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SpokaneDude

Can I use a Scott 9' Med/Fast rod for nymphing?

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Was hoping to purchase a new Redington Hydrogen 3 wt nymph rod, but I was thinking I might be able to use my current rod for Euro nymphing; Current rod is a Scott A4905 9'0" Med/Fast 5 wt; I wanted to use a RIO Euro Nymph fly line paired with a RIO Euro Nymph tapered leader. Will this work until I can get the Redington nymph rod?

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Nope, you cannot use your current rod. It's against the rules. You MUST spend the money and get the exact equipment for Euro Nymphing. Even if you could use your current rod, the rules state you cannot actually land any fish taken, because you have not spent the required amount of money to earn that right.

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Mikechell: you're kidding, of course?! The reason I ask is because the Scott is only 9', and the Redington is 11'; I have read that you should/must have a long rod...

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of course you can use the scott

 

show us a commandment that a "euro nymphing" rod "should/must" be 10 ft long

 

i've nymph fished for 35 years using a 9 ft rod. even on big river in the rocky mountain west

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I would agree with Mike and Flytire. Change what you read to "...could have a long rod...". Of course I'm no expert on Euro Nymphing. But nymphs are nymphs. Long rods and "short" rods have their pros and cons. If you are a river fisherman and the conditions are such that a long rod will be easier to fish, get a long rod. Otherwise, save the money and buy more nymphs or travel more.

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In my experience in nymph fishing for trout in the Smoky Mountains, I have found a 10 foot Euro nymph rod with 3 weight line is a definite advantage. That being said there is no reason a nine foot rod can't be used. The heavier the rod and line combo is, the more fatigued you may become. It is surprising what that extra foot (or two) can do to help in nymph fishing success.

Joe

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As with Flicted, I have no direct knowledge of Euro nymph fishing. I researched it, when it first was mention on this site.

If I understand it, basically, Euro nymph fishing is like the "missing link" between fly fishing and tenkara. With tenkara, you fish a fixed length of line and are always "in contact" with the fly, although it's surface presentations, so "feeling the hit" isn't as important.

With fly fishing, you have the option of casting distance, to give you more reach to catch fish.

 

Euro nymphing uses the short distances and direct contact with the fly that tenkara offers, while still giving you some distance and fighting control of a reel. The "always 'in contact'" part is much more important, since feeling the hit becomes all important.

 

So, a longer rod is going to give you the best of both worlds also. Extra distance in short proximity with rod length, while still maintaining contact, and extra rod length leverage if actually casting some distance off the reel. It's an advantage, not a requirement.

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There's nothing wrong with giving the Scott a try, right? At least it will give you a good idea if it will work. If not, then you'll be ready to get the Redington.

 

:)

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Thanks everybody... saved me $300 this year, and I particularly like the idea of giving it a try... never thought of that!

 

Spokane Dude

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I fished regular nymphs for about forty years with rods between 7'6" and 8'6" before I ever even heard of EuroNymphs or Euro Fishing; so my answer is no you cannot Euro Nymph in the USA and you cannot do it anywhere unless the equipment is certified by the EURO authority.

You may however catch a lot of fish using what ever rod you have and either nymphs or jigs if you wish.

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We used to wade up river about a 1/2 mile or so to get to some good salmon pools with 6 wt mod fast action sage rods. Then turn around put on a small Hairs ear and nymph fish our way back down stream to get out and catch little brookies the whole way down. So if nothing else you certainly can down stream nymph with your Scott without hesitation. We fished cross stream too many times with caddis emergers and pupa for salmon with the same rig. Those salmon that were up river got there by taking the runs up stream. We fished that river for 20 years with 9 ft 6 wt rods . Caught a few chubs too of course. Right before sunset we changed to sinking line in big purple rabbit strips that you needed the 6 wt to cast and caught big brookies that way. So ya, by all means try it !

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Was hoping to purchase a new Redington Hydrogen 3 wt nymph rod, but I was thinking I might be able to use my current rod for Euro nymphing; Current rod is a Scott A4905 9'0" Med/Fast 5 wt; I wanted to use a RIO Euro Nymph fly line paired with a RIO Euro Nymph tapered leader. Will this work until I can get the Redington nymph rod?

 

I won't work very well.

 

The line is a low weight thin line. This will be matched to a long euronymphing leader of about 18 feet.

The problem is that what you are casting is very low mass and a medium fast rod 5 wt is not designed to cast this line especially when there will not be much of the line outside of the tip top guide. Can you use it? Sure you can. Will you enjoy it? Nope. Will you catch fish? Possibly.

 

If you are going to eventually purchase a euronymphing rod designed to cast these low mass lines and leaders, there is no harm in trying the line on your current rod. But I am not as optimistic as the other posters about the outcome of your experiment. Do post your findings. I am curious as to whether I am correct in my assessment.

 

http://sportsmenscompass.com/fishing-news/gear-review-rio-euro-nymph-fly-line/

 

"Euro Nymph lines are meant to be the exact opposite of heavy, compact, weight forward fly lines. Euro nymph lines should be ultra thin and light. When holding the fly rod up while high stick nymphing you do not want the line to sag in-between your guides killing sensitivity and feel, as well as dragging your flies through the water unnaturally.

A good euro nymph line will feel as if it were just 30 pound monofilament fishing line in the sense that it is weightless, does not get blown around in the wind and lets your flies drift naturally in the water at considerable distances.

The RIO Products Euro Nymph Line is an ultra thin diameter fly line meant only for a dedicated euro nymphing rod. These lines are similar in size to 00 or 000 weight lines so they are not going to load up a stiff rod. That being said, it does sorta cast, especially on euro nymph rods with super soft tips in the 2-3 weight categories. But do not expect it to cast well, there is no coating on the line and in fact it’s actually pretty rough. This is done purposely so that it does not slide back down the guides while fishing.

This line is very sensitive, it transmits the feel of the bottom into your rod quite well. I was impressed with how “light” it felt while long line high sticking. It did not want to drag my flies through the water and didn’t sag much at all.

EuroNymph_900_new.jpg

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SilverCreek: I tend to agree with what you are saying; since I have some time before fishing opens here in Spokane, WA, I am going to save my money and get the best 2-3 weight rod I can afford... I will be sure to let you know how it went with the 5 wt also.

 

Thank all of your for the valuable input; all of it makes sense and gives me direction as to what I need to do. Nothing worse than doing something without the education needed to make it succeed.

 

SpokaneDude

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