Photo composite by Steven Seinberg

by David Grossman

I am not now nor have I ever been European.

Like a lot of my red-blooded American friends, I nymph a lot of ways, but always with an indicator. Always. There’s something comforting about having a colorful (and in my case cylindrical) point of focus for my sub-surface proclivities. The status quo is the status quo because changing the status quo seems to be a pain in the ass most times. My fishing should never be a pain in the ass. That is until you get said ass handed to you by a buddy nymphing sans indicator.

Yes, it pains to me admit my buddy’s Euro rig cleaned my American rig’s clock.

I adjusted depth, flies, my underwear, and anything else I could think of, all to no avail. America sucked hard that day my friends, and a bald eagle actually cried while Uncle Sam got repeatedly kicked in the junk on those banks. My non-European friend would go back through the hole that I just pulled a blank on and euro rig up at least a couple fish. Every hole. Damndest thing I ever saw. From my little knowledge on Euro-nymphing, this is pretty much how the technique came to this country. Our U.S. fly fishing team was tired of getting whacked at international competitions by our cheese-eating cousins across the pond, and in an “If we can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em” kind of scenario, adopted what I will now refer to as naked nymphing (saying “Euro” all the time can grow tiresome).

I am now in desperate search of a 10’ 2wt indicator leader (whatever the hell that scam is, looks like amnesia to this American), mop flies, and a mesh tank top to wear. Truth be told, I’ve been looking for that mesh tank top for a while now. I am in no way saying that I’ll be all Euro all the time. I’m just too American for that. But for certain situations on the river, it seems to be a deadly efficient way to catch fish. I like catching fish. Having another card up my old piscatorial sleeve will only benefit my fishing in the long term. Fishing without an indicator is something I’ll have to work on. But, who knows? If this trip across the pond goes well, maybe I’ll try Tenkara next. Nope, I still can’t write that with a straight face.

Still Mostly ‘Merican,

Read about Euro-Nymphing techniques HERE.

Dave “Apple Pie Mousse” Grossman