Strike indicator selection makes an enormous difference in your catch count and enjoyment. Oversized and overweighted nymph rigs can be a miserable casting experience, and aren’t always necessary. Varying fly sizes, water speeds, fly weight, depth, angler prowess, wind, and water clarity all play some factor in how you choose what strike indicator to use for varying conditions.
General Tips for better nymph fishing:
- Efficiency is paramount. Consider using tippet rings just below your indicator or at a junction if you are using two flies. Break offs and tangles are more easily patched up.
- Too much depth below your indicator is more harmful to success than too little.
- You don’t need to “dredge” the bottom. Your nymphs should flirt with the bottom but snagging every few casts is a waste of time and resources.
- Choose the correct strike indicator.
- Single fly rigs with a Tungsten Jighead Nymph are simple to setup, deadly, and seldom tangle vs. a 2 fly rig. This keeps you in the water more and re-rigging less!
- Fish drop offs whenever possible. If the water looks “plain” you are at a disadvantage even if there are trout holding there.
- Hook sets are free. Hit the twitch.
- Trout are a wiley quarry, give their survival instincts some credit. Approach each cast as though you can see the trout even when you cannot.
- Longer rods are better. Euro style nymph rods double as tremendous light indicator rods.
- Learn to High Stick properly. Keep your rod just a few degrees above parallel to the water, don’t tip it back!
