years the line was fixed to the tip of the rod, as it is in Tenkara, this then is surely the traditional way to fly fish, not the wafting back and forth a length of plastic, as we do today.

 

This considered Czech nymphing techniques are possibly closer to "traditional" techniques than, say, modern dry fly fishing. Which has only been around since the mid to late 19^th C.

 

The word tradition is really the problem. It is rather woolly in its definition. I'm sure though, it doesn't mean "The standard practice I use today". Which is what the article and some here are arguing for.

 

I have used these methods, however, I have found them to only rarely be suitable to the waters I fish. As they require special tackle to be practised proficiently, and are inappropriate on over 90% of the water I fish, I do not use the technique. I have though used skills learned and certain aspects in how I do fish.

 

Live and let live.

Cheers,

C.

[DryFlies4Life 0]

If your using a fly rod and a fly you are fly fishing, in my opinion.

 

'to ban all nymphs, nymph systems and streamers which cannot be cast by using multiple overhead false casts on an average distance of 15 m' seems like an incredibly unnatural way of doing things as it would be difficult to manage this as a law, as all using suspicious tackle would need to be taken to an open area and tested. As well casting ability and technique could allow for some to cast gear that distance, but less skilled may not. A sort of standard could be applied although rather difficult.

 

In my opinion the best way to ban these sorts of 'forbidden techniques' would be to ban all terminal tackle including strike indicators, weights, swivels and droppers. and if you really want to push it add maximum fly weight restrictions.

[SilverCreek 0]

The various euronymphing styles developed in response to fly fishing regulations in Europe that were enacted to protect the resource. In most countries in continental Europe a fly fisher cannot add any weight such as split shot or putty weight to the fly line. That is why the bead head nymph was developed in European competitive fly fishing, to weight the fly.

 

It is also illegal to add any separate floats to the leader or line. That is why "sighters, " which are inline high visibility sections are placed in the leader for strike detection.

 

Euronymphing is a direct result of strict fishing regulation that prohibit the addition of weights and strike indicators. Maximum fly weights would not prohibit the slim flies of Euronymphing, but they would prohibit larger weighted flies that such as bead head and lead wrapped wooly buggers.

 

A law against multiple flies on droppers would outlaw the traditional wet fly methods of fly fishing.

 

European rules and fishing licenses are much stricter than ours. Countries such as Germany require 30 hours of class work and written and oral tests of those applying for a fishing license.

 

"To get a license:

 

• 30-40 hours supervised fishing lessons must be taken before the exam (lessons normally take place over 4 to 5 weekends. Information on dates and instruction is usually available from local fishing clubs and shops)

 

The (oral and written) exam tests the knowledge of:

 

• Different types of fish

• Fish biology and habitats

• Fishing equipment and its uses

• Treatment of catch

• Different types of waters (lakes, rivers, seas)

• Relevant legislation on fish, animal and nature protection"

 

http://berlin.angloinfo.com/information/lifestyle/sports-and-leisure/fishing/

 

The euronymphing technique directly resulted from Vladi Trzebunia, who won the 1989 World Fly Fishing Championship by the greatest point margin ever. His personal score was higher than the total score of the next three teams. He revolutionized European nymphing and in the last few years this method has spread to the USA. Anyone who uses the various new techniques of euronymphing has benefited.

 

http://midcurrent.com/2007/03/25/vladi-trzebunia-and-polish-nym/

 

He has coached the US team and is responsible for Jim Currier being the first American to ever medal in the international contest.

 

http://flyfishingbum.blogspot.com/2010/07/vladi.html

 

The special euronymphing flies are effective and the woven euronymphs are the result of Vladi and competitive fly fishing.

 

These advancements in technique benefit everyone.

 

I bet all of you fish with some of the advancements from the competitions such as bead head flies and the double haul. Competitor Marvin Hedge developed the double haul for the 1934 Casting Competition. Bead head flies were developed to sink flies because competitors cannot use any weight added to leaders or line.

 

Why is Vladi such a good nymph fisher? The reason is that Poland was a poor country and he had no access to fly lines or traditional flies. So he fly fished using nylon mono and his own hand tied flies. Lacking fly tying materials he adapted by weaving flies from yarn and even using condoms as tying material. Far from being an elitist, Vladi became the worlds best competitive fly fisher by adapting what he could afford to the strict fly fishing rules in Europe.

 

Any proposal to change the fish and game laws to restrict fly fishing reminds me of the time the USTA changed the rules of professional tennis because of the devastating serve of Poncho Gonzales, the number one ranked tennis player for 8 years. In what I can only consider a racist attempt to stop Pancho, the USTA changed the two serve rule to one serve. The result was that Pancho won his tennis matches by an even greater margin. Pancho continued to use his harder "first" serve delivery while his opponents used their safer and slower "second" serve delivery. So Pancho was able to break his opponents serve more times.

 

There is a lesson in this. That the skill lies in the fly fisher and rules will never change that. The best sportsperson seeks to improve himself rather than restrict the freedom of others.

[Crackaig 0]

Bead head flies were developed to sink flies because competitors cannot use any weight added to leaders or line.

Back in the mid to late 1990's I was asked to frame a set of flies to be displayed at the Fly Fishers Club The 3 flies were found amongst papers belonging to Mrs Twining, of Twining's Tea fame, dating from the late 19th century. All three flies were gold heads. I would infer from this that gold heads pre date rivers competitions.

 

 

There is a lesson in this. That the skill lies in the fly fisher and rules will never change that. The best sportsperson seeks to improve himself rather than restrict the freedom of others.

Exactly.

 

Cheers,

C.