Euro-nymphing ruining casting

[jifigz]

So a guy I know and his son came down to the Juniata so I could show them around. First of all the fishing was slow and terrible. I caught about 6 smallmouths and they didn't catch any. I was hoping it would be an easy day to introduce the dad, who admitted he doesn't fly fish and is trying to learn, to catching a bunch of redbreasts on small gurglers but they just weren't cooperating. The son, who when I've talked to him was always all about fly fishing and wore brand gear, talked as if he knew a lot, etc, surprised me so much.

So we were getting ready to walk to the river and I'm wearing shorts, sandals, and a shirt. The dad follows suit and takes my advice. The son is suiting up in his waders, wearing the flashy fish colored buff over his face, etc and I try to talk him out of it as the water is warm and the day was a damn hot one. That was his first mistake. But once we got down to the water and j was showing them where fish SHOULD HAVE BEEN, I was in awe by how the son couldn't cast.....like at all. I told him I thought he fly fished and he said he only really takes his 10' 4 weight out and euro-nymphs. I mean, seriously, his casting was so bad and sloppy you'd swear that he has never actually cast a rod. I just couldn't believe it. Well, by the end of the day I think I taught them both a lot even though the fishing was slow. The son started to be able to cast towards the end of the day.

In a wide open stretch of shallow water I asked to see the son's 6 weight he had brought and spooled the reel with a weighted bunny streamer. When I spooled his reel and had his entire fly line out there in the river a nice chunky smallmouth decided to eat it so that was a bonus. Showing him that I hope encourages him to actually learn to cast a rod better than what he could and to not always simply flip a 12' piece of mono into the next riffle, pocket, or pool.

 

[PennKev]

Yeah lots of people can't cast. That's not a new thing.

 

[kobalt335]

The problem with Euro nymphing is it flat out catches fish. So people don't feel a need to learn other techniques.why cast a fly 80' when I can lob a nymph 15' and get the same result? Granted I don't think this way and although I do tightline, it's far from my only style.

 

[FarmerDave]

What exactly is Euro nymphing, and why is it a thing?

I mean seriously. I'm sure I have done it, but didn't realize it was a thing.

 

[Swattie87]

FD - I think a lot of the flat-brimmers are tightliners.

FWIW - I'm bad at casting, and tight-lining. Does that make me a spincaster?

 

[bradtheflyfisherman]

I myself haven't had a great year for dry fly fishing...with the weather, timing, etc. I think I just ended up missing a lot of hatches this year. Or when there were hatches where I was, I didn't see enough fish rising to consider even throwing a dry fly. Essentially learned how to tightline this year (and I have caught significantly more fish than I have in the past few years). I love dry fly fishing and am disappointed I missed "major" hatches. However, I always have a lot of luck mid-late summer with ants, beetles, hoppers, etc. - and I will say I was a little rusty casting at first when I switched over from tightlining to terrestrials...also small stream fish for native browns and brookies a fair bit, but I'm really not casting dries over like 10-20 feet.

 

[Nymph-wristed]

Euro-nymphers learn to "cast with their feet" if they are worth their weight in tungsten...

I do agree that it is sad for a fisherman to have only one trick, though!

 

[afishinado]

Swattie87 wrote:
FD - I think a lot of the flat-brimmers are tightliners.

FWIW - I'm bad at casting, and tight-lining. Does that make me a spincaster?

here ya go....

 

[jifigz]

I understand that euro-nymphing/tightlining catches lots of fish. I tightlining myself (with a 7.5 ft rod, mind you) and do great. But it only works on certain waters and areas. There are certain sections of a trout stream that I can more effectively fish with an indicator. That said, if you can't cast you certainly can't keep up with me on a lake or a river. I mean, you can tightline for smallmouths in a river and I'll smoke you everytime.

I just don't know how you can be a flyfisherman and not be able to cast. This young man wasn't a "bad caster," per se, he couldn't cast in my opinion.

 

[FarmerDave]

Swattie87 wrote:
FD - I think a lot of the flat-brimmers are tightliners.

FWIW - I'm bad at casting, and tight-lining. Does that make me a spincaster?

IMHO, no... or maybe you are a closet pinner.

I find it easy to tight line with spinning gear too, but don't tell anybody.

 

[tomgamber]

is this the same guy who was whining about "Bros"?

 

[TrtnBux]

is this the same guy who was whining about "Bros"?

Listen here slapnuts.

Is'nt that what the forum pages are used for? Talking about hot topics in the fishing world? I know you're probably still salty about not winning a cup since 1975 but c'mon man.

The OP is spot on. This newer generation can't cast and is obsessed with numbers.

 

[The_Sasquatch]

"slapnuts" hahahahaha!

I do somewhat agree w/ the OP. But I don't think Euro-nymphing is ruining casting. After all, if you can cast and then you pick up Euro-nymphing, chances are, you're not going to ruin your casting ability. The problem is more w/ only learning one style or technique, and never moving beyond it. I'm not sure, were I to teach someone to fly fish, that I'd start w/ euro-nymphing. I might start by taking them to a brookie stream (a more open one, I know several that would be good) and teaching them the most basic cast w/ a dry fly, then go from there.

But that's how I learned so I could be bias, and I think I myself am a bit of a one-trick pony.

 

[Swattie87]

afishinado wrote:

here ya go....

Is there a video on how to spin fish with a fly rod too?

 

[The_Sasquatch]

Swattie87 wrote:

afishinado wrote:

here ya go....

Is there a video on how to spin fish with a fly rod too?

You mean streamer fishing?

 

[jacob]

As someone who “euronymphs” a lot...

It’s versatile, effective, and different... that’s it. It has nothing to do with what kind of hat you want to wear, or if you are a bro, or if you wear Simms, rep your water, or drink microbrews instead of scotch. Who really cares? Some people like it, some don’t, some don’t even think it is fly-fishing, and some think it is the only way to fly fish. Nobody is right, and nobody is wrong. One thing is for sure, everyone is different.

Yes, there are areas where a indicator or basic familiar rig is going to fish easier and effectively, but those places are fairly few and far between IMO (think slow long deep pool). The amount of water types you can fish effectively with a French leader (those fancy euro leaders that are most popular) and long rod is substantial- you can float a sighter just like an indicator and suspend light nymphs with some practice and Payette paste on your sighter.

I am of the school that once you learn these techniques - it is not just flipping 12’ of mono and tightlining under the rod tip- that is a really narrow minded understanding- you can fish any water an indicator fisherman can fish effectively + all of the spots an indicator is not ideal - fast deep plunges, pocket water, etc.

I think the real issue is being a one trick pony. The issue is not the using a particular technique.

If you only euronymph or only indicator fish or only dry fly fish.... you are missing out on a lot of opportunities to learn and grow as an angler- to me, that is the failure. Not branching out and learning new things is silly to me.

I love to euronymph, modern nymph, tightline, whatever you wanna call it, but it certainly isn’t the only way to fish not is it the only tool in my shed. I picked it up a year ago to learn something new and make myself more well rounded as an angler. Plus, I heard it’s effective and will up your catch rate- all of which is true. I see things differently now because of it and I feel that I look at the water and break it down more granular regardless of the technique I am using at the time. It’s just different than what most are used to but breaking out of your comfort zone is the best way to learn and continue learning. No use getting caught in a vacuum of one technique only. Just like there is no “perfect fly.”

I can see how if you have only ever fly fished using these European techniques, then yes you probably cannot cast a fly line. That’s bad in my book... if you fly fish, you should be able to fly cast. Not arguing that at all.

I just am annoyed by the recent sentiment on the forum that all these young flatbrimmed guys are fly fishing posers, are all the same, and they all euronymph and wear tight pants which ruins the sport and the art of casting. That holds true for some, and trust me, I’ve met them. I can’t stand it either, but we can’t generalize so much - That is so narrow and closed minded and as I’ve stressed in this post, it precludes learning from someone who may know something you don’t and vice versa.

Just like the OP taught the kid to cast a regular setup, the kid could probably teach someone how to euronymph. What’s bad about that? You don’t have to wear his hat or pants afterwards or be friends on snapbookgram!

 

[Nymph-wristed]

Well stated, jacob. I am 49, and I think these guys sound like grumpy old men sometimes... The irony is the real old men are quite open, knowledgeable, and welcoming to all regardless of where they are at! I want to be more like them, and we all should.

 

[jacob]

Sorry, I tend to ramble and go off on tangents + bored at work.

The moral of my novel is this:

Euro nymphing is not ruining fly casting.

Not learning how to fly cast is ruining fly casting.

 

[redietz]

The_Sasquatch wrote:

Swattie87 wrote:

afishinado wrote:

here ya go....

Is there a video on how to spin fish with a fly rod too?

You mean streamer fishing?

LOL!

 

[bradtheflyfisherman]

Euro nymphing is not ruining fly casting. Not learning how to fly cast is ruining fly casting.

Yup...

I think most experienced tight liners also carry extra spools/reels as well - I carry a reel that has my tightlining rig on it, and I also carry a reel with my floating line and leader on it so I can easily switch between the two depending on water type/conditions.

I just am annoyed by the recent sentiment on the forum that all these young flatbrimmed guys are fly fishing posers, are all the same, and they all euronymph and wear tight pants which ruins the sport and the art of casting. That holds true for some, and trust me, I’ve met them. I can’t stand it either, but we can’t generalize so much - That is so narrow and closed minded and as I’ve stressed in this post, it precludes learning from someone who may know something you don’t and vice versa.

I share the sentiment. We fly fishermen (and women) just need to be more open-minded. I'm surprised at the recent post or two about folks being (literally) "triggered" by younger/different folks fishing different styles, dressing differently, buying brand gear, etc. Who the gives a hoot what other people do, we are all out here to have fun, catch fish, learn, and hopefully teach/help others to learn more about the sport, different techniques, etc.