Ralph Cutter Video of How Sensitive Nymph Fishing can be

[Wildman]

Here is an excellent video that shows why I miss so many takes while nymphing.

http://troutunderground.com/2013/05/tro ... gs-so-slow

[WanderingBlues]

What's funny is I'm much better at perceiving the takes in moving water than I am still water, as BobK can attest!

[fly addict]

Jim,
You miss them even when they are hooked.

[BBH]

Certainly interesting video however I enjoyed the post's at the bottom even better..I know we have some Dry fly only guys and gals here so Ill do my very best not to offend.

I just don't understand how Dry fly fisherman look down at streamer fishing, nymph fishing etc..The idea is to catch fish, C&R & repeat!

I myself am after big fish so I will swing big streamers for big trout..or tiny size 22 nymph patterns..sometimes with a thingamabobber too.

I have found that big fish don't eat my top water fly ( unless its a huge hopper)..although fun to fish a dry in a big hatch it usually only produces small fish for me..nothing wrong with that at all..tiny trout are pretty..

Just seems to me that fly fishing is about adapting to the fishing situation. If you limit yourself to one style for the sake of being a "purist"..well that's your choice..I for one will adapt on the water to give myself the best chance at catching as many fish as I can, not sure why that's a problem for some folks..ohh..and PBR still has its place once in a very great while!!

[Jason]

Good find and very interesting.

I wonder if that was under an indicator? More to the point, I wonder if a 'tight line, European style' nymphing technique would have worked better. Assuming of course, they weren't already doing that.

[Flux]

First, that is a really really cool video. I love it when I see groups feeding like that because you know you are gonna get em to take.

As much as dry flying is about presentation, accurate casts, and a good drift, nymphing does have a certain "feel" to it. I've done much better since my buddy has taught me more about dead drifting and make adjustments. But there are times I have done some things that have yielded surprising results. First thing I did was stop ripping the nymph rig out of the water at the end of the drift and taking it up slowly, but deliberately. Another thing I tried in deeper holes was high sticking a bit through the "meat" of the hole while moving like a dead drift. Taking it up slowly at different points in the drift helped to, especially when they are on to emergers. This might also be accomplished by simply taking up any slack and keeping the indicator from drifting and allowing the bugs to be pulled up by the drag of the indicator. I wonder if Ralph and his wife did indeed have an indicator and if it might have helped by producing enough drag to set the hook a bit. That stone is no small fly either!!

Funny, I have a couple buddies who simply hate to swap their nymph rigs for a dry rig when the hatch is on the surface and they are taking em. I have had great success by timing when I go to the dry fly. Any good hook set is gratifying.

Great video, I could watch that for hours!! Nothing like some sparky GT's who are hungry!!

[Jimbo Roberts]

I don't know what to say about this video, except the angler is either numb below the shoulder or doing this on purpose. I mean their are multiple times the fish stops the nymph, holds, or even pulls the nymph. I think this is a bit of a setup if they are truely claiming that an experienced nymph fisherman felt none of those strikes.....

I say " Myth and Busted! "

Jimbo

[Wildman]

I do know there is probably no one more knowledgeable about what trout eat then Ralph Cutter and his wife. Years ago, they spent their honeymoon traversing the Eastern Sierra catching Brook and Golden Trout on the fly. His books and videos pretty much set the standard if you want to know what makes fish eager to strike and how bugs live in our streams. His wife is a pretty darn good fly fisher in her own right. Not sure if he was underwater taping or if the camera was on a stick.

[Jimbo Roberts]

This maybe true, but look at the video again.
Starting at 11 seconds a Trout grabs the fly and is then seen swiming hard against the tension of the line taking it to the side till 14+seconds. I don't think many would have not noticed that strike.
I am not trying to make myself out as some superior flyfisherman. I surely have strikes that go undetected, but I think the line going sideways would be a dead giveaway.

Jimbo

[Wildman]

My friend.......you've never fished with me

[fly addict]

I remember hearing a well-known fly fisherman say that the best guys probably miss about 30 % of the strikes on their nymphs. I don’t know where he got the information that would back-up that claim, but if it is true where does that leave the rest of us?

[k9mark]

Ralph was filming this while Lisa fished.

[duckdog]

Very interesting video. Is it a set up ? I'm giving it to them. How many of you have sight nymped a fish and set the hook to the fish's opening of it's mouth with out the indicator twitching at all ? I really believe that if we knew just how many fish ate our offerings with out us knowing that we would be really depressed. I don't care how good you think you are - you are missing fish. Have you ever been fishing a run and picked up a few fish, had it get slow, changed flies and start picking up fish again ? Only to see it get slow again after a few more fish, change flies and start picking up fish again. In that situation I believe that when that is going on the fish are eating your fly and spiting it out before the indicator ever move's. You get a few fish but the rest of those fish are getting educated to that particular fly, change flies-new class. I love fishing ! And they have a brain the size of a chick pea. you have to love it.

[Pete]

Its easy to sit back and judge when you are watching a video. Its a bit different when you are the one on the water. Same as watching an instant replay and asking how could they have missed the call. I have sat and watched buddies fishing and ask how did you miss that take. 5 minutes later, they ask me the same thing .

[briansII]

This, I believe, offers absolute proof of what I’ve always said: Nymphing is a tawdry technique practiced by degenerates, Satanists and PBR drinkers. “How is it proof” you ask?

It just is.

.........I do feel a little dirty when I'm nymphing.

That is a very cool video. I'm a bit surprised at how many times the nymph gets eaten by multiple fish......then again, it's a eat or die world down there. As for not seeing the takes, I'll have to take the word of the Cutters. I think Lisa said she saw the leader move once? I don't use an indicator, so I know all about not seeing takes from trout. I just wait for the leader to pause, then strip set like it's a 30lb alligator gar at the other end.

briansII