Sulfur Nymph Question

[Outback_Yak]

Since sulfurs are really starting to pick up, I thought I would ask everyone's opinion on their favorite sulfur nymph pattern and how you fish it. Weighted, unweighted, on a dropper...etc.

 

[Nymph-wristed]

I have had success with "tag" flies, a basic mayfly nymph with a pop of color on the tag end. I suppose a hot spot on the collar would accomplish the same thing. I put the tag fly on the dropper tag about 2 feet up from the anchor, but I am mostly a nymph fisherman, so I am sure there are multiple responses for you out there!

 

[just_jon]

My pattern is wood duck flank tail, pheasant tail body, thorax of 50/50 mix of Australian opossum and yellow sulfur, wood duck wings and mallard quill wingcase. I tie it two weighted versions (light/heavy) as well as unweighted. I use different colored thread to identify each. Because I fish bamboo, I’m not a fan of beadheads out of concern over the fly striking the rod tip by accident during an occasional trailing loop.

My favorite way to fish it is to lightly grease the unweighted version alone or in tandem with a sulfur dry or emerger. It works well on trout that follow, but don’t take the dry/emerger.

 

[nymphingmaniac]

http://www.littlejuniata.org/dark-sulphur-nymph/

 

[Hooligan]

I usually use a pheasant tail or a more "elaborate" type of nymph with the Sulphur mix thorax, also. But here's a little trick I used a couple of times when sulphurs were hatching. the trout wouldn't hit a dead drifted nymph, emerger, nor dun. I tied on a tan caddis emerger and swung it in front of a riser downstream from me. Success! Like I said, I used this trick on several occasions, maybe it was the color, maybe the motion, I don't know- I'm not as smart as a trout. I just know it worked on heavily fished streams.

 

[Swattie87]

Hooligan wrote:
But here's a little trick I used a couple of times when sulphurs were hatching. the trout wouldn't hit a dead drifted nymph, emerger, nor dun. I tied on a tan caddis emerger and swung it in front of a riser downstream from me. Success!

This is why I like fishing a Sulphur hatch. The fish sometimes prefer a sloppy, draggy presentation, which I am very good at.

 

[JackM]

The basic pheasant tail works. And if you want to be clever, put a little yellow in the thorax area.

 

[dc410]

Many times while fishing a sulfur hatch I’ve discovered that the technique that works the best that day is not a normal technique.

Once while fishing wet flies (my favorite being a soft hackled PT) during prime sulfur time I couldn’t buy a hit until I started presenting my wet flies directly downstream with short little strips. I started to present them straight downstream and moved them back and forth into the current seams in the pocket water with my rod tip. For whatever reason that is how they wanted it on that patricular day.

When fishing sulfur hatches with nymphs, wet flies, emergers, dries or any combination of the above, be flexible and change up your presentation until you find one that starts producing takes. In other words, don’t get stuck in a rut.

 

[GenCon]

dc410 wrote:
Many times while fishing a sulfur hatch I’ve discovered that the technique that works the best that day is not a normal technique.

Once while fishing wet flies (my favorite being a soft hackled PT) during prime sulfur time I couldn’t buy a hit until I started presenting my wet flies directly downstream with short little strips. I started to present them straight downstream and moved them back and forth into the current seams in the pocket water with my rod tip. For whatever reason that is how they wanted it on that patricular day.

When fishing sulfur hatches with nymphs, wet flies, emergers, dries or any combination of the above, be flexible and change up your presentation until you find one that starts producing takes. In other words, don’t get stuck in a rut.

I completely agree!

GenCon