I would like to start some discussion on this topic since I have recently tied some of these in colors that I thought would be best. Size 14 scud hooks, using various dubbing and darker thorax, often a gold bead head, a sort of mylar like case or back from a computer hardware anti magnetic package - emits a cool shine, and ribbed with something.
Now - are these effective for eastern (US) trout as well as Czech or Poland trout and grayling?
Do I have to fish them in the standard up stream flip in fast water?
Will they be effective fished as a dead drift nymph?
Harry, that is a great site! I see they have Oliver Edwards DVD’s. They are the finest tying instruction DVD/Video I have ever seen and included is a Czech nymph pattern. Was glad to see Edding pens available…The best!
I have been tying and fishing Czech and Polish flies for a few years now…not long enough to be an afficionado, but long enough to have a few out of the vise…
These bugs DO work well dead-drifted. I fish them quite a bit in tailwaters and freestone rivers in California. I would imagine that they would work out well on the East Coast.
Have fun tying them…and more fun fishing with them.
Chris
P.S. Don’t be afraid to tie a few in a size or two LARGER than you think appropriate for your home river…you’ll be surprised…
Thank you for taking the time to actually give me feedback instead of just sending me to website - although that is helpful too. I think I have been to every website on the topic out there.
I have tied at least 2 dozen in various colors all size 14 maybe I should go smaller however.
C’mon fly fishermen can’t we get some good dialogue going???
GC - Like I said, I have been tying all 14s. I will try to send you some pics and would solicit some feedback on how to improve. Thanks for the offer of the scanned images.
I tie “Czech Nymphs”, usually using a lighter shade for the abdomen, darker shade of the same color for the thorax. In between the abdomen and thorax, I insert some bright dubbing (yellow, orange, or red).
To add weight to the hook shank, I flatten the non-lead weight, so it is thin. I start the wrap 2/3 back from the eye, wrapping forward, then reverse the wrap 1/3 back. It is a lot easier to cover the weight with the thread, because the flat wire, keeps the thread from disappearing between the weight wraps.
I fish the the nymphs, in a three fly combo (10 inch spacing), each attach to the previous nymph fly at the hooks bend.
I cast 45 degrees upstream, and lift my rod tip as the flies move down stream. Then I do a roll cast when they have gone far enough down stream to get them to the surface and cast back up to my starting point again. I try to work along the opposite stream bank or seam in the water. It there is structure in the stream (sentinel rock, or undercut ledge) I work those also. ~Parnelli
You can fish these any way you like the big secret is to have them is a range of weights. At least three or four different weights for each pattern, to cover the different conditions.
Use a different colour of thread at the head to indicate the weight so that you are not guessing how much weight you have on the fly. You can also fine adjust the depth with split shot. This isn’t normally done as it is not permitted in competitions. Nothing to do with effectiveness.
Cheers
Alan
"Life should NOT be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive and well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, chocolate in one hand, martini in the other, body thoroughly used up, totally worn out and screaming “WOO HOO what a ride!”
One two or three flies even four if you can all work. It is also worth using a Czech nymph / soft hackle combination.
Something I have been told by the people who do this a lot (Members of the England and the Wales teams) is to always put the heaviest fly on the point.
The reason for this is that you will have taught line to the heaviest fly. if this is not on the point the remainder of the line will be slack which means take detection is severely hampered.
Cheers
Alan.
"Life should NOT be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive and well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, chocolate in one hand, martini in the other, body thoroughly used up, totally worn out and screaming “WOO HOO what a ride!”