Euro Nymphs

[Ron1697 0]

Hello all,

 

On my last outing in central Wisconsin scouting for brook trout water I stumbled across a couple of sections that were fast with many small pools and runs. I wanted to try out European nymphing since I feel like it would give me a better presentation over a floating indicator (and I wouldn't have to switch depths on my indicator as much).

 

I was wondering what flies I should tie. I have heard that heavily weighted hares ear nymphs are a go to. just looking for some options (hook size and weighting system included).

 

Thanks in advance!

[Guest]

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[whatfly 0]

"Euro nymphing" is a pretty broad term, but ultimately it is a technique independent of the flies used. Pick up a copy of George Daniel's Dynamic Nymphing which is the best treatise I know of the topic. Ultimately European style nymphs associated with the various techniques developed for competition fishing can all be characterized as fast sinking either due to heavy weight or slim design (or both). Many are simple variants of well known patterns such as the Pheasant Tail or the Hare's Ear.

 

Personally I see no reason why you should have to tie specific flies to explore this technique. What you have in your box will undoubtedly work just fine, especially when you consider that many of these patterns are tied to substitute for weight which cannot be added to the line in competition, and you can just add split-shot to get deeper. If you are just looking for some new patterns to try, I'd recommend starting with something like the Frenchie in #14-16 which is a very simple but effective PT variant, or perhaps the Red Dart. Do not get hung on jig hooks which are popular but again not necessary for the technique. If you have some UV acrylic, the Perdigon style of fly is also very simple, and you can substitute Krystal Flash or Flashabou for the more esoteric materials these sometimes use.

 

Check out the Fly Fish Food channel on youtube.com which has a bunch of other patterns as well as some discussions of how they are used.

[Dave G. 0]

I weight my Hairs ears anyway, that's how I learned to tie them. I might add it, IMO, helps build a better profile too, by wrapping lead wire on the hook shank over the forward section of the hook. Works in any kind of nymphing.. If I want the fly in the surface film more I then don't weight it and use a lighter hook as well. My standard Hares Ear hook though is a Mustad 3906B and my standard tie is with lead wire.. I tie them from size 18 to size 4.

 

Edit: I also fish caddis pupa ( also weighted with lead wire tied size 14 and 12 in green, tan and gray, the gray ones get a black tungsten bead). For the big black stone flies I use a certain woolly bugger with grizzly hackle ( also weighted and on some also use a bead or cone head as well),.. These are big stone flies and I tie size 6 woolly buggers to represent the strong swimming nymph and that has caught some big fish I might add ( black tail, peacock herl body, grizzly hackle, sometimes a gold or copper rib)...

[rstaight 0]

I fish the Driftless (southwest Wisconsin) every May. Been doing so about 15 years. My goto is size 12 or 14 weighted or bead head GRHE. Sometimes I will add grizzly hen like a soft hackle. Maybe as a beard. Or wrap it similar to dry fly hackles then pull the wing case over that and trim off the bottom.

 

Peacock soft hackles work well. Partridge and Orange, Partridge and Green as well as Brown. We have lightly weighted these.

 

Zebra midges in sizes 18 and 20 and parachute dries have worked for me also. Of course Tan Elk Hair Caddis in spring and black in late summer early fall.

 

But like always, check with the local shops.

[Poopdeck 0]

I fish a size 14 bead head hares ear nymph 90% of the time when trout fishing. They are weighted with just a bead head to beads and wraps of different size lead wire. I use different color thread to mark what's small, medium and large weight. The different colored thread was an idea somebody on this sight mentioned and it works great. I use tan, green and brown to denote which is which. The color of the thread makes no difference to the fly.