First Light & Topwater,

I’ve never taken a steelhead using the nymphing technique, and I’ve only tried it a couple of times. I keep intending to give it a go, but always find a reason not to. I find FL’s report of hitting fish by nymphing in water previously fished by swinging.

It seems to me that some water just isn’t well suited to the wet fly swing. I think the main reason I like to fish larger rivers for winter runs is that large rivers have good holding water that is well suited to the wet fly swing. Smaller, and some medium size, rivers have very narrow holding slots that are difficult, if not impossible to effectively swing a fly through. Five or six feet isn’t much of a swing, for example, and it can take a lot of work to set up a drift like that. My intent is to try the nymphing technique on smaller streams where the holding slot is narrow, but not too fast or too deep. It seems like a weighted fly and floating line, with or without an indicator, would make an effective presentation. It sure does for trout, but that is during warmer water and active feeding seasons, so winter steelhead might not be as easily persuaded.

FL,

Is there really any fundamental difference between your right angle nymphing set up and just running a mono leader off the flyline? That is, how real do you think the right angle is compared to a leader from the end of the line to an indicator and thence to the fly?

RA3,

I continue to appreciate your narrow opinions for what they are. Kind of reminds me of the time in my life when I was far more certain that I knew the answers - and that everybody else didn’t. I sure hope your blood pressure isn’t as high as your highly charged posts so often seem to suggest, and maybe it’s just my own interpretation. I used to think that fly fishing, which I was so passionate about, was bounded by a certain, and very strict set of conditions. But when you look at the history of the sport, what qualifies as acceptable limits for “fly fishing” has always expanded to include new and modern materials and technology, as well as innovative, if seemingly odd, techniques. That’s why I jokingly referred to my spey rod, fancy fly reel, and plastic coated fly line, nylon leaders, and flies tied with synthetic materials as a “highy evolved spinning outfit.”

Sincerely,

Salmo g.