Video Post: Tight Line Nymphing a Big River

Choosing tight line nymphing as a tactic when fly fishing on a large river can be extremely effective if you approach it with the right mind set.

Big rivers are often difficult to read. It is easier to identify likely holding areas in small and medium sized streams. Big rivers can be daunting because they sometimes require anglers to work large and seemingly featrureless sections of water.

While certainly beautiful, big rivers can provide challenges many anglers are not prepared to face. Going into it with the right mindset will help anglers to not become intimidated or discouraged by the big, bad river.

A Patient Approach

Fishing a big river when the trout are not showing themselves by rising for dry flies can be a bit like looking for a needle in a haystack. There are times when anglers are faced with fishing large, uniform sections that don’t provide a lot of tells. So, it’s important to have patience and work the water methodically. Imagine you are painting a giant wall with a small paint brush. Like you would with the wall, divide the river into smaller sections. Fish each section slowly and thoroughly. Focus on getting quality drifts. You may feel tempted to cast further than necessary. Remember, tight line nymphing is most effective when fished at short distances. So, don’t change your approach just because you are on bigger water.

Also, don’t be afraid to make more drifts through the same section than you normally would. In bigger water, sometimes it can be harder for trout to spot your flies. Give them multiple chances to see your presentation. In the next video, I make several drifts through the same area. Finally, my patience pays off and I get a trout to eat.

Trout tend to really spread out in big rivers. You are less likely to find them stacked in obvious holding areas like you might in smaller streams. So, keep moving, focus on your drifts, and be patient. It’s easy to become overwhelmed. It’s important to maintain your confidence. Persevere through the lulls in action.

Fish the Banks

Another approach to tight line nymphing a big river is to target the banks. This is especially effective when the flow of the river is on the higher side. Working toward the bank can help you to break the river down into a manageable size. Larger fish will tuck in close to the banks to hold and look for an easy meal.

One advantage of fishing a big river is that you have plenty of room to move around. I will often wade out into the river and then turn toward the bank. I will then choose a section of river to work upstream. This helps to focus on a narrower portion of the river, which makes it feel like fishing a small or medium size river. I can study the water more and look for structure and depth changes. I find it much easier to read the water when focused on a narrower section.

Glare is another challenge that anglers can face when fishing a big river. There is so much surface area for sunlight to reflect, making it difficult to see your sighter and monitor your drift. Polarized sunglasses help this to some degree but are not much help when looking into the sun. To reduce glare, try turning your back to the sun and face the bank. This will increase your visibility and help restore your confidence in your drifts.

Focus on Side Channels

Big rivers are often dotted with islands. The side channels created by these islands fish very much like small or medium size streams. In higher flows, trout will often hold in side channels to get out of the stronger currents. Using google maps or any other GPS app can help you locate side channels on the river you are fishing. Take advantage of these, especially in times of higher flows.

Bigger River = Bigger Fish

Big rivers can provide more space to allow trout to grow. They can also provide a lot more food for trout. What you lose in the density of fish, you gain in the size of each trout you catch. While you will occasionally catch dinker or two, you will generally be rewarded with larger fish when fishing bigger rivers.

After a tough morning on a big river in my home state of Pennsylvania, I decided to work a side channel. The flows were higher than normal for the time of year I was fishing. So, the side channel I was working would normally be slack water. I continued to focus on getting solid drifts when I noticed my sighter pause ever so slightly. When I hook set, I thought I was snagged, but then I felt the weight of the monster brown on the end of my line. The battle had begun. I kept side pressure on the fish for most of the fight, and I managed to get him upstream from me. After that, I was able to bring him down into my net. Fortunately, I was able to capture all of this on video.

Develop a Big River Mindset

Don’t let bigger rivers intimidate you when tight line nymphing. The trout are not always going to give up their location by rising for dry flies. Most of the time, you are going to have to go down and find them underneath. Temper your expectations and get after it. In bigger river systems, trout are going to spread out. So, you are going to have to be prepared to put in the work to find them. Develop a big river mind set by remembering the following tips:

• Take a patient approach by dividing the river into smaller sections.
• Cover each section slowly and methodically with good drifts.
• Fish the banks to help reduce glare and to help you break the river into manageable sections.
• Find the side channels and fish them like you would a smaller stream.
• Focus on catching bigger fish and less on your totals.

Thanks for reading! Spend more time on the water!

Have a great day!

Jeff Smecker

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