Egg patterns

Hooked writes:

So why limit yourself to
going to your favorite stream, seeing no rising fish or a hatch going on,
and saying, "Fock-it. I'm going home the fish aren't biting." ?


Exactly! I have never, *never*, uttered the words, "I'm going home. The fish
aren't biting. *NEVER*

I go fishing for a number of reasons, but I always expect to catch fish. I
prefer on the surface, but 75% of the time, I nymph. I've learned over the
years how to do it well, and if someone isn't willing to spend a year or so
learning, then they have a closed mind.
Dave

http://hometown.aol.com/davplac/myhomepage/index.html

Willi writes:

However, it is MUCH more difficult to become a GOOD nymph fisherman than
to become a good dry fly man because of the wider range of techniques
that can be used and the added dimension of depth. Nymphing goes beyond
flinging weight below an indicator. For me, there's nothing more
exciting than sight fishing a nymph or a soft hackle to a trout feeding
in shallow water and watching them reject drift after drift and fly
after fly until you get it right and they take. That's VERY cool!

I can understand wanting to fish dries and even only fishing dries, but
you're WAY off base if you think that fishing a dry is more difficult
than fishing below the surface. Fishing on the surface is generally less
effective (even more so if you limit yourself to "true" dry flies) but
not more difficult.

Exactly! What a lot of nymphers do not realize is that it is a three
dimensional, not two like drifting a dry. Add a mossy bottom, slimed rocks,
and you have increased the need for more skill. I dry fly fished right out of
the box as a kid and caught fish right away. I was not so fortunately at my
first futile attempts at nymphing.
Dave

http://hometown.aol.com/davplac/myhomepage/index.html

irate (Dave LaCourse) wrote in
:

I go fishing for a number of reasons, but I always expect to catch
fish. I prefer on the surface, but 75% of the time, I nymph. I've
learned over the years how to do it well, and if someone isn't willing
to spend a year or so learning, then they have a closed mind.
Dave

I know a guy who's been fishing for decades, used to fish well with a nymph
all the time, and can probably still outfish me with a nymph (not hard, I
promise). I came across him on the bank, waiting for a hatch, and told him
what nymphs were working best. He told me that he fished with nymphs all
winter now, and fishes only on top for the summer these days.

I guess this guy takes his pleasure getting out on the stream, and knowing
the hatch like its the back of his hand. If you have just as good a time
not catching fish as catching fish when the hatch isn't on, there isn't
much need to fish a nymph. That's not my bag--I have a better time
catching the fish than watching everyone else catch fish.

Scott

"Scott Seidman" wrote in message
. 1.4...

snip

That's not my bag--I have a better time
catching the fish than watching everyone else catch fish.

Scott


After a day of fishing, the wife asks me if I had fun.

I always reply, "I'da had more fun if I'da caught more fish!"



--------------------------------------------------------------
"...more and more of our imports are coming from overseas."
-George W. Bush

Scott Seidman wrote:

I know a guy who's been fishing for decades, used to fish well with a nymph
all the time, ...

I guess this guy takes his pleasure getting out on the stream, and knowing
the hatch like its the back of his hand. ...

A kindred spirit.

--
Ken Fortenberry

Ken Fortenberry wrote:


What I'm talking about it is *consistently*, as in every day,
taking several fish on a dry fly no matter whether it's August or
February, Wisconsin or Montana. THAT is a hell of a lot easier for a
nymph fisherman than a dry fly fishermen.


No question about that but it's even easier for someone that's an all
arounder.

Indicator and weight fishing is so effective because it not only
targets fish actively feeding along the bottom but will also take fish
that are in a passive mode. Few other methods do that and none do it so
well. There are lots of fly fishermen out there that continue to dredge
the bottom no matter what is going on in the stream around them. They do
this, I think, because it works, even when some of the fish are on the
surface or in midwater or are actively chasing nymphs etc. there will
still be fish feeding and or resting along the bottom that can be taken
by a dead drifted nymph along the bottom.

However, there are a wide range of other subsurface techniques that more
effectively target actively feeding fish in areas other than the bottom
of the "holes." There are often other places in the water column and
other locations in a stream that are sought by actively feeding fish.
The difficult part is knowing when and where to look for these fish.
Finding them, especially on water that you don't know well, is often
very difficult because unlike surface rises, the clues they give are
much more subtle. (That's the part of dry fly fishing that is "easier")

Nymph fishing has become synonymous with indicator/weight fishing.
Unfortunately, the other subsurface techniques have seem to fallen by
the wayside, not because they are more difficult to use but because it
is difficult to determine when and where they will be effective.Like dry
fly fishing, they target specific active fish, and like dry fly fishing,
they're not consistently successful.

The Bighorn last Fall was a good example. We were there during a massive
Black Caddis hatch. (It was LOTS of fun) There was some surface activity
but most were splashy rises indicating fish chasing emergers. I fished
mainly soft hackles fished with a lift or swung and a dry with a soft
hackle dropper fished actively. I spotted a nice fish up in the water
column chasing emerging caddis. I cast a soft hackle to it and did a
lift as it approached him. Several casts later I hooked up and a guide
came up and netted the fish for me. He asked me what I caught it on and
I told him a soft hackle. He didn't even know what a soft hackle was. I
showed it to him and he had never even seen one before.

Willi

Ken Fortenberry wrote:


What I'm talking about it is *consistently*, as in every day,
taking several fish on a dry fly no matter whether it's August or
February, Wisconsin or Montana. THAT is a hell of a lot easier for a
nymph fisherman than a dry fly fishermen.


No question about that but it's even easier for someone that's an all
arounder.

Indicator and weight fishing is so effective because it not only
targets fish actively feeding along the bottom but will also take fish
that are in a passive mode. Few other methods do that and none do it so
well. There are lots of fly fishermen out there that continue to dredge
the bottom no matter what is going on in the stream around them. They do
this, I think, because it works, even when some of the fish are on the
surface or in midwater or are actively chasing nymphs etc. there will
still be fish feeding and or resting along the bottom that can be taken
by a dead drifted nymph along the bottom.

However, there are a wide range of other subsurface techniques that more
effectively target actively feeding fish in areas other than the bottom
of the "holes." There are often other places in the water column and
other locations in a stream that are sought by actively feeding fish.
The difficult part is knowing when and where to look for these fish.
Finding them, especially on water that you don't know well, is often
very difficult because unlike surface rises, the clues they give are
much more subtle. (That's the part of dry fly fishing that is "easier")

Nymph fishing has become synonymous with indicator/weight fishing.
Unfortunately, the other subsurface techniques have seem to fallen by
the wayside, not because they are more difficult to use but because it
is difficult to determine when and where they will be effective.Like dry
fly fishing, they target specific active fish, and like dry fly fishing,
they're not consistently successful.

The Bighorn last Fall was a good example. We were there during a massive
Black Caddis hatch. (It was LOTS of fun) There was some surface activity
but most were splashy rises indicating fish chasing emergers. I fished
mainly soft hackles fished with a lift or swung and a dry with a soft
hackle dropper fished actively. I spotted a nice fish up in the water
column chasing emerging caddis. I cast a soft hackle to it and did a
lift as it approached him. Several casts later I hooked up and a guide
came up and netted the fish for me. He asked me what I caught it on and
I told him a soft hackle. He didn't even know what a soft hackle was. I
showed it to him and he had never even seen one before.

Willi

"Scott Seidman" wrote...
irate (Dave LaCourse) wrote:

I go fishing for a number of reasons, but I always expect to catch
fish. I prefer on the surface, but 75% of the time, I nymph. I've
learned over the years how to do it well, and if someone isn't willing
to spend a year or so learning, then they have a closed mind.
Dave

I know a guy who's been fishing for decades, used to fish well with a nymph
all the time, and can probably still outfish me with a nymph (not hard, I
promise). I came across him on the bank, waiting for a hatch, and told him
what nymphs were working best. He told me that he fished with nymphs all
winter now, and fishes only on top for the summer these days.

I guess this guy takes his pleasure getting out on the stream, and knowing
the hatch like its the back of his hand. If you have just as good a time
not catching fish as catching fish when the hatch isn't on, there isn't
much need to fish a nymph. That's not my bag--I have a better time
catching the fish than watching everyone else catch fish.

There are times I'll leave a dry on and cast that until I'm ready to go home.
There are other times I'll switch to nymphing readily, but I'm not very good at
it (but it does usually produce fish.) One of the best times I've had recently
was when I was in a "dry" mood, sitting on the bank talking to one friend and
watching another fish. Being on or near the water is as much a draw to me as
catching fish, although I'll take doing both on a dry any day of the week.
--
TL,
Tim
.. . . and *that's* why they invented bluegill fishing.
http://css.sbcma.com/timj

"Scott Seidman" wrote...
irate (Dave LaCourse) wrote:

I go fishing for a number of reasons, but I always expect to catch
fish. I prefer on the surface, but 75% of the time, I nymph. I've
learned over the years how to do it well, and if someone isn't willing
to spend a year or so learning, then they have a closed mind.
Dave

I know a guy who's been fishing for decades, used to fish well with a nymph
all the time, and can probably still outfish me with a nymph (not hard, I
promise). I came across him on the bank, waiting for a hatch, and told him
what nymphs were working best. He told me that he fished with nymphs all
winter now, and fishes only on top for the summer these days.

I guess this guy takes his pleasure getting out on the stream, and knowing
the hatch like its the back of his hand. If you have just as good a time
not catching fish as catching fish when the hatch isn't on, there isn't
much need to fish a nymph. That's not my bag--I have a better time
catching the fish than watching everyone else catch fish.

There are times I'll leave a dry on and cast that until I'm ready to go home.
There are other times I'll switch to nymphing readily, but I'm not very good at
it (but it does usually produce fish.) One of the best times I've had recently
was when I was in a "dry" mood, sitting on the bank talking to one friend and
watching another fish. Being on or near the water is as much a draw to me as
catching fish, although I'll take doing both on a dry any day of the week.
--
TL,
Tim
.. . . and *that's* why they invented bluegill fishing.
http://css.sbcma.com/timj

Well Clark I'm not sure I understand, calling it a fly but if you were
using this fly to fish with you would not be fly fishing hmmmm.

No, I never said that. I said the "Glo-Bug" is most certainly a fly but the
techniques used to fish it are often not fly fishing. BIG difference. There
are techniques that can be used to fish it which most definitely are
fly-fishing. Wet lining would be one, using standard tungsten's another. In
the same way I do not consider a dry fly fished on a threadline with a
bubble to be fly fishing. It is fishing with a fly, but it is not
fly-fishing. A "Glo-Bug" can be fly-fished, but it can be used with
techniques that is stretching the fly-fishing term a little. That's what I
said.

My take on the whole thing is this, in the best part of the fishing
season when fish are rising freely to mayfly, caddis and terrestrials
imitations well I don't tie on a Glo-bug. By the same token in the
middle of winter when nothing is rising and I am desperate to get my
fishing fix I don't tie on a delicate mayfly pattern.

I agree, I indicated (bad pun) that I do the same, though my fishing in the
winter is pretty limited these days even though it is on my doorstep.

After all part of the aim for me and I'm sure others of going fishing is
to catch fish. Because of this I do not have any ethical dilemmas when I
tie on a glo-bug behind a tungsten bead nymph and indicator.

That's a personal choice, but once the big lead-eye bomb comes out and
budgie sized indicator, it's starting to stretch it right? We seem to be
agreeing here.

My choice of indicator is for egg yarn - no longer than half an inch,
and a small metal split ring or sheep wool that I collect off barbed
wire fences, not budgies.

So it's not the size of a budgie? So it doesn't fit my definition.

Honestly if I had a choice it would be dry fly time all year round, but
as that's not the case and I still want to get a bend in my rod and a
scream from my reel in winter I'll use a glo-bug on my fly rod and go
fly fishing

Yep, pretty much exactly what I said I do....


Not cheating fly fishing to the conditions.

I agree, as I pointed out, you are imitating the food of the moment and
that's fine. I even indicated that I do the same and sometime fish with a
bomb rig, but I don't really believe it's fly-fishing. I don't have a
conscience about it either.
Andrew, if you are happy using this method, why ask the question?


Cheers
Andrew

P.S do you give them to clients when you are guiding Clark?

I very rarely ever guide during the winter, after 120 days of summer fishing
I like to relax and chase pheasants most of the time. If I do though, I have
no problem putting on a "Glo-Bug" and never have had a problem putting one
on, I said that in my post, I just think it's more a *******ization of
fly-fishing than actual fly-fishing. nothing to lose sleep over, or
apologize for or feel guilty about. relax and enjoy yourself.

Clark Reid
www.dryflynz.com