Euronymphing has become increasingly popular over the last several years. Much of this popularity stems from how effective it can be as a technique just about anywhere, and Idaho is no exception.
Introduction to Euronymphing
Originally developed and used as a technique in European competitive fly fishing, euronymphing soon made its way into recreational fishing. In the last decade, the technique has really exploded in the United States.
Euronymphing is a specific kind of nymphing that employs longer rods and leaders than are typically used. The idea is to keep a tight line to your flies and allowing the flies to pass through the feeding lanes for as long as possible. Often times the focus of the fisherman will be much closer to the angler in order to keep a tight line.
Why Idaho is Perfect for Euronymphing
Idaho has some of the best fly fishing rivers in the U.S. and many of them are tailwaters that are famous for their bug activity. Idaho presents the perfect combination of big fish, high numbers of fish, and perfect nymphing water.
From the South Fork of the Snake to the Boise River, to Henry’s Fork – euronymphing is a strategy that can help anglers catch fish. Nymphing has always been a large part of fly fishing in Idaho, and this variation is a way to add another tool to your fly fishing repertoire. Because of the excellent fisheries available, Idaho serves as a perfect place to learn or improve your euronymphing technique.
General Euronymphing Technique
If you take nothing else away from learning about euronymphing, let it be this. At it’s core, euronymphing is a strategy that requires you to stay tight to your flies rather than relying on an indicator to tell you when you have a strike.
Drifts will be much more confined and close to the angler, and you will remove all slack from the setup as your flies drift down. Keeping the line tight to your flies is what will allow you to feel the strike immediately, leading to a lower percentage of missed takes.
It will take some time to get used to this change, but keep working at it and you will quickly see improvement.
Gear for Euronymphing in Idaho
As with most sports and hobbies, the more involved you become the more specialized the gear becomes. This is no different, and while you can make due with any setup and employ the euronymphing strategies, there are some gear modifications that many anglers use to maximize effectiveness.
Rods
Many anglers euronymphing will use longer rods than the standard 9 footers most people use. They can be anywhere from 10 to 11 feet and will have a fast action with a soft tip to help detect strikes and increase the control an angler has on the line. Because much of the fishing is done close to the angler, it also helps increase range.
Most rod manufacturers have now started making rods specifically tailored to euronymphing so it will be easy to know which ones to look at if you want to make a purchase.
Lines and Leaders
Another unique trait about a euronymphing setup is the type of line and leader that is used. Euronymphing lines are much smaller and lighter than traditional fly lines. These lighter lines decrease the drag on the leader when drifting your setup. Because casting for distance is not needed, the weight forward or aggressive tapers do more harm than good.
Euronymphing also uses longer leaders which can help an angler fish deeper, while still keeping the fly line off of the water.
Strike Indicators and Flies
Rather than using a traditional strike indicator that most fly fisherman use, you will be using a much more subtle version on your euronymphing setup. Your indicator will either be a brightly colored sighter or similar setup built into your leader. Because you will be tight to your nymphs, you will regularly feel the strikes before seeing them which increases the odds of a hookup.
Many euronymphing setups will use heavier flies to get down instead of split shot. In some competitions extra weight is not allowed, which is what led to this technique.
Don’t Overthink It – Just Get Started
You may not have a “euronymphing” rod or line setup, but that doesn’t mean you can’t get started working on the basic principles and techniques. The gear might not be the most optimal, but it will still work.
If you’re interested in learning how to euronymph in Idaho, the only thing that is standing in your way is getting out and trying!