Using Wet Flies & Nymphs - How To

In this unique full-length video from the Orvis Guide to Fly Fishing, noted author Tom Rosenbauer covers the basics of using wet flies and nymphs to catch trout. From fly selection to presentation options, Tom details all the essentials you need to get started. A ton of information presented in an easy to understand way for all anglers at all levels!
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[@flyguy1457]

It’s amazing how much KZbin videos can improve a beginners fundamentals, whilst being off the river; high and dry at home. Thanks for putting this content out there!

[@crestonlaager3216]

I couldn't agree more. I'm 55, I learned howto fly cast by watching my uncle when I was a kid and he taught himself. I'd been a "competent" caster all my life, but this past summer, after studying some "how to" type videos from some of the masters here, I noticed a helluva improvement in my casting; no more wasted motion, more efficient casting, I don't get arm fatigue anymore, I can finally cast a whole fly line, etc., it goes to show, if you're willing to admit it, you're never too old to learn.

[@sethc4758]

i just started fly fishing this year, im hooked! been going out every day before or after work. I had always loved setting up a dry fly with dropper nymphs. which worked pretty nicely. i liked how it gave me two opportunities to catch a fish, both above the surface and below the service. Today i tried something different and used a large nymph and a strike indicator, good god!! ive never had such a day. Went out for an early morning fish and an afternoon fish, using the large nymph and strike indicator both times. I put double digit number of fish in the net, and had probably 25+ fish on the line. Man i felt like i was cheating, there were a bunch of other fishers using traditional rods and reels with spoons or worms who werent catching anything, meanwhile i was putting a fish on the line almost ever cast.. what a day it was!!

[@marktrapp5420]

Very good! Tom is the Bob Ross of fly fishing!

[@kenperez6588]

Tom! you are one of the reasons of why i got into fly fishing! Thanks!

[@davidbranquinho4796]

Tom thanks for all the videos. Here in South Africa fly fishing isnt as big as in the States yet it is one of the most rewarding forms of fishing for me. Thanks for all the info.

[@schmoonkie]

Tom did a great job presenting nymphing in this video. I saw him doing a presentation in Denver, where he demystified fly selection. All common sense, plainly and simply delivered. My all time favorite fly fishing book is from him: Reading Trout Streams; An Orvis Guide [Tom Rosenbauer]. I can go to any unfamiliar river and read it using the information learned from that book.

[@RodneyMarquezFishingChannel]

VERY informative video. I appreciate the great edits, commentary, and video shots you did.

[@chadrudeseal5996]

The best instructional video I’ve seen. Learned a lot. Thanks

[@mitchelmcpherson2484]

Thank you so much ,I'm a new fly fisher and this brought My productivity up about 80 %

[@thebike64]

I just thoroughly enjoy your positive attitude

[@steveg8322]

Tom,you are a most amiable fly fisher,a delight to watch.

[@kevinqu8230]

My first fishing book was written by this guy. Tom Rosenbauer just clicked with familiarity in my head and it brings back some good memories of reading that book. (The book was called Casting Illusions)

[@NewZealandAnglers]

This is up there with some of the best fly selection to presentation videos I've ever watched...AWESOME.

[@raydowdy6914]

Awesome information in this video. Thanks Tom

[@JedWellsAZ]

Love it. Thanks for videos. Very helpful. And yes. Drift boat fishing is the best!

[@therusfosterson238]

Thanks for posting this video. Very good information and presented very well. I will use these techniques and I dedicate the next brown trout I catch to Tom Rosenbauer.

[@davidreid1304]

All the way from Taupo,New Zealand,very helpful,thanks

[@earthsciteach]

I just recently discovered this channel. What an excellent series! Tom is fantastic at putting information in a very understandable way and condensing a lot of subtleties of a given technique into few words. So well done!

[@newflyfisher]

Welcome aboard!

[@garyballard3484]

I love most of these videos.They are so informative. There's always something new to learn about fly fishing.

[@schadowolf]

Outstanding tutorial!

[@dgracia18]

Water-loading is by far the most efficient and effective tactic when you can do it. Only other thing I would add to what Tom demonstrated is before you make the cast upstream, point your reel in the direction you want the cast to go and then cast where the reel is pointing. This a particularly good method to use when you are fishing an indicator rig with split shot because there is no false casting involved.

[@chrisko2008]

One of the best videos I’ve come across. Great information!!!

[@nathancallan9376]

yeah! I love the trout magnet bobber as an indicator. It's a very subtle indicator and the trout can't seem to feel it! Just a wonderful product overall.

[@Jackas92]

wow i wish we had rivers like that over here, looks like heaven for fishin

[@tallcip65]

I got my first fly rod today. So excited to catch some Idaho trout with it this weekend. I’ve caught plenty with bait and spinning gear but I’m ready to take on this new art form.

[@bryantcook5062]

Hope you had a good time! I took a trip to Idaho last fall and caught my fair share of native brookies and had a blast.

[@trancedance7135]

Welcome to the hobby! Idaho native here, we have some world class rivers.

[@andressetula2045]

a year later... how was that?

[@rudyruiz9521]

I gotta know...did you take up fly fishing?

[@slickydicky]

Good luck bud, I've dabbled in fly fishing I the past but recently got back into it this year (my new years resolution) and I've caught some good bass and huge panfish but I have yet to catch a trout on it. I did catch a 11 1/2 inch rainbow back in March on a spinning rod

[@bmonck5110]

These are reallly useful comprehensive explanations. Excellent thanks

[@johnkinsfather64]

Tom ~ very informative video, especially the wet fly portion. We do a lot of Nymph fishing in our area and are more often using jig flies as our bottom fly. About 60/70% less hang ups which makes for a more enjoyable day. John K🎣

[@niggysandt827]

Awesome vid, loved the whole video!!!!!

[@paulbaldwin6803]

Great video. Very informative! Thanks.

[@carloshibbard1742]

I like the new fly fisher and love the infomation thanks i learnet so much

[@TheTroutman85]

Very informative!

[@Trentkursen]

love this video, probably watched ten time!

[@KutthroatOutdoors]

Always trying to learn new tips, these guys know their stuff, constantly trying to add that new stuff to the arsenal

[@dgracia18]

one of the most effective methods for sight fishing to trout is to use the hinged-nymphing system originated and refined by Dean Schubert and Dave Hickson back in the late 70's. They introduced it in an article in Fly Fisherman magazine back then. It's set up quite different than the methods Tom showed here. Usually its fished with a yarn indicator tied on the end of a 7 or 7½' 3x leader. Then your tippet material is tied directly behind the indicator using a improved clinch knot or an Orvis knot at a 90° angle to the leader. Slide the knot up against the yarn knot before doing the final "lubricate and tighten". Make the tippet equal to the depth of the water plus 6". Attach a single split shot 4" to 8" from the fly. I normally start at 6" and if I'm missing a bunch of strikes I'll move it a bit closer. If I'm not getting strikes, I'll move it farther away. But 6" works for most situations. When set up correctly and cast correctly the fly will end up within about a 1-foot circle of the indicator and the tippet will be tight between the yarn and split shot, allowing the fly to move naturally in the current with the 6" of slack from the split shot to the fly. When the trout takes the nymph, he only has to move it 6" for the slack line to move the split shot and the split shot to move the indicator. In fast water it often submerges the indicator, whereas in slow water it just causes the indicator to twitch. The trick to casting this is to cast it up in the air so the line extends entirely and whips the and shot down to enter the water first, with the indicator landing behind it. With this presentation, the indicator will feed slack to the fly and shot and the fly will sink to depth very quickly. If the indicator precedes the fly down current, it will keep tension on the system dragging it down stream and will typically take 5 to 6 times as long to sink to the bottom, if it ever does. If you try to make this cast in a heavy wind, it will cause problems. However, you can overcome that by making the cast with more power than you would normally need, or by using Joe Humphreys tuck cast or up-down cast. That will whip the fly and shot around nicely ensuring the indicator lands up-current of the fly and shot after the fly and shot enter the water. When sight fishing, I don't use the indicator to tell me that a trout has struck. Trout can suck in a fly and spit it out, particularly in slow water, without disturbing your indicator. Use it as a "drift indicator" instead. If you made a successful presentation, and you are getting a dead drift, your fly should be within about a 1-foot circle below your indicator. When the indicator gets within a couple of feet of the fish, then watch the fish. If you see the fish move his head to the side and snap back, Strike! If the fish physically moves over a few inches and stops, Strike! If you see the white from his open mouth...WAIT until he closes his mouth and strike! Those are all feeding moves and if you can see the fish well enough to discern a feeding move you will be very successful at sight fishing with this method. They won't all be strikes, but far more of them will be than waiting for an indicator to twitch. Plus, you don't need to use much yarn to fish small flies in slow water so your indicator can be more subtle. I taught the Orvis West Coast Fly-Fishing Schools with Dean Schubert for 10-years and this ended up being my primary method of nymph fishing thanks to his mentoring. I even caught big Grayling in Russia using this method back in 1993 on the Kola Peninsula. I was trying to see if Atlantic Salmon would take a fly presented like this. The salmon never got a chance to take it though because the Grayling absolutely attacked it.

[@newflyfisher]

Excellent advice and thanks for taking the time to share

[@stormylantz4826]

Great video! Thank you!!🎣👍👍

[@thermal1580]

Most informative tutorial I've watched in a long time, and im not even a fly fisherman. I do use flies with my spincaster, with one of those clunky plastic bobbers you described (or balsa wood) and i do catch fish that way. The fly fishermen sneer at me but oh well! I also love the respectful way you handle your catch. Leaving it in the water as much as possible, the rubber net, the gentle release. Real men don't knock the hell out of the fish they release. Subscribed!

[@sdbassin1143]

Awesome 👌 Thank you for posting this informative video!

[@newflyfisher]

You're welcome, lots more coming, make sure you subscribe!

[@FryFlier]

Thank you, Tom, sure wish I had water like this around my home.

[@newflyfisher]

You and me both!

[@georgefitzhugh6455]

Thanks for sharing. Tight Lines!

[@justinedmiston4420]

Another thing about a yarn indicator is if you have trouble with it floating, put som dry fly floatant on it so it stays perfectly buoyant and is just as subtle as without

[@zygardiousyt9981]

I really want to go out fly fishing but the shallow water streams in Cali are far from where I live and it’s pretty rare for me to go fly fishing so I usually go fly fishing on a normal with spinning gear using a bobber.

[@ckalnicki]

Gorgeous Brownie.

[@joeschranz4525]

Just got done catching some little yellow bellied perch in a pond my first time fly fishing to build some confidence before I go fish a trout stream

[@newflyfisher]

Have fun!

[@johnglaister5851]

Very informative and well presented video. Will try these methods this autumn for grayling on the Welsh Dee. Also want to try north country spider patterns like partridge and orange, snipe and purple, waterhen bloa.

[@theoboldalex]

I'll be doing the same on the Welsh Dee (and the Alyn).

[@ThunderstoneWV]

Great video. Good info! Thank you

[@asanoen1777]

Fantastic video thank you..

[@Thalarctos.]

Excellente vidéo ;-)

[@titocrespo9257]

Being new to the fly fish scene that water load cast was mind blowing very easy cast for the kids

[@stryker0ae]

The new fly fisher has some really good materials. I'd also recommend Tom Rosenbaur's books (the narrator of this video) theyre really good. Another good channel is mad river outfitters check them out for thier great instructional content.

[@christiecrumb]

great video thanks....

[@lambertsaldi1550]

Thank you Tom 👍🤙🇺🇸

[@darrelbaillie7829]

Thank you for an insightful video. Any recommendations for nymphing in still water for carp?

[@josephjorgensen3282]

Thank you

[@jadamo20]

Great Video

[@bobweber4140]

Great video thankyou

[@Rickky1971]

Do you have videos for sale on this? I've seen many videos on fly fishing and this covered a lot of things that a beginner would need to know. Great Job on the information guys, subscribed!

[@newflyfisher]

Rich we had a great deal of interest in these videos so we have made them available through Vimeo for download. You can check them out here: vimeo.com/ondemand/133225

[@allennorris7384]

Rich Felon half hinch

[@runtenelli]

Great Video! I've been wanting to try this kind of fishing. Very easy to listen and watch.My question, might be kind of stupid, are you using a floating line or sinking line?

[@AdamKingems]

He uses a floating line

[@Anthony-eg7pw]

Thanks for the video. What type of fly line is preferred for nymph fishing? A full sinking?

[@filcananglers619]

Great video very informative,I’m just a newbie,Can I use wet flies on spinning rod?

[@jacobhoiles2673]

Filcan Anglers absolutely just have a bobber handy for cast weight

[@cooperallen282]

use a wet bobber half filled and leader to fly

[@chuckHart70]

Wet loading... duhhh I am an idiot. Been fly fishing for 20 years and never once did I do this...I guess I mostly do non-moving water.. Still... Thanks Tom!

[@kriminalism8790]

thats a nice bobber ya got there

[@mrmisterman999]

ive fly fished for most of my life all i can say is learn your hauls/mending and roll casts.

[@britte4728]

What was it you guys did to "burp" the fish?

[@davidwilson996]

If I didn't know better, I'd say they were fishing the Clarks Fork River in Montana just west of Missoula. Western Montana, anyway. OK in my defense, I wrote this before they said the guide is from Livingston, lol. I live about 50 miles south of there and that scenery was just too darn familiar, lol.

[@RustyShacklefardd]

I’ve been fly fishing for almost 5 years and I still have no idea what I’m doing half the time lol

[@jammincs]

Austin France as someone who just started learning this year, I don’t know if this makes me feel better or even more hopeless! Cheers!

[@edperry6199]

35 years and I still don'y know wtf I'm doing either.

[@dgracia18]

No worries @Austin, I've been fly-fishing for ~44-years (since 1976), taught the Orvis West Coast Fly Fishing Schools in the late 80's and 90's, AND I'm still learning! That is part of the appeal of fly-fishing for me.

[@bwnco]

thats the fun and challenge of it.. I started at 12 before it was the vougue thing.. im 2 now.. I still dont know shit and refuse all the Techy B.s. retro crap.. But love these vids on nymphs etc.. thats the toughest thing to do...

[@davidardjevanidze8406]

Strike indicators for newbies

[@Fox1nDen]

I use a cube of cucumber instead of a strike indicator. Cukes float and kind of make the water taste good but the main thing is they float so I can see drift and strike.

[@newflyfisher]

Okay, that is different and very environmentally friendly!

[@carsonridd]

Fox1nDen how do you rig them?

[@liadelascarrerasbruttig8805]

Where are you moving to in Texas?

[@petergeoghan7241]

Yes it is, yes it does! Bend that 6 weight!

[@JamesMcCutcheon]

Nymphs are each I use them all through the day and any time of year.

[@markscott529]

I grew up using tiny leaf worms for trout. There was never a mistake strike. Very aggressive. I can't count the number of fish I must have missed when I switched to nymphing. Strikes only lasted a fraction of a second because I was waiting for the indicator to take off. I always assumed I was just hitting bottom. Same thing for drift. Someone left a bag of tiny marshmallows that was leaking them into the stream. 1 or 2 every couple minutes. Obviously they had a perfect drift and caused a rise in a specific spot. I must have cast 100 times there with no result because my drift was wrong. Once I figured it out, was completely different.

[@jumaigac]

can you use these methods for pier fishing on ocean

[@newflyfisher]

possibly.....but doubtful

[@rudyruiz9521]

Just some advice. I fish piers lot at night mainly under the lights. In general, I fish salt water much more aggressive. Fast stripping 12"-24" at a time with a few pauses here and there depending on what you are trying to imitate. Some favorites off the piers and in general are white or white and chartreuse clousners or "surf candy". Unless you are fishing deep water in the surf I use WF floating line. If you are surf fishing I'd suggest some quick sinking line to help keep your fly in the strike zone a little longer with the waves.

[@danielgreen3715]

I always thought that this was what we in England call wet fly Nymphs also come in this category as they are underwater and not floating great vid though

[@rogergoodwin374]

Ok now all wdfw need s to due is stock all eastern wa. creeks and streams

[@westcoast_outdoors1940]

are fishing nymphs in pressured ponds effective?

[@doubletake1238]

Jesse Munoz Dont know about ponds, but they are the best bet in the pressured streams I fish in NY. I have very little skill per se and still get em, so yeah, give it a try and let me know what happens.

[@ronp8865]

Went to a local pond that has stocked trout to practice casts and they were all over a #16 black zebra midge that wasn't moving at all. Pond is very pressured.

[@noahkim3599]

What rod is Pete Kutzer using?

[@newflyfisher]

Believe it is six weight, Helios2 at the time

[@user-mw1ep7mu9c]

バーブレスフック使おうよ❗

[@garydg29]

Yes they're Brachycentrus

[@davidgregg6703]

Thts like bait fishing with a float . Is it really fly fishing

[@erikscherder92]

When i have to put a float and led on my leader, i stop flyfishing. There ar technics for that.

[@dudleymeadows1739]

Great video. I think the current arrow at 12:30 is going the wrong way.

[@fredrikkhoffman]

Dudley Meadows The water faster at the surface, and remember the rig is dead drift.

[@sherdiasher7371]

must visit to northern areas of pakistan...........land of huge brown trout

[@cessrcd]

Northen India is great for trout, Himachal Pradesh was fabulous, best fishing I've ever had outside Scotland, and in glacial meltwater

[@ShiftyHQGaming]

Go to New Zealand if you want big trout

[@johnmarsman2556]

SUPER ...but don't you guys ever catch trout under 10" ???

[@crazycraigy01]

A healthy river with Par and Fry...

[@bragg77]

I like to dump 50 lb of Walnut husk Upstream

[@newflyfisher]

Very interesting concept....please tell us more?!

[@MrTattooed81]

We catch trout with peas

[@tidelybumsquish]

how about a juicy worm people com onnn. trouts fav food

[@judithkelly2556]

Not really a skill that is it. I catch a lot more than worm drowners and spinners especially when there's a hatch in .

[@petercherchian6746]

Rip the kid in the back with the net

[@sunspiral79]

PLEASE...Practice catch and release. Ensure future generations will experience the love of fly fishing that we all know. You are all the guardians of your local rivers and streams that these Trout call home....If not you..Who??

[@quantumaquatic1767]

Lol every damn river pretty much has the same dam bugs in them.

[@keiranrooker7981]

Quantum Aquatic that’s kinda rue cased caddis are everywhere same with scuds and cress bugs

[@licensetochill79]

About fly selection. I've caught more fish on zebra midges. But nothing else is biting than any other nymph. The other thing is the biggest joke I have period is if the fish looks at the fly funny set the hook

[@18IMAMGODINA]

First time i've heard someone say lead is hard.

[@aecguy]

If you need to use indicators, what’s the point of fly fishing.

[@scottcarlon6318]

I have caught several fish in lakes, but yet to catch a trout on a fly in a river, I’ll keep trying.

[@PewGoBoomLife]

How about we skip the bobber and fish with fly lines and flies. ;)

[@FishingSlovenia]

Indicatorsand drop shots will ruin flyfishing

[@robertbarber6689]

dont use captioning if you aren't going to edit what your speech to text software "heard". its freaking lazy.

[@jamesreck8476]

Why use a fly rod for this, I use spinning gear with great results.

[@bryantcook5062]

Personal preference I'd say. I switched to a fly rod and fell in love with it. Maybe it's just the challenge or the art of the sport?

[@coflyfish3382]

Actually I like a LOT of things about this video. However, at around 20 mins, Tom "burps" a trout. Please do not do this. In fact, touch the fish as little as possible because doing so removes their protective slime and leaves them more susceptible to infections of various sorts. Using a rubber net is better than tailing a fish because tailing is touching them, while rubber nets won't remove slime or scales. I think the amazing Tom Rosenbauer would agree with this too, as we all continue to learn from the science being done at KeepEmWet.org.

[@Scott64a]

I prefer not using the bobber. Let's call it what it is. Here's the thing: if it works for you, fine. But... if you are just avoiding learning how a strike is set, then I'd urge anyone watching this to forgo the bobber and pay closer attention to your line. I have an Orvis Powermatrix10 mid flex, and am fortunate enough to feel even the lightest "tasting". It feels like "chomp chomp" and then they spit it. When using my bamboo rod, I just watch the end of the fly line carefully. When it twitches, I attempt to set the hook. Sure, I miss some, but when I'm on, I'm on and the fish is THAT much more fun. All I'm saying is that even with a rod that doesn't transmit every little vibration, you can avoid using a bobber and not miss the extra credit lessons being offered that will enrich the whole experience for you. I've seen them being used, but never bothered with them. the old timers I learned from would never deign to fish the easy way, with a bobber, unless they positively needed to have some fish to eat, and in that case, they'd just drift a piece of worm. Ditch the "indicators".

[@thomasbach1172]

Or one can live and let live

[@mikehenderson8578]

If your going to nymph fish get yourself a nice spinning outfit at Kmart. If your going to fly fish get some dry flies. Been doing this for over 50 years now and I know the difference.