European-style nymphing, also known as tightline nymphing, is a common fly fishing technique for wading rivers and streams. The tactic is so effective, many competition fly anglers use Euro-nymphing as their go-to for tournament-winning catches.
However, few fly fishers know how to employ this technique while drifting down a river. When dry droppers or indicator rigs don’t work, the Euro rod puts fish in the net.
Euro-Nymphing Strategies for Kayak Anglers
Euro-nymphing is essentially nymph fishing without an indicator. Instead of a foam bobber to detect a fish bite, Euro-nymphing uses a lighter fly tied six to eight inches above a heavier anchor fly.
First, the rig allows the flies to naturally float downstream. Second, two hooks are almost always better than one. After years of trial and error, I have developed some tweaks to use Euro-nymphing from a moving boat.
I start with a 10-foot, six-inch, three-weight rod. A long and light fly rod provides better casting performance. The rod is also more sensitive to detect a strike. Another advantage: the long rod keeps the fish from darting under the boat and damaging the tippet. I find a lightweight rod helps reduce strain on my shoulders.
For the fly line, I prefer a braided core floating line that is all-level .022 diameter to reduce line sag. The braided core allows me to connect the leader to the fly line with a needle nail knot. This knot is low-profile to cleanly run through the guides.
When tying the leader together, use blood knots for the thicker material and a triple surgeon’s knot to connect the tippet. The length of the tippet to the first fly is dictated by the depth of water. If the tippet is too long or short, just raise or lower the sighter material to adjust the depth of the dropper fly.
There’s no shortage of recommended fly patterns, but I start with a simple approach. To reduce snags, choose a nymph on a size 12 to 18 jig hook with slotted 2.5- to four-millimeter tungsten beads.
Look for slim-bodied fly patterns such as Perdigons Nymph or a Frenchie. Flies with less material on the hook sink more quickly into the strike zone.
Keep on hand a range of bright to dark colors to cover dirty and clear water.
While drifting the river, focus effort on runs, riffles and pocket water. Cast and drift the nymphs into seams where faster current meets slower current and look for water two to four feet deep. Euro nymphing from a kayak is practical for trout, smallmouth bass, northern pikeminnow, mountain whitefish and plenty of other river-dwelling species.
Euro-nymphing leader setup
There are many different Euro-nymphing leader formulas, but a basic setup is:
- 10 feet of 20-pound monofilament for the butt section
- Three feet of 12-pound monofilament
- Three feet of bi-color indicator monofilament
- Two-millimeter tippet ring
- Two to five feet of 3–6x fluorocarbon tippet dropper tag to the first nymph
- Three feet of 4–6x fluorocarbon tippet to the second nymph
How to Cast a Euro-Nymphing Rig
An oval cast is the standard for Euro-nymphing.
- Start with most of the leader material outside the rod tip. Keep tension on the flies with zero slack in the leader.
- Initiate the backcast by sweeping the rod parallel and low to the water.
- As the leader and flies turn over behind you, to raise the rod tip.
- Once you feel the line tighten, make a forward cast by keeping the rod tip up. Then stop the rod tip at a 45-degree angle in front while extending the forearm slightly out.
- The goal is to have the flies kick over and plunge into the water with the sighter just a couple of inches above the water’s surface.
Two hooks are better than one. | Feature photo: Marc Fryt
