NYMPHS AS ATTRACTORS
As I was doing the research for this text I came across an interesting quote from George Washington Bethune, who served as the Editor for the first American edition of Isaac Walton's Compleat Angler published in 1847. The quote is interesting as Bethune has a thoroughly modern view of what many anglers of today still fail to recognize.
"That a lot of things work a lot of the time, and that some may work more than others, but none seem to work all the time".
Even in today's hi-tech world there are NO secret patterns or methods that work all the time. Therefore, the only way that the angler can hope to be effective most of the time, is to be LUCKY or to be knowledgeable. No angler should discount "luck" for there are those day, as a friend of mine says, "when I'd rather be lucky, than good". But for those of you who do a great deal of fishing on a number of different streams, the only way to be effective day after day is knowledge of the trout, the available food forms, the different patterns and how to properly present them.
We generally break down pattern types into categories for easier classification: Imitations, Searching Patterns (Rough Imitations) and Attractors. In reading American Fly Fishing--A History by Paul Schullary I ran across another interesting quote fromAustin Hogan, who has this to say about attractors:
"All flies are designed to attract and so the word attractor.is ambiguous and entirely without meaning."
I just threw in this last quote in the hopes of causing confusion. For the sake of organization we will discuss nymphs and break them down into three fishing categories:
1. Searching Patterns
2. Imitative
3. Attractors
How a pattern is classed would depend, at times, on how it was being used. For instance, during late June a Girdle Bug could be classed as a rough imitation (Imitative) of the salmon fly nymph. During early July this same pattern could be used as a searching pattern (alone or in conjunction with another fly). During September this very same pattern might be employed as an attractor, hoping that the movement of the rubber legs and/or the retrieve being used would attract a trout and lure it into striking. Now, you might think that all of this is confusing and it is, for the beginner. But the more you understand about the patterns, and when and why you are using them, the more effective you will be as an angler.
Using well-known nymph patterns, I will cover them and why you might use a pattern as it relates to the aforementioned categories. Those who state that fly-fishing should be kept simple have obviously not spent much time fishing on rivers like the Yellowstone, Madison, Big Horn, Henry's Fork or the Spring Creeks of Paradise Valley. These streams, and many others, due to the fishing pressure and quantity of available food forms, demand that the angler has the right patterns presented in the proper manner.
IMITATIVE PATTERNS
Most anglers accept the fact that there are times when the trout can become very selective to a certain dry fly. This normally occurs during a hatch situation. But many of these same anglers fail to realize that the trout can be just as selective to certain nymph forms. Maybe even more so, because they see the nymphs much more clearly as the nymph is in their world and not distorted by the surface of the water and the refraction of light. Pretty heady stuff, huh!!! To be successful the angler needs to gain various insights dealing with the river to be fished.
This goes right back to being prepared and following what I call the "Formula for Success". I have covered this in depth in the selection entitled "For the Serious Angler/Tyer---The Formula for Success---Putting it all Together". All I can say is that the "Formula" is the system I use and it works for me. When working selective trout, the nymphal imitation has to be correct in design (shape), color and size and the angler needs to be able to present it in a natural manner to the trout. Now that doesn't mean that you need specific patterns for each insect as there are several pattern styles that will work for several different insects by just changing the size and color. A couple of good examples of this are the fur-dubbed nymph imitation and the Pheasant Tail nymph style of imitations. Both of these patterns can be used for several different mayfly species by simply changing the color and/or size.
Another item that the angler/tyer needs to be aware of is hook styles. Today we have many different hooks to choose from. I often employ one of the newer hook styles such as the Tiemco 400T swimming nymph hook to achieve a certain "look" and/or action in the water. For me the best fly tying hook on the market is Tiemco. They offer a quality product and they come in a wide range of styles and sizes.
In short, Imitative patterns are used to work trout that are feeding heavily on a specific nymphal form. Now, there are times when fishing a certain river that the trout don't seem to be feeding heavily on anything. Then what? This is when the angler could determine what the one or two most predominant and available food forms are and employing the use of one or two imitations use them as searching patterns by covering the water.
In this case you are showing the trout something it is used to feeding on and you are looking for those feeders of opportunity. I would also like to point out that presentation and casting abilities can be very important when working selectively nymphing trout. The imitation must be "fed to the fish". Often the trout will establish a feeding zone and if the imitation is outside of that feeding zone the trout will ignore it.
This factor can be determined by observation, if the feeding trout can be seen. Or, in the case of deep water, start nymphing at the bottom of the stream and work your way up, until you find the depth at which the trout are feeding.
SEARCHING PATTERNS
Searching patterns may be any imitative or roughly suggestive pattern style. Often there may be several different nymphal food forms available to the trout and we are unsure what the trout are feeding on, whether it is a specific individual form or perhaps several different types. But regardless, there appears to be no selective feeding and no steady feeding rhythm. Examples of good searching imitations are Whitlock's Red Fox Squirrel Nymph and Gold Ribbed Hare's Ear Rubber Legged Nymph or standard Hare's Ear Nymph. Are they mayfly, stonefly, caddis or scud imitations? In a rough suggestive way, they "kinda look like" any and all of the aforementioned food forms. When using searching patterns I most often employ the use of two or more patterns and will cover the water looking for feeders of opportunity. I will change patterns and sizes and work different water depths until I find a combination that is working. Once I start taking trout, I will pump their stomachs looking for a preferred food form.
ATTRACTOR PATTERNS
There are two times that I will employ the use of attractor patterns. First, I will use an attractor pattern if I have tried imitative patterns and searching patterns and had no results. Another case is when I am using an attractor pattern in conjunction with an imitative pattern. Are you confused yet? Now let me explain.
We have all had those days when, regardless of how much knowledge we have of the stream being fished, nothing seems to produce. On those days I will often employ the use of an attractor pattern such as a Bitch Creek, Black Girdle Bug, Mini Girdle Bug, Yellow Bellied SapSucker or Tom's Black Girdle Bugger. I will use one or two patterns and I'll dead-drift them along or use various retrieves/speeds. I use attractor patterns in this manner as they may entice a trout into striking. Besides, at this point, what have you got to lose? You sure won't catch any fewer trout!!!
There are also times when I'll employ the use of an attractor pattern in conjunction with a streamer or crayfish imitation. This allows me to use an imitative pattern to search with, while at the same time employing an attractor pattern that may help induce a strike.
THOUGHTS ON TACKLE
The tackle you use to fish nymphs will depend on the type of water you are fishing, the size and weight of patterns being used and, to some degree, the weather, or more to the point, the wind. Yeah, Yeah, I know, Wind? What Wind?!!!
I often hear and read how this rod or that rod is an all around rod. If you can only have one rod I would suggest an 8' to 9' rod for a 6-weight line. I would also suggest that you have a floating line, sink tip and intermediate sinking lines.
One line will not allow you to cover all the presentation methods properly. Now, if you can have more than one rod, (and I have several) I suggest a 7-1/2' to 8' for a 4 weight for fishing small nymphs and fine tippets.
Generally all you will need is a floating line though I also use an intermediate slow sinking line a good deal of the time. For much of my general fishing I use the 6-weight system and I do use various lines. For fishing big nymphs and for fishing even medium sized nymphs under windy conditions I suggest an 8 1/2' to 9' rod for an 8-weight line. You want the heavier rod and line to help to move those larger imitations or you may have an encounter of the wrong kind.
With an 8-weight system I strongly urge you to have a good selection of fly lines. This isn't so I can sell you more lines, rather that you need the various lines if you are going to be able to present the imitation at the proper depth and keep it there for the longest period possible!! I suggest the following lines for an 8-weight system. Floating, Uniform Sink Type I or II, sink tip, or a shooting head. This will allow you to cover the water and fish from the bottom up on any river.
As for reels and types of rods, use what you like and what you can afford, as there are many different makes and models to choose from. I personally prefer SA or Orvis reels and Orvis or Thomas and Thomas rods.
As far as leaders and tippets are concerned it would depend on how and what I am fishing. For small flies and fine tippets I use Umpqua or Orvis Super Strength knotless leaders and tippets. For medium sized imitations and multi-fly methods I use Maxima leader material and build my own leaders. But if you have a favorite material and you're happy with it, use it.
Well, I have rambled on and added enough confusion for the moment so I'll close for now.