"That slowdown on the tag happens when the lower nymph — your point fly — reaches the strike zone," I said. And even though both nymphs are going slow, they like the position or the level of the upper one.” That can only happen with a two fly rig.

Continue reading One Nymph or Two? — Here’s a Particular Look That Can Only Happen With Two at Troutbitten.

I was happy to be a guest on the Untangled Podcast with Spencer Durrant. We talked mostly about Nymphing tactics for beginners. We also talked a little about a fishing life and the fly fishing industry. You can listen to that full episode in the Troubitten Podcast feed . . .

Continue reading PODCAST: Feed Drop — Troutbitten On The Untangled Podcast at Troutbitten.

Here’s the bottom line: You do not need an extra-soft rod tip to protect delicate tippets while nymphing. Skip past that selling point in the marketing jargon, and make your fly rod decision on the other factors that matter.

Continue reading Tippet Protection and Nymphing Rods at Troutbitten.

We spend so much time refining presentations and trying to achieve perfectly natural dead drifts that moving the nymph a bit, animating the fly, is liberating. It’s fun.

Continue reading PODCAST: Critical Nymphing Concepts #7 — Animating the Nymph — S10, Ep7 at Troutbitten.

This episode is about tension and slack. It's about how we manage fly lines and leaders on the water while nymphing. My friend, Austin Dando, joins me to walk through the tight line advantage of keeping line off the water and what happens when we give that up. Fishing greater distances often requires laying line on the water, and how we manage that line, how we plan for it, makes all the difference between a great drift and a poor one . . .

Continue reading PODCAST: Critical Nymphing Concepts #6 — Line On the Water — S10, Ep6 at Troutbitten.

Once you leave the water's surface, weight is necessary for the presentation. Here's what weights to choose, for nymphing, why and when. You can’t avoid it. Weight is the fundamental factor. Meaning, it’s probably more important than the fly itself. More weight or less is more consequential than what dubbing, feather or ribbing is wound around the hook shank.

We use all types of weight, and there are good reasons for all of these: tungsten beads, split shot and drop shot . . .

Continue reading PODCAST: Critical Nymphing Concepts #5 — Weight: The Fundamental Factor — S10, Ep5 at Troutbitten.

This episode features what might be the most important concept of nymph fishing. There are three different ways to present a dead drifted nymph to the trout -- three ways to imitate what trout commonly see from the naturals.

Continue reading PODCAST: Critical Nymphing Concepts #4 — Three Ways to Dead Drift — S10, Ep4 at Troutbitten.

In the third part of this critical nymphing concepts series, we consider the advantages and disadvantages of fishing with a suspender. 

Continue reading PODCAST: Critical Nymphing Concepts #3 — Suspension Advantages– S10, Ep3 at Troutbitten.

Do we want more influence or less over the flies? Who or what is in charge of the nymphs? Is it you or the river? What looks more natural? Which choice — which method — fools more trout?

Continue reading PODCAST: Critical Nymphing Concepts #2 — More Influence or Less — S10, Ep2 at Troutbitten.

Is the fly low enough for long enough? Is everything in one lane? And do I have to be this far away? These are the key questions. This Season Ten skills series is about the critical concepts of nymphing. Importantly, these concepts apply to all nymphing styles, tight line, indicator or otherwise.

Continue reading PODCAST: Critical Nymphing Concepts #1 — The Three Questions — S10, Ep1 at Troutbitten.