02/24-25/18 - Czech Us Out!

I've done my ample amount of complaining about the weather over the last month, but I finally feel as though the blanket of sub-zero temps and lazy fish is lifting on us. Our extended forecast in the Black Hills is calling for sustained temps in the mid-upper 30s over the next couple weeks. That means we'll be pretty active at The Emerger. The last month has been me chomping at the bit to get out a little more and really put some work in on the water. The demands of my real job haven't helped much, either. Then there's the responsibilities of being a father and a husband. Well, you get it - we're strapped for fishing time! I'm excited, though. This spring I will get to spend some real quality time with my daughter on the water. Ok, we're really straying from the point of the post. We are in full transition mode here. I'm going to talk a little about this and the regular rundown of things in this post. So, you'll see the regular data, results, and media. However, you're also going to see in the rig rundown a move to a different rig.... Dun-dun-dun... The foreshadowing is killing me. Let's just get to the point...

Czech Us Out - Euro TRIP! 

I've been mulling it for a while, but I finally made the leap to a dedicated Euro Style Nymph (ESN) rig. I must say, it's been a project in the making. I did this for a couple reasons. First, I'm a fairly "Type A" personality. Meaning I value things like efficiency, not wasting resources, and doing things as their designed to be implemented. I've fished with a strike indicator on my nymph rigs for a number of years now, and the idea of a more efficient and natural method enticed me. The fact that is was more effective when seeking to catch fish was an added bonus. Knowing kind of what I wanted, I stopped at one of my local shops, Dakota Angler & Outfitter, to see what they could hook me up with. The folks at the shop did a really nice job recognizing what I was after and gearing me up with a rig that would perform and last. I'm notoriously hard on gear - because I actually use the heck out of it. So, it was paramount to get a tough, sensitive rod that could be versatile, too. I'm more than happy with the purchase. We're getting away from the point, though. I am changing things up and will likely fish this rod in 80% of the situations I encounter. I was envious at the level of skill and ease Euro Nymphing exhibited on the water. That doesn't mean it's easy in application. There is a learning curve for us "dyed in the wool" indicator guys. From the setup to the hook-set, EVERYTHING is different. Just like anything related to fly fishing, though, you'll get it if you put in the effort. The same is true in life. I'm not going to spend this entire post gushing about ESN. It works, and it takes some getting used to. There's a silver lining, though.... There are several resources that help dampen the learning curve. From George Daniel's "Dynamic Nymphing" to Lance Egan and Devin Olsen's "Modern Nymphing", you'll find stuff that will help you out. And by diversifying and adding to your toolkit, you'll become a more well-rounded fisherman. Hell, you might learn something new, too. I'm going to link these in the additional resources at the bottom of the page.

Atmospheric Data:

Temps: Mid-20s on 02/24; Low 30s on 02/25
Water Temp: Between 30 and 33 degrees
Cloud Cover: variable with ample sun
Stream Conditions: Accessible with significant ice impact on sections of Spearfish Creek
Flows: Unavailable due to ice blockage

Bug Data:

We seined the water again to see what was swimming around for the fish to eat. There were plenty of midges and small scuds floating around in the stream on both days. This is the bread and butter for our winter fishing. So, we're rigging with zebra midges, scuds, wd-40s, and other flies to imitate the profile of midges and emergers. They're really effective on most days.

Rig Rundown:

Rod - Echo Shadow II (10' 3wt)
Reel - Echo Ion
Line - Rio GOLD
Leader and Tippet - 15' Hanak bi-colour and 5 - 10' of 5x tippet
Flies - Scuds and Frenchies

How'd We Do? - The Results

We got wailed on! Whether it was the weather, the new rig/technique, or my cold feet....I got humbled - big time. We netted a total of 6 fish in about 6 hours. This goes to show that with any new technique, there's a learning curve associated with it. It took me a while to understand how to lead the fly, feel for bottom, and most importantly - detect a take. The second day of fishing was considerably better, but it was clear (to me) that I was certainly no Devin Olsen when I got to applying the technique! It is so much fun learning how to do it, though. We used all the data we had to be successful on the water, and by some measures, we were. However, this goes to show that the old saying...."It's the guy, not the fly" definitely rings true. So, to help you not get a crap sandwich handed to you on your first day of ESN fishing...I present....(drum roll, please), additional resources. Seriously, check these out and make your time on the water more productive.

Additional Resources


Modern Nymphing - You'll have to buy this one, but it's worth it's weight in gold. Devin Olsen and Lance Egan walk you through EVERYTHING. 

 Dynamic Nymphing - A 3 part lecture given by the master himself, George Daniel. You'll learn more about physics and fishing than you ever imagined. If you want a good drift, watch it.

Red's Fly Shop on "Why Euro Nymphing Doesn't Suck - A quick and dirty on the style. I like Joe's videos, and he's super helpful with other techniques. Focus on the first two and you're golden. 

 

Fishy Media: 

As always, we're gonna close things out with a little fishy media. Hope you are having fun tracking my adventures, successes, and failures while fly fishing in the beautiful Black Hills. 

 

Keep 'em wet,

MB