Euro Nymphing Tactics: Fishing a Single Nymph on a Micro Leader With George Daniel

In this video George Daniel switches from a morning of fishing euro dry dropper to a micro leader euro nymphing setup. Using just one fly he walks us through fishing several different runs while going through his approach, cast, presentation, drift and fly selection. A major theme in this video is making small adjustments to improve the quality of your fishing. If you're new to euro nymphing or have been doing it for years, there are a lot of wise words that you won't want to miss here. Even if you don't euro nymphs at all there are some excellent principals that can apply to any form of fly fishing you do!
We recommend learning the euro dry dropper tactics George covers in the video before this: • Euro Nymphing Tactics:...
As George spends countless days out of the year fly fishing, he's developed some incredibly effective patterns that catch trout all over the world. George is a Signature Tyer at Fulling Mill, and we're proud to offer several of his most effective patterns. We currently produce some of his favorite euro nymph patterns, as well as his jig streamers. For 2024 we will be adding some of his dry flies as well. Simple, tested and extremely well thought out, his fly patterns are must-haves on the water.
When it comes to euro nymphing, there are few people more experienced than George Daniel. Guide, college professor of fly fishing, former Fly Fishing Team USA member-George has dedicated his life to fly fishing. He has honed his fly fishing techniques, especially euro nymphing techniques, through 1,000s upon 1,000s of days on the water.
If you want to learn more from George, make sure to check out his KZbin Channel: ‪@GeorgeDanielFlyFishing‬
00:00 Introduction: Euro Nymphing Tactics with George Daniel
00:41 Using a single euro nymph
02:27 The advantage to a mono micro leader
04:32 Improving your cast and your drift
06:40 Use your sighter as a depth gauge
09:04 Switching to a heavier fly
10:08 George talks about some of his fly patterns
10:18 George Daniel's Chewy Caddis
11:10 George Daniel's Sunburst Perdigon
12:16 George Daniel's Sunken Ant
13:36 Fishing a deep and slow run
14:19 A reason to fish light fluorocarbon tippet
15:30 Upping the bead size on your nymph
17:20 When you should keep your sighter off the water
18:40 Switching flies to something bright and heavy
20:43 Your catch rate can double if you control your presentation
21:51 Fishing a fast run with the Chewy Caddis nymph
24:29 How to read water and find fish in fast pocket water
To purchase George's flies, head to our website or ask for them at your local dealer.
US: www.fullingmill.com/Products-...
ROW: www.fullingmill.co.uk/s.nl?se...
Make sure to follow us on Instagram! / fulling_mill

[@andymolloy5608]

Fulling Mills Fly Fishing delivers.

[@timbotrout]

Everytime an angler from PA is featured on this channel KZbin goes to fly fishing school. Love it.

[@FullingMillTV]

Those PA anglers sure know their stuff.

[@eyeintheskiesdavid9277]

My kind of video thanks for the tips as I’m only getting use to a new fly rod and this is a video I’ve been looking for to try out this technique thanks for sharing big like from me 🤝🇮🇪🤝

[@oscarbarreiro4266]

As always great advice. A pleasure watching you fishing and moving carefully around the river

[@billthekelpies8461]

Very new to this style of fishing. I gained much from your presentation. I just love the comment about problem solving. That for me is why I am really getting into euro nymphing.

[@johnshand6176]

The poise of a great white Heron! Beautiful to watch. I will try replicating your technique next week on the Waioeka River in NZ. Tight lines and kind regards.

[@shad3128]

You the man George

[@philipbailey7092]

This is a great video but it could be even greater. George is talking a lot about the leader and sighter but it is invisible. A common mistake in most nymphing videos. Now I am experienced enough to understand what he us saying, thus I can visualise it all. Can you add another camera just concentrating on the sighter and put an insert into the videos for the future? But well done and keep them coming.

[@canadiangemstones7636]

I can’t even see his rod. Would love to know how far he’s casting, where he’s drifting his fly. Tough to film.

[@frankklimko9058]

This summer my wife and I used the GD sunburst on the Snake River in Idaho. My wife outfished me 4 to 1 and must of caught 40 trout. Each time I looked over to her she was reeling in a fish. Also, the sunburst worked well in Michigan on the Au Sable River this fall.

[@FullingMillTV]

What a great story. That's fantastic! Thrilled it's been delivering for you.

[@frankklimko9058]

​@@FullingMillTVthe two weeks before Idaho our guide was using the Fulling Mill "Tech Junkie" perdigon in size 16 and 18 and we did well catching several 20 inch browns and cutties. Wish I could take the credit but the sunburst and TJ were recommended by our guides. Both were used below a dropper.

[@oscarbarreiro4266]

I was reading fly fishing evolution, Great book, but I still feel I learn more by simply watching your excellent videos. Thanks for that! I am Spanish and I would like to go in the near future to the USA for fishing, if you would have 2-3 weeks in summer where would you go?

[@spikeconley]

Regarding fishing a single fly because the heavier fly is on point (1:15 mark): this is the standard rigging, but not a necessity. Lance Egan likes to fish his heavier fly on dropper, which puts both nymphs at the same depth more or less.

[@VTBullitt]

How does that net stay secure and not fall out?!

[@chukolna]

Hello, great video. How about instead of a tag for the second nymph we tied on the eye of the hook? I can think of few positives and couple negatives but never tried it.

[@daddymcsnacks_561]

Off the bat when you mentioned single fly I felt better because that's how I'm doing it. Mostly because of the example you said and my inexperience in casting this. (The knots were crazy and I wasn't interested in tying rigs all day after every bad cast 😞)

[@FullingMillTV]

Casting double rigs is certainly a hard thing to learn! Next time try dropping your flies on the water on each back cast. That can help a lot!

[@Riich87]

Can you explain the complete line set up please

[@alexargyros7186]

Thank you, George, for a wonderful video. I'm not sure if you're a teacher who fishes or a fisherman who teaches, but, in either case, you do a fabulous job of explaining what you're doing and why you're doing it. Could I ask you a question? A while back, you published a video in which you fished with a New Zealand wool indicator. Could you speculate a little about how such a system might have done in the water you were fishing in this video?

[@FullingMillTV]

At the appropriate depth it certainly would work in most of the water fished here! The only downsides are you loose both sensitivity and the ability to manipulate your drift to the degree that he does.

[@lew6643]

Great video ! Do you prefer a 2wt or 3 wt flyrod for thin leader and tippett with a single fly

[@RickHurst]

Thanks so much. You mentioned in two other places this past week that you use the Pierre Sempe mono. When I looked for it, the sizes were in mm. You mentioned the sizes that you use. My confusion was that you said that you use something like .012 or .014 mm. Do you mean .12mm and .14mm? I'm trying to identify the right size to get. Could you please clarify that? Also, everyone seems to be out of that brand. I picked up some SA Absolute Stealth Green mono in 4X. What do you think of using 30-35' of that in lieu of the Pierre Sempe until I can get a hold of some?

[@pheasanttales7607]

Hey George! Great talk this weekend at the Cabin Fever Event, thank you! When you're getting to the part of the drift when you start moving your rod downstream, do you try to maintain a specific angle or is it situational? Thanks, Trent

[@Tjk186]

Thanks for sharing this ultra-thin mono rig /single fly system video...very helpful...may I ask if you use/prefer 6/7X fluorocarbon or mono for your tippet material please? Thanks

[@FullingMillTV]

In this case it is all fluorocarbon! It's denser, more durable and sinks faster, which is ideal for nymphing.

[@danburk9551]

What rod and reel are you using? Make and model?

[@PeachyFlyFishing]

Very nice George. Personally I much prefer fishing a single nymph to a double. :)

[@Imukuppilapsi]

Often double fly setup is way more effective as you can cover more water layers. However, fly consumption and line messes are also more common.

[@komando8365]

@@Imukuppilapsi Completely depends on your stream gradients. The streams George fishes are generally more conducive to single nymph rigs.

[@jonhart-dj7fn]

Couple questions.. if say working small water like you are doing and going micro thin.. (6lb or 8lb) why not go straight high visibility mono or why not go with straight with any fluorocarbon. knowing it sinks faster than mono indicator lines? Have you considered trying a cold weather mono something like suffix hvs orange ice line mono supposedly features less water absorption and says it sinks fast in their product description.. been practicing the carrot knot for custom leaders.. it is an easy knot and cinches smaller profile just looks smoother than a blood , surgeons or uni knot, not sure but wouldn't it be nice if there was a hvs fluorocarbon sinking line ?

[@FullingMillTV]

The goal of the leader (mono) is to have a supple, light material. It's less stiff than fluoro, so is better for the leader. It also is always (in this style) held over the water, so it's ability to sink is not relevant. The sinking aspect comes in with the tippet, which is why we change to fluoro there. The reason we then tie a sighter is that it's important to have contrast. If you have all high-vis, then there's no contrast and it's harder to detect strikes. The change from one color to another is the key here.

[@VTBullitt]

Do you have tying video for sunburst perdigon

[@FullingMillTV]

No, but we will add one to the list!

[@robertperman8967]

What the hell is a sighter!!!

[@FullingMillTV]

A piece of fluorescent mono that's tied between the leader and the tippet!