Gear Needed for Fishing with Nymphs

Now that we’ve covered what nymph fly fishing is all about, let’s
next take a look at what sort of fly fishing gear you're going to
need to do it. While nymph fly fishing uses pretty much the same
gear you use when dry fly fishing, there is a few small items
that any successfully nymph fisherman will want to have. These
items are strike indicators, some small weights, and a good pair
of fly fishing sunglasses.

Strike Indicators for Nymph Fishing

First, you will need some strike indicators. Strike indicators
are generally bright orange, ungodly looking things that get put
on your leader well above the fly or on the fly line itself, at
the junction of the fly line and leader. These strike indicators
are what you look at when nymph fishing – not the fly itself.
With practice and patience, you’ll eventually be able to tell
when “unnatural” movements occur in the strike indicator – which
most likely indicates that a fish just took your nymph fly
imitation.

Exactly where to put the strike indicator is a matter of some
debate, but ultimately boils down to what you are fly fishing for
and where you are doing it. Wary Brown Trout in heavily fished
waters, like the Missouri River, are not likely to be real wild
about seeing a bright orange object just a few feet above the
fly. On the other hand, more gullible trout or trout that receive
less fly fishing pressure could probably care less about it. In
short, use your judgment, erring on the side of caution (placing
the strike indicator as far away from the fly as possible, for
your abilities).

Small Weights for Nymph Fishing

The second thing you’ll need for many rivers will be some small
weights to add to your fly line or leader. In many, if not most
nymph fly fishing situations, a floating line is still used.
However, to get the fly down to the depth you want it to go will
require weighting it (at least in faster water).

This is best done with the newer “twist on” non-toxic weights
that are now available. Using these types of weights, an angler
can put on as much or as little weight as needed to bring the fly
down to depth, while at the same time preventing the fish from
inhaling toxic lead (which can kill them).

Should you plan on fishing in really deep or fast rivers where
even a weighted leader will not get the fly down to depth fast
enough, then you will also want to look at investing in a
sink-tip fly line. Sink-tip fly lines have the tip of the fly
line weighted to sink, thus allowing it to sink the nymph fly
more quickly.

Fly Fishing Sunglasses for Nymph Fishing

Another item of heavy importance is a good pair of polarized
sunglasses. It’s absolutely imperative that you be able to see
the strike indicator, and polarized sunglasses are very effective
for this.