Euro Nymphers. You’ve seen them. The anglers with obnoxiously long rods, the ones lobbing heavy nymphs tied below neon mono and pulling more fish out of the water than you would have ever thought possible. And you’ve probably left the river frustrated and in the worst cases questioning your very existence, especially after they clean up in a spot you just beat to a froth. I know this because almost every time I’m in the shop I undoubtedly get peppered with questions from angry anglers wondering what in the Justin Bieber is going on out there? “I mean, they were wearing knee pads!!” they say. Then they roll their eyes and scoff when I try to explain what Euro Nymphing is. The thing is, love it or hate it, EN is a tool every angler should have in their arsenal. Aside from being deadly effective, the further you delve into this style, the more you realize how truly versatile it can be. So before you throw away all your equipment and decide to take up golf, let’s pump the proverbial breaks. The following are two simple ways to redeem your sense of self and hopefully keep the polyester polos and Michael Jackson gloves at bay.
ATTENTION! DISCLAIMER!
Before we jump in, I want to make a few points clear: What I am about to share with you isn’t nearly as effective as having a dedicated EN rod like an Echo Shadow X or Shadow II. Those rods are specifically designed to elevate your EN success! There is no comparison between the feel of a rod designed for Euro Nymphing and one that is more of a general-purpose rod. That said, this system is a great way to get started and is still quite effective. I liken this more to the “toe dippers” method of exposure to this style of fishing. You can also use this technique when on trips where you need a general purpose rod and want a little more versatility.
There are a lot of excellent videos about EN and trying to explain the actual techniques involved via written word is not nearly as effective. What I want to share with you are two simple leader builds that I have used and given to both clients and customers that are curious about this method. Of all the information out there about EN, I think that leader builds seem to be the most confusing. The following are two recipes that I have found to be simple, effective and easy to build.
For these leaders you will need:
- Either a spool of 0x, or a 15’ 0x or 1x tapered leader.
- 1x Sighter material of your choice (I prefer to use bi/tricolored material)
- Tippet Rings
You will also need to know the following knots:
- Blood Knot ( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q06QKib1AEQ )
- Improved Clinch Knot ( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6QbJfpsGpmM )
- Orvis Tippet Knot ( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DjEMXOsXBZA)
QUICK TIP: In order to best seat your improved clinch knot to your tippet ring, take a scrap piece of mono and use it for resistance as shown in the photo below.
Leader 1
For the truly committed.
Step 1.
Take 15-20 feet of 0x mono and blood knot to 4’ of sighter material.
Step 2.
Off of sighter, attach tippet ring with an improved clinch knot.
Step 3.
Attach 4-6’ of (improved clinch knot) Fluorocarbon tippet with a dropper tag using your dropper knot of choice.
This is the go-to leader I recommend for someone curious about Euro Nymphing. As with anything it has pros and cons, I like this build because it has great sensitivity, is very simple and above all else it keeps fly line out of the system. One of the biggest mistakes I see with people starting to euro nymph is that they are trying to use a weighted fly line as part of their system. One of the main keys to success with this style of fishing is to have the contact with your flies be as direct as possible. With the weight of modern tapered lines we lose that contact and can end up creating public enemy number one for EN – SLACK! Another advantage to this build is that once you have the materials you can build a few leaders and hence have a back up or two just in case.
The biggest detriment of this leader is that it is truly only good for EN. If for instance you are out and all the sudden fish start rising and you want to be able to quickly throw a dry, while it can be done, I wouldn’t recommend it. The sheer flail factor simply isn’t worth it unless you are trying to make your friends collapse in laughter in which case, by all means, let it rip! 😉
Leader 2
The Jack of all trades.
Step 1.
Take 15’ 1x tapered leader and blood knot to 4’ of sighter material.
Step 2.
Off of sighter attach tippet ring with an improved clinch knot.
Step 3.
Attach 4-6’ of (improved clinch knot) Fluorocarbon tippet with a dropper tag using your dropper knot of choice.
This is another super simple build that is very effective. The steps are identical with the only exception being that a 15’ 1x leader is substituted for the 0x mono. While this leader lacks the sensitivity of the previous build, it shines in its versatility. Unlike running straight 0x, using a tapered leader allows for us to change on the (you guessed it) fly! For those of you who are scared of being wholly and totally committed to Euro Nymphing and want to rest assured that if push comes to shove or should I say trout comes to surface, that you can adapt. Then this is the build I would recommend. Ive even thrown streamers with this rig in a pinch.
I hope that these two leader builds assist in cutting through all the clutter and that they help you with your future Euro Nymphing endeavors. If you haven’t tried this method of fishing you absolutely should. To call it a game changer would be an understatement to say the least. As always, remember – it’s just fishing. ‘Til next time!
~ Growing up in the High Peaks Wilderness of the Adirondack Mountains with a Forest Ranger for a father, Sean was instilled with a reverence for wild places. This love has inspired him to seek a path that combines his passions with ways to give back to both the people and places that have ultimately shaped him. Having spent seven years as a Wilderness Ranger and Ski Patroller in both the Adirondacks and Colorado, becoming a Fly Fishing Guide was a natural progression and one that continuously inspires him. Sean guides for the Hungry Trout Resort in Wilmington, NY and patrols the slopes of Whiteface Mountain Resort during the winter.
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