Euro Nymphs Have No Soul (here are a few bugs that do)

[@fishhandsfranky]

Manual versus automatic transmission, every passion has a great debate.

[@riverwalker2173]

Manual shift is funner🕹

[@TheNewMediaoftheDawn]

Haha, I just bought one of the last Subaru manual transmission Crosstreks 3 days ago, as the 2024 line no longer has them…. I bought it because it was cheaper, but fun to drive.

[@flyndutchmn]

Nothing between a man and his machine!

[@CharliesFlyBox]

You’re my f’ing hero, KG.

[@elliotdirtzu111]

This is seriously hilariously awesome. I think Kelly really is a saint. He has disciples. Enough said

[@NHWildscapes]

So true Kelly! The hares ear and prince nymphs were go to’s in the 80s and 90’s only to be replaced by bling 🤷‍♂️ but secret is they still work

[@derekcunningham9993]

True, true. Every fly/technique has its place, but fly tying is an art/craft. To create something from fur and feather and catch on it, is where its at, for me. Can't let the "old" ways die.

[@HalfInsaneOutdoorGuy]

couldnt have said it better myself and I've only been tying since August of 2022, and only fly fishing since May of the same year. Since I dont enjoy tying perdidongs, I dont fish them very often. I have no idea how well they work, they're just kinda boring to tie so I dont...and I dont know what patterns if any there are.

[@ESOX2]

Hi Kelly - I got my first fly rod in 1963 and have watched many generations of flies hit the flyfishing world. I agree with the comments that fly tying is part art form. A hook, bead and mylar kind of take you away from that. I worked with someone that his wife just tied flies for the art of tying flies, neither of them ever owned any fishing equipment. I don’t think she would have that kind of enjoyment tying a euro nymph.

[@pecosnick45]

Makes sense to me. One is scientific, calculated, and simple. The other shows artistry, time, passion for details.

[@corymckee4848]

Am the only one disappointed this video was only 3 minutes :) Agree with what ya said!!!

[@LetortAngler]

Spot on. This needed to be said by an influencer like yourself. I can see why these flies are so popular (like the zebra midge), since they are so easy to tie, and great for new anglers to get their feet wet. I just think it’s unfortunate that the Flat Brimmer Euro guys have turned a sport of conservation, innovativeness, mystery, and FUN, into nothing more than a competition, and Instagram hero-shot selfies. Some of their books are nothing more than just pictures (which is fine), but the details are basically recycled methods and information that’s been already been known and published for many years. I guess that’s all I have to rant about today 😂 PS- Great to see you at the Cabin Fever Show in PA. You need to stop out more often to do seminars.

[@aaronstaebell]

Lovely on several levels. Funny. Educational. Historical. Thanks!

[@wingman8447]

Yes. I think the Prince is a great prospecting nymph. Sometimes I’ll start with that and see what I dig up. If it works, the party’s over. I’ll start using all kinds of things, just to see what they’ll take. Good video. Thank you.

[@trails4all]

Same hahaha! Some streams in the cascades, cased caddis use hemlock needles on their shell and look just like the prince. Very productive then

[@rschreck876]

Talking about the younger generation… I had my new rod sent to my work. I was putting it together and this 21 year old asked “How old is that thing”? I live in Colorado. He honestly thought that fly fishing rods were antiques. Had no clue that people still fly fished. Hahahaha

[@tomrivera8480]

Disco ball!! That's hilarious, really made me laugh! Gotta say some of those flies displayed on the table were truly sexy, great segment!

[@stingray43550]

“trout deserve the sanctuary of deep water” said Lee Wulff…. these “soul-less” flies have invaded that sanctitude but I cannot hold people that aren’t fortunate enough to fish for trout regularly to that sentiment… my only criticism is that you didn’t include the Zug Bug, luckily I’m not easily offended ;) jokes aside I’m glad you’re including videos of this sort, a lot of “fly fishing” has turned into jigging with fly rods which is a shame indeed

[@steveg8322]

THAT is the truth!

[@glenndotter5065]

Zug bugs are GREAT!

[@jeffenglishsetter8339]

actually they are Euro Nymph rods....try fishing withone, then try the same with a 2/3wt "fly rod" night and day differnce....not only in the rod, but also the catch rate :)

[@timothykulak5556]

Yes, “Euro-nymphing” is jigging with a fly rod….

[@dougkeiser9406]

You damn kids and your rock music

[@leslieaustin151]

Agree all the way! Its nice to see some pheasant tail over the copper wire, Sawyer style! Beads aren’t so good when they hit you in the ear coming forward!! Les in UK

[@jscancella]

prince nymph was the fly that caught me my first fish while fly fishing. still is my favorite

[@arthururban8340]

since watching KG vid on drop shot nymphing i’ve largely stopped tying with beads. video just made good sense.

[@alexhendrick8288]

Couldn't agree more

[@lesscobrandon6803]

Could you link the video please

[@krallmi48]

@@lesscobrandon6803 Put "drop shot" in the search bar... you'll get two... older then newer...

[@larrythompson2896]

I agree 100%, Kelly. I think a fly should have some style, some effort, something to try and imitate a food source found in nature. While the perdigons, etc. may work well (I have tied and used them myself), I much prefer the hare's ears, prince nymphs, etc. Simply personal preference.

[@paharding]

Kelly’s insights are always fascinating and thought provoking. I generally agree with what he has to say except when he said my overpriced $1,050 fly rods weren’t a good value. My biggest recurring nightmare is that I died and my wife sold my fly rods for what I told her that I paid for them.

[@tonysobina8390]

Love this, add a little bit of soul! There always seems to be certain trends in flyfishing, they come and go...I think perdigons and euro style flys will go full circle and something else will come along. As for Hare's Ears and Prince Nymphs, they have stood the test of Time! Great Flys! ...And its great the way You make us all think about things like this!

[@danbolton3180]

Check out the library for a few of these fly tying books. American Fly Tying Manual by Dave Hughes, Universal Fly Tying Guide by Dick Stewart, and Flies of the Northwest by the Inland Empire Fly Fishing Club for a sampling of truely beautiful flies with soul.

[@DavidJones-vy6cn]

Well stated, Kelly! Perdigons are basically miniature spinning lures dead drifted. And spinning lures catch fish. I would prefer to fool fish with something they might see floating by naturally. Plus, they are soo much more fun to tie. No challenge tying a perdigon.

[@mungobaggins8197]

If trout magnet ever starts using quality hooks, we’ll be in real trouble.

[@J.D.Supreme]

I see it the same!

[@davidbrenna-qp9zy]

Yup!

[@tedgordon5381]

I want to say: Kelly, thanks a million. Thanks to your videos I have become a better angler and catch more fish. I specially learned to fish your version of the hares ear nymph, which has become one of my most successful patterns

[@PatricBroman]

From Sweden here, I just found you guys a couple of weeks ago and you are a great resource of knowledge delivered with a smile.. Keep doing it and I agree with the euro nymphs..

[@jeffreyhildebrand4867]

Every time I watch you tie a fly, you always invite viewers to add their own ideas such as color combos, material substitutions, etc. That is essentially the definition of the “art” of fly tying. Some fly tiers appreciate the art, some don’t, but there is no reason for them to bash a discussion of the art.

[@glenndotter5065]

Kelly you are on the mark. The flies with no soul catch fish, but have become lures and not flies. The ones with soul as you said imitate real bugs. THEY ARE FLIES!. Sure the soulless hooks with beads and mylar catch fish and are fizhed with a flyrod, and yes I have fished a few too but I remember my dad once throwing a CP SWING with his flyrof and slaying the trout, but did that make it a "fly"?

[@user-be5gm7dc2r]

I love this. I like the idea of buggy looking flies-something that might be mistaken for something that exists in nature.

[@bsaks51]

I love to fish basic flies with soul. The copper john, hare's ear and prince are great fish catching flies.

[@roblacitinola866]

Well played Kelly, of course some lovers of the perdigone who strictly euro nymph, would be offended, after all, that don't even fly fish... I "Euro nymphed" back 25-30 years ago after reading Joe Humphreys book, and it was quite effective and fun to feel the take a little easier than naked nymphing...All that said, Euro nymphing is hardly fly fishing... :) Effective, but hardly flyfishing

[@JE-hr6he]

Hi Kelly from the UK! Enjoying your videos and with this one, I agree 100%! I would like to see you describe how to fish the flies you're showing. So many videos talk about a flys and show how to tie it but never talk about how to fish them. Maybe worth a video!?

[@chasselynch5733]

Your absolutely right!!jig flies look dead ,I catch on them but I'd rather tie flies that look alive

[@jimholland1592]

To Kelly and the crew, Y’all will never know how much y’all have helped me along the the way. And I have no words that could express that. Just a big thank you to all. Maybe our paths will cross. Joyce and I will be heading West in August. Hopefully we can come by the shop maybe even fish with someone in the crew, that would be amazing. Stay safe and enjoy life👍 PS. I like the soul thing too, I get what you mean😉

[@scottcarr9057]

Nice job working up the audience! You know your audience for sure, as demonstrated by the comments. For me, I love the art of fly tying. My bench is filled with feathers, fur, dubbing, and yes, beads. And that's because I love the art of cracking the code on what and where fish are eating. To do that, you need versatility to put bugs throughout the water column and on the surface. That's part you and part fly selection. Sometimes it's a dead drift, sometimes its surface splash with a terrestrial, sometimes is life-like or even aggressive movement under the surface. The beauty of the sport is knowing how to combine techniques on any given day or even hour to put fish in the net, from Perdigons to Galloup's Goober Midge to sexy streamers.

[@motocross6539]

The bob Ross of fly fishing has spoken.

[@davidwilson4331]

I don't like beads, and, I never fish them. If you like them and they are effective for them, then, I am happy for you. I have been focused on more natural patterns with soul, and they are effective for me. If I need some weight I can add it. If you are interested in a good book with some soulful fly patterns I would recommend Selective Trout by Swisher and Richards. Good luck with your fishing!

[@toddmorgan8208]

1) Kelly, I agree with you: Flies should have "soul." As a fly tier, I like to tie, and fish with flies that have features that look like bugs, or food that fish eat. Is a bead on a tinsel-wound hook even a fly, or just a weight with a hook, or more of a spinner? (nothing against spinners, they catch fish, & I am not a "purist") Does a piece of a microfiber mop tied on a hook represent trout food? have soul? Note: But, of course, I have tied a few to try out. 2) To take it a step further, I also feel that flies with feathers and furs from living creatures have more soul, Mojo than synthetics. I use synthetics, there is a lot of great stuff out there. But to me, synthetics feel a little bit more... sterile, cold, and plastic, they have to be created in vats. I try to use as much natural fibers as I can. 3) here is a new issue to consider concerning synthetics: Synthetics are basically PLASTIC! Natural feathers and furs are broken break down easily, by natural processes (bugs, by fungus, bacteria, etc). They feed the ecosystem. I think that synthetics only break down to MICROPLASTICS!, and they are the "new" pollution danger to this planet... Microplastics are now everywhere, pervasive, and can interfere with life biological processes. Anyone concerned about pollution from lead split shot or lead-weighted flies, may want to consider pollution from plastics, as well. thank you, Kelly, been watching and enjoying your stuff for a long time. PS: I wonder if the companies that are trying replace natural materials with synthetics should reconsider...

[@bobmatuzak2263]

I vote for sexy. By the way, there’s a guy out here in Pennsylvania, Dom Swentosky, who guides and runs TROUTBITTEN who is running a survey on fishing with just a bead. Nothing else on the hook. He says it’s the bead that stimulates the strike. Absolutely no soul, but I’m thinking he’s right. It’ll be interesting to see the results of his survey.

[@mekassake]

I know this question is irrelevant to this video will you do a circus peanut I bought a kit and you don’t have video ,you’re the man! Love your tying videos your info is the best yet

[@colinstuart6708]

Hi Kelly Being partially disabled I put my heart and soul into every fly I tie be it a dry fly, a nymph or indeed a perdigon. It’s all objective, each to their own

[@brucehaley3651]

"Build a little sexy into you style" Truer words have never been spoken. See you in NE on the 18th.

[@komando8365]

There is so much lost educational value these days in fly tying. I agree with everything you've said Kelly.

[@chuckmorgan3049]

I thought you just hold your strike indicator 3" above the water surface to get the perdigon just under the surface to replicate the emerger! Thanks for keeping it real KG!

[@trails4all]

Who here would believe me if I said the prince nymph is an imitation of a cased caddis that is using conifer needles for part of its casing? At least in some cascades systems I've seen identical matches using hemlock needles. Right down to detail of older (white) needles to fresh'ish (brown) needles up the casing. The largest summer run steelhead I've caught was on that fly, middle of nowhere, fishing for 8" bows and cutthroat, what a surprise.

[@MrSpintail]

I'm glad it's not just me thinking this way

[@cephasmcpher67peteroutdoorspip]

Some flies are made for fishing and some flies are made for instgram.

[@mikehulsey4813]

Like good blues, everything worth doing is worth doing right, and worth putting some soul into it. When an artist, a true artist sits down with pen, paper, brush, paint, thread, or feather they don’t haphazardly throw something together, but rather there is thoughtfulness put into it. A true fly Tying enthusiast will be thoughtful of every thread turn, each one as important as the one before, and the last to be done. I love nothing more than seeing creations that required some thought, effort, and or time to get it right. Glad you stated it Kelly, because nothing beats the soul found in those flies, something similar to the flies mentioned in your book on cripples, it seems some folks have forgotten how to problem solve anymore. Things are too easy to find recipes for and little thought is given to our own creations anymore. I just think There are artists and then there are tiers that just simply want it to be simplified so they can spend more time on the water, I like to think I’m more the former.

[@leonardlisacchi356]

I'm old school , this makes perfect sense to me .

[@johngetz8585]

For those of us who started fishing 30 40 50 years ago, the perdigon thing is a tough thing to swallow. No, not literally. We still like to fish pheasant tails, Hare's ears, all natural fur and feather flies. The perdigonst look like theu should have the word Rapala or rebel stamped on the side of them..!!???? Yes, I understand they're supposed to dive into the water column and get deep quickly to catch more fish? And that's fine, but the purest in you recoils away from them. It does me so I refuse to fish them. Many say to my own detriment. I tell them I do it for my own enjoyment. So I know exactly what you meant by this column or thread or video.

[@champtree]

I love your straight talks! Hit the nail on the head!

[@everyoneknowsadave3580]

i got some beads that look like “Disco Balls” … hopefully they’ll catch me some 80’s trout !! 😂

[@TheGhs1]

I still prefer to catch fish on traditional Scottish wet flies and for some reason I fell the catch more rewarding than the ones I get on sparse goldheads ,use what you enjoy 😄👍

[@wallyfandrich3869]

While the glitter of Mylar and beads do catch a fishes eye; it’s the movement and bugginess of natural hair and feathers that often seals the deal. I personally like a combination of both; a little flash and lots of movement.

[@johnstrosnider9082]

Give me that soul fly !

[@mg9001]

The next time I get to the Madison, the first fly I'm tying on will be a Casual Dress. Haven't fished that fly in decades.

[@jamesshanley913]

Right on, Kelly.

[@dominiqueleblanc2193]

I agree. I do tie some perdigones but I always put on a sexy fly. A nice hares ear, or a Lafontaine caddis emerger.

[@jakeroth3879]

I haven’t started tying the perdigons. I like to hang my flies on the dangle and the jig hooks seem to twist the shit out of my leader. I’m also a big fan of Mercer’s flies. The prince and the Bird’s nest are staples in my box.

[@Stoops1973]

All these damn kids don’t know what they’re missing. I too fish a disco ball but you can’t beat the old school flies for style and personality…. They work too. Who would’ve thunk?

[@BeatKid9000]

Because a split shot and bobber has SOUL lmao When did the river turn into the Soul Train channel from way back when. Turn on some Temptations or James Brown if you want soul Kelly.

[@williamparadis3058]

THANK YOU for putting this out! I wholeheartedly agree that a lot of the newer fly designs, though effective, often lack a certain style - it may be simply some recognition of and respect for the heritage of the sport that makes them seem so lacking in "soul." For the past year I've been tying with vintage hackle for the most part - you know I'm sure what a difference there is between a 1940 cape and anything from Whiting these days - but that experience has undoubtedly made me a better tyer. What I tend to do now is to choose a specific natural material - be it acape of feathers or a patch of fur - and use my other materials to give that fly whatever it takes to have what feels to me to be "soul". I may end up with a dozen flies, but none of them follow precisely the same "recipe", and none of them are the same - but they share the common denominator of one or two materials, and they will all catch fish.... simply because I've put in enough years to understand the design concepts that make a good fly - color, size, movement, attraction. I don't tie flies to sell them, so having a consistent pattern isn't a priority Most of the flies I tie now are designed to float or to move high in the water column - if I want them to sink, that's easily accomplished with a bit of weight on the line or by using another weighted fly to bring them down. Trout are wary, but they aren't intelligent - after all, they are easily fooled by a bit of metal, some shiny plastic, and some chemical residue that gets hard when exposed to sunlight - but that's true of plenty of fishermen, too, who are often adequately intelligent but insufficiently wary, and will grab whatever the next bright shiny thing is that drifts into the feeding lane of their more than adequate wallets. Classic flies like the Hare's Ear or Prince Nymph have become classic because they work, and they work because they follow certain design principles that have evolved through literally centuries of observation and experience. Very few people have that combination of artistry and engineering which makes for a good fly design or designer - I think April Vokey's interview with Gordon van der Spuy articulates that particularly well. Gary Borger and Dave Hughes make the same arguments - that the form of the fly needs to be intimately associated with the materials, and those considerations must influence the design, and that combination - materials, design, and function - should determine the way a fly is tied. When those elements come together harmoniously, the "soul" is almost inevitable. kzbin.info/www/bejne/ppmQf6VthMt0eMk

[@johnjaacks8700]

I don't have a problem with the mylar and bead euro flies, what I have a problem with is the manner in which these flies are fished. When my grandfather took me out in the 60s, a majority of fly fishing was done with a single hook fly. However, many of the flies had more than one hook, some looked like lures with spinners. The Europeans do not seem to have a problem with a stringer of flies. Many of these flies are in suspension in the water column. I have used this method and learned a lot from those whose careers depend on it, but I stopped doing this type of fly fishing because it reminded me of casting a lot of worms on a cane pole of my youth. The evolution of fly fishing has bounced around. If you do a lot of stillwater fishing, a lot of the flies are bead, mylar, and thread. Let us just face it, just as the woven flies of the past were highly prevalent in the 20s,30s, and 40s. The Potts and others are just history. Woven flies just are not favorites of today's fly fisherman. Most don't even have a clue who they were. So goes the ways of the flies of the 40s, 50s, and 60s. Fly Fishing isn't the Mom and Pop business of the past but a large industry, requiring new gadgets and flies. Is it amazing that the fish just don't seem to care.! They just need to eat and stay comfortable, regardless. of climate change, fly and lure setups, sonic bombardment, and noisy humans. And we haven't even got to have flies that put our noise or aromas like the lure community uses.

[@biggreenfish3267]

In summary, fish what ya want. ✌

[@Troutbitten]

Hey now! Spot on. We all fish 'em. But . . .

[@ruebdogg1]

Nice Whitlock mug!

[@SherpaBT]

I'm going to need a shower after this one🤣 100% agree

[@timwood8733]

magnificent take

[@eugenemonty6469]

Couldn't agree with you more. As time goes on people have no clue what we flyfishers and tyers went through 50 or more years ago. Sort of sad that this has happened to those that went before us bothe east and west coast.

[@oldrudedog]

Funny how they put Euro and Czech nymphing on something I've been doing for 40 years and it's called high sticking. There was days when a Zug Bug, prince nymph, and hares ear worked just fine on Hat Creek for me. Can't explain why but it seems all flies will work in the right situation and look good to the trout!

[@brianthomas2448]

Yup. It's nothing new. Ted Fay and Joe Kimsey were doing this on the Upper Sac in Northern CA over 50 years ago. Only difference is that the flies they used were much larger (size 8 was considered small). If you watch the old videos of Joe Kimsey high sticking in the Upper Sac, dont let the wet wading fool you. That river is COLD with a capital C!

[@martinhodell8465]

Thank you! And thanks for calling out the tails on the perdigon as unnecessary. Let's be honest- they're eating the bead. Convince yourself that your expensive CDL fibers are doing something or your ultrathin single layer of thin thread matters....next to a comparatively enormous bead.

[@Podobed]

So when euro nymphing was starting to really catch on.....everyone still had a brain and realized that while czech/polish nymphing was an amazing short distance heavily weighted nymphing system, that indicator nymphing with weightless nymphs or nymphs with brass or glass beads was the ticket once fish started actively feeding throughout the water column. Why indicator nymphing? Because you could fish at great lengths by continuously mending, until a strike happened- a length unachievable and more effective than most other nymphing systems. Then we start getting french and italian nymphing systems which increase the distance previously effective by czech/polish and start using smaller and lighter weight flies....everyone still realized indicator nymphing was superior once there was bug activity.... Then the mono rig came.....and everyone went brain dead and started thinking I can fish the same distance as effectively with my perdigons as you can with an indicator system and weightless nymphs.......well jackasses if the fish's face is at the bottom of the river sure....maybe- but in spring when temperatures warm up and fish start chasing emergers and dry flies throughout the middle and top of the water column you fishing a 3.5mm tungsten bead on the bottom 50' away isn't going to be as effective. I don't understand the people adhering to competitive fly fishing rules....when they aren't competing. There are better systems, and to ignore them is ignorance at it's finest.

[@TheEzzieboy]

To me, the more synthetics and plastics a fly (any fly) has incorporated into it, the less soul it has. I'm a streamer guy, so yes, I choose bucktail, marabou, hair, and hackle over craft fur, tinsel, flashabou, and foam. Do I use any synthetics? Yup, but the main essence of the fly is natural material of some kind. (even better if that material comes from critters that live here in our neck of the woods) Do I use beads? Oh yeah. But again, bead or cone or whatever is not the essence of the fly; natural materials are.

[@patsheridan]

This weekend's fish catching producers here in Nor Cal were a "blob" and a "mop". 17" Brown and 18" Rainbow. Honest. What does that say??? Having said that, the other producers were the set of wet flies fished just under film. Crazy.

[@paulallen7651]

I don’t know who tied that casual dress but it’s definitely business casual, beautiful.

[@rogerguth9097]

polly rosenburg

[@stevenlord782]

All best out on the water in 2023 guys. 👍👍

[@bobiliff970]

You sort of touched on it, but, put an anchor on the bottom, and that's where you'll be fishing all day. You can get just as deep drop shot nymphing with tin shot on a bottom loop. You don't want to be constrained out the gate so much you can't adjust to where the fish are showing.

[@JustGoneFishing]

Soul is so unmeasurable.

[@ross1458]

Lmao. That bead also kills action. That said I make more money tying Euro nymphs and Perdigons. And I use them. Even Walt's worm was a Cress bug. Now, it's a tight wrapped something. I'll stick with shot, PT's, and Spiders.

[@jack_batterson]

A good fly should look like it might wiggle, walk, or crawl; it should look "buggy".

[@douglasrandall6737]

Yep.

[@pauldonnellan1876]

Could not agree with you more mate..Pauly at Wilderness Coast on Fly in Australia 🤓👍🇦🇺

[@charlesleblanc6638]

Couldn't agree more ...

[@JP-dz7zu]

I shall get off your lawn now, good sir! 😂

[@gregsage1605]

I want to have as much fun tying it as I do fishing it.

[@prestoncaldwell567]

Jesus Christ I think most of these comments were written using retirement homes wifi. They all have a time and a place. Perdigon style flies are incredibly effective, so are a lot of the old school patterns, and guess what, you can fish them together.

[@sjohnson4882]

Excellent video.

[@almostroxx24]

Someone finally said it!!!! Thanks Kelly!

[@jeffenglishsetter8339]

Come on home and we'll use some of these souless mylar sinkers on the Boardman..lol

[@larryneasloney8695]

😁. Perfect, thank you!

[@the_forgotten_angler]

agree 1000%. In general, the latest generations of fisherman are looking for the quickest way to their next Facebook cover photo without doing any work. It's lame and a shame.

[@KP-kh7ef]

Truth speak.

[@Wogger46]

Funny when I see Czech nymphers fishing perdigons. They all have thumb or index finger rings and they are constantly on their phone. Just funny to me

[@lonewizzard8456]

😂😆😂

[@miknev5]

With the power of soul anything is possible. Lol

[@robertheal261]

Two in row! I agree 100 percent... but we're friggin' old.

[@HalfInsaneOutdoorGuy]

Perdigones are boring as hell to tie. I love to tie. So I dont tie many perdigones. They're just thread and glue... and i'm almost 100% sure that the fish is just eating the bead.

[@spikeconley]

I understand what you mean by "soul", but the problem with thinking this way is that it misses the point, which is what fly fisherman are very good at of course. It means you're looking at things like a human instead of like a fish. If we want to understand why a fish takes a fly, we have to understand how a fish determines what food is and how far it's willing to move for it. It's nice and romantic to think of "classically beautiful" flies, but you're not getting any closer to the real behavior of the fish that way. How a fly looks is only one aspect of fly design. There is also how the fly behaves or performs. So another way to look at it is that a Perdigon actually has a LOT of soul, because in many situations it quickly goes where it's supposed to go and drifts the way it's supposed to drift. And that often trumps looking "buggy". Drifting naturally at the level fish are eating really is the soul of nymph fishing, after all. And by the way it's not about mylar, it's about smoothness. You can put resin over pheasant tail and achieve the same thing.

[@blakehunter7443]

You heard it here folks, let's get sexy with it.

[@joebowbliss-rs5dl]

“Totally non needed tail”. Are you saying, no to CDL on these flies?

[@webb-cast1030]

As a fellow Michigander, Euro nymphing is nothing more than glorified chuck-n-duck. I'll go one step further. If you went full on C-N-D, you'd kick the shit out 99% of Euro-nymphers every time. It's FLY FISHING, have some standards. Reminds me of Tenkara. Same BS! Tenkara is a $300 cane pole, nothing more. The exact same thing could be had for $25, tops. Same goes for Euro-nymphing. $40 dollar 11' crappie rod, $60 LA reel, a spool of 15# Amnesia, a couple of 27yd spools of Maxima and maybe a spool or two of flourocarbon tippet and you'd be WAY ahead of most of the band-wagon jumping wanna-be Euro-nymphers. Fly fish for the love of fly fishing. Strip, swing, or dead drift a streamer or wet fly. Make the perfect drift to get a fish to rise to a dry fly. If you just need the validation from catching numbers, use bait. A waxworm, shrimp, minnow or nightcrawler will put numbers on the board. Just don't be all self-righteous about being a "fly fisherman". That's been played out MANY years ago.

[@jodypower4606]

Tell that to Joe Humphreys

[@jodypower4606]

The hate in the comments for euro nymphing is hilarious. It's like no one read trout tactics by Joe Humphreys. The elitists here are gross and is the reason people look at fly fisherman as snobs

[@hop1414]

Been fishing central pa my whole life. On the water i too frequently experience the opposite of what you're saying when it comes to elitist snobs. They're all contact nymphing LOL. Show up in Joe's old stomping grounds these days with traditional gear and see how you get treated.

[@jodypower4606]

@HOP I wish I could go there. The whole it's not how I do it so it's wrong, is ridiculous to me. Even if it's euro nymphers doing it too, just most of the bashing happens the other way. They always say it's not fly fishing because on not really using a fly line much, if you take the fly line and replace it with 20 lb maxima you can still cast a dry fly like 30 ft without a huge issue. Then they'll say mays well just use bait, I'd argue using a bobber is more like bait fishing. Either way who really cares how someone else does it other than elitists

[@hop1414]

@@jodypower4606 I'll agree that there's no wrong way to fish. We all have a few euro jigs in our arsenal these days. I also agree with Kelly. Though the tungsten, comp hooks, resin, and mylar are expensive the flies still have no soul compared to fur and feathers