Reel Repair by Alan Tani

Maybe be some ice fishing in your future!

No luck on the trout today,,,, But I was a winner of a $50 gift card at a fly shop and got a $99.95 fishpond Elkhorn lumbar pack for $55.67,,,,, the fly vest is a little hard on the back,,,,

That's really nice.  But now you'll carry more stuff.  The back never wins.

I had one just like it that used to center on my chest. It was handy but not roomy, so I had to know the water I was fishing and bring the minimum.

I got 1 today,,,,,

How's that Euro-Nymphing going.

Quote from: oc1 on December 14, 2025, 05:17:44 PMHow's that Euro-Nymphing going.

I'm not euro nymphing yet,,,,,more indicators with a 7ft drop,,,,but now I'm trying a western rig with a hook in the indicators or floating dry fly,,,,

So, an indicator does the same thing as a bobber?  I'm not sure I understand Euro-nymphing either.  It sounds like they are casting a jig without a reel.  You could do that with a spinner or conventional outfit too by just piling the line around your feet before casting.

Quote from: oc1 on December 15, 2025, 05:14:52 AMSo, an indicator does the same thing as a bobber? 

A fly fishing indicator can be:

1.  A bit of bright yarn or thread lashed on near where the leader meets the fly line. This makes it easier to detect a bite.  This type of indicator is sometimes used with Euro nymphing.

2.  A strike indicator.  This is essentially a mini-bobber for fly fishing.  It serves the same purpose as a bobber in that it helps you detect a take and helps keep the the fly from sinking beyond the desired depth. Not typically used for Euro nymphing.

3. A buoyant dry fly.  Something like a grasshopper pattern with a bit of foam.  This works just like a strike indicator with the added benefit of adding a floating fly offering into the mix. Not typically used for Euro nymphing.

QuoteI'm not sure I understand Euro-nymphing either.  It sounds like they are casting a jig without a reel.  You could do that with a spinner or conventional outfit too by just piling the line around your feet before casting.

Originally, there was a technique called upstream nymphing.  You cast upstream a short distance with a fast sinking fly and let the fly drift back toward  you with with as little fly line in the water as possible.  Compare this to the more standard style where you cast more or less across the stream and try to adjust (mend) the drifting floating fly line so that it does not pull on or lift the fly as it drifts downstream.
 
Some Czech guys optomized upstream nymphing, using longer and lighter rods along with some leader and fly modifications.  This is called Czech nymphing.  There were regional variations that came after this (e.g., French nymphing).  These are all lumped into the category of Euro nymphing. They work best for small fast moving streams with lots of small pockets. 

Euro nymphing often uses more than one fly on droppers off the main leader, and sometimes includes some spilt shot somewhere on the leader.  Enough hardware that the fly system becomes the weight that you are casting instead of the fly line.

Tackle manufacturers have turned Euro nymphing into a a brand new category requiring a complete new set of kit from flies to leaders to lines to rods to hats and underwear. 

And yep, you could do something similar with a spinning rod with a nymph and some split shot.  I reckon that a fly outfit might work better in most situations where Euro nymphing is typically applied.

-J