Around my old home waters they talked about the 'upstream shortline' method. A well known local that guided, had a motel and flyshop taught it to clients all the time. Shortline meant only a few feet of line out the tiptop plus the 9 or so foot leader was all that was 'flipped' straight upstream ahead of ones position. I'm not sure about keeping up with the slack but for me it was combination stripping and then as the nymph or streamer got close to my position i'd slowly sweep and lift the rod tip to one side, flip downstream then back upstream, all the while marching upstream.

Once a trout big or small was hooked and with such a short leash on them, it was easy to keep them close and under control, playing them quickly in for the release. Once i started nymphing this way my catch rate went way up and i was often surprised at the places trout would be that i never bothered with before, thinking i had to have my fly 10 feet deep. Seemed like the shallower the water i'd try, the better i'd do. Little plunge pools were a favorite. Maybe i should take up nymphing again. Heh, heh.

Cheers,

MontanaMoose