Thoughts on Jack Dennis / Vladi Video

[Domenick Swentosky]

I finally got to watch the "European Nymphing With Jack Dennis and Vladi" video.  I've watched it twice and there's a lot to learn there.  I've been lucky enough to fish with a couple really good fisherman and watch them euro nymphing with various tactics in person.  I've also seen quite a bit of footage in a few seminars that I've been to, and watching this video was like having another unique influence on my fishing style.

It is well done.  Good job Pete, and others on here who may have been involved.

My rig is about the same, but what struck me is how different some of the presentations in the video are from what I do and what I've seen.  For example, I rarely let my flies drift below me much at all, and I strive for as much of an upstream approach as possible, but there is a lot of across stream or 45 degrees up and across stream presentation in the video, especially in the Polish and Spanish sections.  I found that curious because I only present like this when I am forced to because I can't wade into a better position.

Also, I couldn't help but notice how much fly line was being used in all of the video.  I've been fishing with very little fly line (usually none) out of my guides, but in all sections of the video, there was a lot of fly line being thrown around.  Not drifting on the water, but hanging out of the guides.  I was taught that the fly line sort of pulls back on the sighter and the nymphs just from it's mass and from my experience on the water, I tend to agree.

I'd love to hear what anyone else with any level of experience with euro nymphing thinks about this stuff.  How do you guys prefer to cast, upstream or upstream and across?  And do you throw much fly line around or keep it within the guides?

Enjoy the day.
Domenick

[Chris Topmiller]

Excellent topic.   

I used to prefer to wade to the fish and then fish directly under my rod tip but polish has its limitations.   with the long leader I feel like I can get out there and cover water without wading through it.   I don't like stumping through the run before I have thorougly fished it, so I'll start out under my rod tip, but I prefer to fish what might be called mid-range-the point at which I can still get a good drift, stay in contact with the flies, and not drag the nymphs out of the feeding lane.  That's where I live now.  Like you, when the flies get perpendicular to me, the drift is over.  Every 5th cast or so I will let them drift through, but I don't feel I stay in contact very well. 

I never use flyline, preferring instead to use a longer leader.  I usually use a 15' steelhead leader cut back, with a 4 foot section of 20 Lb flouro, then a 3 foot section of 15 lb flouro, then the sighter.

I will say that catching a fish long-distance spanish style is awesome.  Its hard to maintain contact, hard to stay in the feeding lane, but every so often. . .

I'm still figuring out the straight upstream french stuff.   

[Todd Oishi]

I have to say that I tend to utilize a greater portion of the drift and allow my fly to "rise" at the end of my drift. I couldn't even begin to count the number of trout that i have taken below me, when working the water above me (upstream from my position).

I would also have to say that I DO use a portion of my fly line when nymphing, but depending upon the type of water that I am targeting, I tend to favour the style of nymphing that I learned from Jiri Klima (call it Euro, Czech or whatever you like).

The important thing to remember is that there is no single technique for every situation, but you must learn to adapt your presentation and style of nymphing to suit the type of water that you are targeting...

[Dejon Hamann]

I'm sure the method you employ has a lot to do with the water type you fish most often.

I hardly ever enter the water on a great majority of the spooky wild trout streams I fish.  I'm usually kneeling or crouching near the bank and only fishing in the stream when structure or laziness puts me there.  So, I'm fishing more often at a 45deg angle and still effectively covering water downstream.  On bigger rivers though, especially pocket water I'm fishing directly upstream when possible.  Unless it's somewhere like the Diable where they are are more prone to a swinging dry/nymph approach so I'm fishing downstream.  But on some streams like the EastBranch I really enjoy tossing a dry/dropper upstream more then close line nymphing it.  Then again just yesterday I was fishing our local spring creek and the fish will sit right under your rod tip. So I was fishing a dry/dropper with 1 foot of line out the tip directly to the side.  I saw Eddie Pinkston use this to great effect on Penns Creek practicing for Nationals. He waded straight up the middle of the stream and cast directly at the banks. 

[Chris Puchniak]

I have that video too and found it a pretty decent watch.

But I've only been nymphing in these manners for a short time - the past year or so - so I honestly don't have a massive amount of feedback for you.  I do like the aspect rising the fly at the end though and even almost sweeping it when I have a little line out (when practising on my home river).  As long as I am keeping tension between my rod tip and my fly.

From what I have read also on the topic of Czech nymphing, I have also found that each "master" has his own particular way of doing it, and each is amazingly different in terms of technique and set up.  I have been quite surprised in the variations.

I haven't had the chance to learn from a master yet, but Todd will be helping to correct that to some degree in a few weeks...

[Chris Puchniak]

Just to add on, one thing I liked about that video was some of the history it discussed.

Though I wished they'd let Vladi talk a little more - Jack seemed to keep cutting him off!

[Chris Topmiller]

I'm bumping this just because this is a really good topic. 

<bump>

[Domenick Swentosky]

Interesting to hear how guys like to present the nymphs.

I guess the big surprise for me is how often it sound like some guys like to present the flies at an angle, and that's what I saw in the video.

Let me ask this: when you cast, let's say, 45 degrees up and across with a long line presentation do you think that it's possible to lead those flies through the drift keeping them in the same current throughout the drift?  I tend to see the water as series of seams and varying currents.  I like to fish water with a lot of structure and that produces a lot of those seams and various current speeds in a small area.  My uncle taught me to read water like this when I was twelve years old and I actually remember the day very well because it immediately improved my success and that's a big deal as a kid.  So I still do most everything that I can to get my nymphs drifting in one line of current and not cross currents through the drift.  Sure, I've fished other ways, but I've had more success this way.

So those of you who regularly find success casting up and across or directly across, how do you you keep your flies in one current, or don't you care about it?  I understand that dry/dropper helps this, but I'm asking about straight nymphing in particular.

Enjoy the day.
Domenick

[Todd Oishi]

Good question Domenick!

When I cast upstream, and at an angle, I am still working the seams and pocket water. I do not allow the flies to swing or come sideways in the current, as I manage and control the drift of the nymphs through line management and with the help of the current, which pulls the fly line and/or leader along its natural path.

In some situations, I allow a foot or two of fly line to remain in direct contact with the forces of the water's surface, which in turn pulls the nymphs in the direction and at the speed that I desire. In this case I either lift or lower the rod tip to adjust the amount of fly line that is on the surface, which then controls the speed of the drift as well as the depth of the nymphs...

[Chris Topmiller]

So those of you who regularly find success casting up and across or directly across, how do you you keep your flies in one current, or don't you care about it?  I understand that dry/dropper helps this, but I'm asking about straight nymphing in particular.

I understand your skepticism.  I was pretty skeptical myself.   I basically had to have it demonstrated for me before I believed in it.   But it does work.   The flies will stay in the feeding lane.  Now, at some point, sure, you're gonna be swinging.  But that's actually quite a ways out from the angler.  Also I don't cast directly across, just up and across.  One trick I was shown was to make sure you have enough of your leader out of your rod tip.  Additionally, the further the drift is from you across the current, the higher your rod tip will have to be to stay in contact with the flies. 

I wish I could demo it for you.  I know it sounds like BS but it isn't.  Maybe the guy who showed me (Bret) will weigh in.