Euro Nymphing: Floating the Sighter

[@bradythayer8726]

Man between you and Ben with Huge Fly Fisherman, I'm binge watching and loving every minute of it. Will be sharing with every fly fisherman I know. Thanks for the great videos learning tons.

[@AboutTrout]

Thank you, truly appreciate the kind words. It’s what keeps me going .

[@paulabradfield5893]

OMG.... perfect explanation! I am going out this afternoon to the arkansas river to do just that! You filled in the holes! As always, great video, James!

[@AboutTrout]

Thanks Paula!

[@bigtasty2553]

Thanks as always. We enjoy your vids! Thanks for answering our questions and making these videos. Trust me they help so much!

[@AboutTrout]

Thank you! Truly appreciate the kind words. I’m so happy to hear you’re getting something out of it .

[@Toddcm]

Very well done James. Excellent info.

[@edscully8531]

Good ideas. Will use them. Thanks.

[@wesleywillard]

This was a really fantastic explanation, thank you!

[@IceCold450]

Great tips. I will have try this out. Keep the videos coming.

[@3amigosriding]

Great info James! It can get a little windy around here so I have a feeling I will be using this technique often! I’ll be building a new leader using the formula in your other video today! Stay Thiqqqq!!!

[@AboutTrout]

Stay thiqqqq

[@k9s4conservation65]

Cool tip about not cutting the tippet! I'm going to try that!

[@AboutTrout]

Game changer

[@brianconroy9109]

Awesome tips looking forward to using this in some of our home waters here in Missouri

[@fenrirunshackled4319]

Euro nymphing has innovated so hard that it invented indicator nymphing P.s. great video

[@OnTheFlyNZ]

This made me lol, I often try get super innovative and realise I've gone full circle. Most ideas I trash but every so often I stick with one.

[@sgm505]

Cant wait to try it at the San Juan. Thanks for all your info!

[@AboutTrout]

It’s great for slower shallows stuff like in the braids and lower flats even 3 Island

[@WhatMyLensSees]

Great tips and excited to try this out now that things are warming up!

[@jaredjohnson2368]

Great video! If you haven't already I would love a video explaining the difference between thiqqq and thin euro leaders or diffedent types of leaders and there applications.

[@AboutTrout]

Thanks for the love . Thiqqqq leaders are easier to cast , turn over better and are good for floating the sighter and casting dries. Thin leaders are best for fishing lighter bugs , wind , and especially fishing lighter bead sizes at distance. Even a “thinner” leader formula will start to sag at distance. I fish mostly a 2x sighter but if I know they’ll be dries or If I’m floating the sighter I’ll fish a 0x or a FullingMill sighter . Hope that helps !

[@bobbyk1796]

Thanks AboutTrout! I have my first ESN rod arriving this week to begin using out here in the great PNW 🎣😁👍

[@AboutTrout]

Thanks for checking out the Channel, hope the life the ban on Wa fishing soon!

[@bobbyk1796]

Me too! 🎣🥺👍

[@jayfalzarano8046]

Nice work Mate!

[@sethallyn7712]

Such a helpful video! Thanks for making such great content

[@terp53]

Great tip. Thanks 👍🏼

[@the_fishing_enthusiast]

This was fantastic man.

[@AboutTrout]

Thank you. Great niche technique for when the situation demands it. Hope it’s puts a few more fish in the bag for you.

[@taylorutah]

Very informative! This is a technique I've yet to try.

[@AboutTrout]

Thanks for watching !

[@coreytohme9861]

I've learned so much so far. You're the best. I feel like I have graduated from Euro nymphing and debating which to tackle next - Asian Nymphing or African Nymphing. And for clarification, in American nymphing, should my worm be on the point, and the powerbait on the dropper or is that backwards? Thanks so much. Tight lines.

[@AboutTrout]

Tightest of lines to you kind sir. First things first , how much siqqq butter do you want to net and also , are you trying to get sponsored ? In American nymphing it depends. If the fish just came from the truck I actually perform a double corn rig . But generally I’ll go worm on point power bait on the dropper . Hope this finds you well !

[@OnTheFlyNZ]

This channel is top shelf. Very hard to find youtube content beyond basic stuff with euro nymphing. I sometimes use a small piece of thin as possible backing, absorbs floatant great. But I will try this thicker leader, I assume you switch between floating and regular euro with this same setup also?

[@briansyat7114]

I liked, I’m commenting, good info thank you and I subscribe as requested.

[@AboutTrout]

Thanks!

[@jennifermorgan6913]

Thanks👍helpful info.

[@mariaavila45]

Love this!!!

[@midgemaniaflyfishing]

Mannnnn I want to try this so bad..but I feel like I won’t be able to see the take..guess it’s bobber fishing for me lol

[@alexargyros7186]

Terrific video. To perhaps change the subject slightly, could you tell me if you use a Euro rig to fish the tiny flies normally used on the San Juan? If so, do you put then on dropper tags, or do you trail them behind a heavier fly?

[@AboutTrout]

Heavy fly on dropper , unweighted midge on point .

[@alexargyros7186]

@@AboutTrout Thanks for the reply. Two more thoughts: 1. Pat Weiss uses a floating sighter for most of his nymphing, so you're in good company. 2. Howard Croston has a video about the same subject. He recommends putting a slight coil in the sighter (not a coiled sighter, just a regular sighter that's been pulled against a knife or something like that). He says that watching the sighter open up is a great way to notice a take.

[@komando8365]

Good stuff man!

[@AboutTrout]

Glad you liked it!

[@rjf1877]

Great explanation, I sure even Devin would be impressed with your explanation ! ! I've been using the micro leader set up lately but I haven't tried floating the sighter, and I sure can see the advantage on thinner water ( which is what I predominantly fish! ). Do you think that the micro leader set up, using 8 lb. maxima, is too light for casting two #18-20 nymphs ? Thanks much, and keep up the good work. Bob

[@AboutTrout]

Bob, 90% of the time euro nymphing I just run straight 4x to a ring unless I know I’ll be throwing dries or fishing greased. While I could just change to a knot less tapered and throw dries casting a euro leader is fine (if thicker) and saves time especially if the hatch is short. 8lb is probably too small to float weighted nymphs but if you’re confident in a tip cast it shouldn’t be an issue turning over small less air resistant dry flies. While not “comp legal” if I want to fish suspended and am fishing light leaders I just use FullingMill pinch on indicators. They can add a little mass to make casting dries easier and are buoyant enough to suspend lightly weighted nymphs at distance.

[@johnbailley4468]

@@AboutTrout Does this mean that you first tie the sighter on the nypmh line and then run 4x to the ring off the sighter?

[@AboutTrout]

@@johnbailley4468 I fish usually 20 ish feet of 4x bicolor from my fly line to a tippet ring. Then usually run 5/6x off the ring to fish.

[@craigtwaddell4491]

I'd like to see a closeup of how you tie that dropper knot. Watching you do it just shows how bad I am at knots!! :-)

[@AboutTrout]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/q2ekkJR6a9B7mKs

[@scottnock5241]

Great tip will try for sure, learning this euro stuff.. complicated!!! What polarized glasses do you recommend?

[@AboutTrout]

Thanks for the feed back! My best advice is to think trout first . Think about where the fish are and how to get your flies to them. This will help you in terms of bead size , tippet length etc. I love my Smith High waters. They have an optional integrated sunglasses strap. I hate wearing chums but loose glasses all the time . This has been the longest I’ve ever owned a pair because the integrated strap is un noticeable .

[@jp410]

Thanks for the video. So when you want to go back to normal EN you just wipe it down and you're good to go?

[@AboutTrout]

That’s right. Great way to fish light flies at distance

[@justaguy111]

What would be a realistic distance to cast with this technique? I was thinking of using this in conjunction with the D. Olsen knotted dry fly leader. Also adapting to using a straight 4x micro leader. How well would greasing these leaders work? Thoughts?

[@AboutTrout]

I wouldn’t try this with a micro leader as the mass of the beads would drag it down. I will do this on a micro leader when fishing unweighted flies high column it in the film. I like a thicker leader for this usually terminating in 02x-2x. Depending on how good you are at tip casting and leader construction,

[@alexargyros7186]

I have another question. If you know that you're going to "float the sighter," why use a sighter in the first place.? That is, if you're fishing primarily upstream, wouldn't upstream nymphing using a floating line as your "sighter" be better, since the line is much thicker, hence floats better, and sag isn't an issue? Btw, I understand that Pat Weiss, perhaps the best comp angler in the U.S., fishes like this a lot.

[@alexargyros7186]

By the last sentence, I mean that Pat Weiss float the sigher, not that he uses a fly line as a sighter.

[@AboutTrout]

Thicker = less sensitive also you can’t pivot from techniques

[@andrewmcgaha9629]

No sarcasm, just a guy learning the art. Is there a major difference between sighting the leader and using a traditional indicator?

[@AboutTrout]

It acts just like a traditional indicator , however it doesn’t fix position and suspend . This system also allows you to fish “up and across” . Hope that helps

[@andrewmcgaha9629]

@@AboutTrout Looked up "up and across"... found another AboutTrout video :) Instantly my favorite channel!

[@westside8634]

I'm from Pueblo Colorado , how do you fly fish high running water..... Arkansas river

[@AboutTrout]

I have a video about that from last year but I need to re do it . Two options , fish light and off the banks or go heavy and find obstructions breaking the current and nymph those . Very general answers but hopefully will get you going in the right direction .

[@keiranrooker7981]

So my sighter line isn’t straight when I try to euro nymph will my sighter straighten out when I have a fish or will it stop and start to tighten I don’t want to gut hook trout because I don’t know I have a fish I’m kinda nervous to try it out

[@AboutTrout]

A curve in the line is fine. Always set never regret. Unfortunately gut hooking fishing is a reality in all forms of fly fishing . In my experience it hasn’t happened anymore than than suspension nymphing which is rarely .

[@markmahoney14]

Float the sighter bra!

[@AboutTrout]

Fishizzle

[@sunnybradford894]

Are you using a floating fly line or euro nymph fly line? Thought I saw it floating.

[@AboutTrout]

I have a euro line rigged up , it floats... kind of .

[@arrowfenceman3275]

Rad!

[@RGJR02]

So that method works good in San Juan? Perdigon on dropper then maybe a rs2 on point?

[@AboutTrout]

Exactly!

[@RGJR02]

AboutTrout What about a dropper tig on the San Juan?

[@AboutTrout]

Depth to dropper then 24” to a typical Juan bug like a ufo in 24

[@reese924]

Is it illegal to wade in hot creek? Why couldn’t you wade there? Bad for the stream bottom?

[@AboutTrout]

Not illegal, just the culture . With so many anglers , wading that spring creek would rip up the stream bottom. It’s a gorgeous fishery if you ever have the chance .

[@reese924]

AboutTrout awesome! I’m all about doing what’s best for the streams and the fish. When I was a bigger noob than I am now I didn’t know or understand much about fish handling and whatnot or really anything about trout. The more I learn the more I want to go back and teach old me or teach other noobs about the fish and the environment. I think I will get to hot creek someday soon.

[@gladegoodrich2297]

Never heard of not being able to use 2 flys? Never hear you say anything about a San Juan worm fly. Pink is a killer here in Utah.

[@AboutTrout]

2 fly maximum. We definitely use San Juan worms down here lol.

[@fredleroux6920]

What is you favorite paste for floating the sighter ?

[@AboutTrout]

Loon Payette Paste

[@tobyobst6422]

Pattagucci is essential

[@AboutTrout]

If you fishing the frying pan and don’t take a selfie in your pattagucci did you even fish it?

[@everythingaction3927]

Do you have fishbrain?

[@AboutTrout]

I don’t , I keep a manual log . I can’t give away all my locations lol

[@MikeSmith-up2px]

What are you using to grease the sighter.

[@AboutTrout]

Loon Payette paste