Nymphing

Identify nymphs, tie imitations, and fish them successfully

Casting, finding lies, detecting the strike, fishing depth, tackle, proper presentation

Insights into the retrieve, nymphing the film, and finding fish in still water

Basic nymph fishing approach and presentation teams with trout physiology--what the trout sees and hears. A pictorial key to identifying nymphs is based on reliable, nonscientific characteristics that the beginner can use on stream. Presenting the fly correctly and detecting the strike are particularly elusive skills, and even the veteran fly fisher will find something useful.

While most of us, if we had our druthers, would cast dry flies to rising fish all day long, the fact remains that a trout takes 90 percent of its prey below the surface. It doesn't require a marine biologist to figure out that on certain days--when the hatch is off--you need nymphs if you want to feel that telltale tug at the end of your line. To this end, Gary Borger provides a comprehensive guide to identifying, tying, and fishing artificial nymph patterns. Chapters on line control (casting and mending), trout biology, reading the water, and fly selection are presented in clear language along with ample drawings and diagrams. As the author writes in his preface, "Fly fishing, and nymphing in particular, is more than just a method of catching trout.... it is an open-ended learning experience with lessons in ecology, limnology, botany, ichthyology, natural history, and much more."