All Points Fly Shop + Outfitter - News

Written By: Josh Thelin / Photos By: Nate Wight

There are very tangible benefits to fishing flies on jig hooks. This has been something which has increased in popularity especially with the techniques of Euro and/or Czech nymphing really taking off in fly fishing. For the anglers who do a lot of nymphing or fish their leeches and streamers down along the bottom, here are the added values of fishing flies tied on jig hooks. The benefits are also not exclusive to freshwater nymphs and can be certainly translated to sculpin imitations or even clouser or crab patterns in saltwater.

1. Rides Hook Up

When fishing nymphs along the bottom, or dragging saltwater crab patterns along the sand, having your fly ride with the hook pointed up is clearly beneficial. This can be done with properly balanced/weighted eyes (or beads) on turned down eye or even straight-eyed hooks, but when weight is added to angled jig hooks, they will ride hook up and level and provide a much more stable position. This gives an assured drifting or "swimming" position along the bottom allowing you to not get hung up on the rocks, sand, grass of the water's floor. This also helps to keep your fly from tilting one way or the other and not scraping and dulling your hook point.

2. A Better Hook Set and Position

For the above mentioned reason, this also presents the ability for the fly to be set into the fish’s mouth in better way. Usually this means getting the fly set in the top or corner of the mouth. These spots in the mouth hold hooks much better and give you a better chance of not losing that fish. You also have better control when trying to turn the fish's head while fighting.

3. Better Feel of the Flies

This is especially true when nymping on a tight-line or euro system where you need to really feel the bottom of the river. When weight is added to jig hooks the eye of the fly is what is bumping along the bottom, instead of simply the hook shank or body of the fly. This gives the angler a better feel of if/when their flies are hitting the bottom which in turn gives you feedback on where in the water column you are.

4. Slotted Beads

Similar to #3, but when a slotted bead is used in tying a nymph on a jig hook, the center of gravity changes. This helps to angle the hook in a position similar to the nymph in the main image of this blog which gives an even better feel for where the flies are in the water column and if/when they are hitting the bottom on rocks, etc. 

5. Fighting Fish

We want all the advantages we can get when fighting fish, especially the big ones! When a fish has been hooked with a fly on a jig hook, the fly line (and leader/tippet) is essentially parallel to where the bend of the hook is. When this happens, the leverage that the fish has is reduced and can provide a much more certain hook set in the fish's mouth. This is especially true with our Landlocked Salmon here in Maine which usually go arial (at least once) during the fight. With all the head shakes and jumps, the jig hook can give the angler the advantage. When the hook is set properly, you will find the fly pops out a lot less.

6. Movement

Whether it's a straight eye, turned down, turned up, or jig style hook, all of these give the fly a particular movement or "swim" in the water. As fly anglers, we are always looking for interesting ways for our flies to appear or move in the water. Jig hooks are popular to tie on for streamer patterns as well. The angled eye gives the fly a very undulating movement when stripped. It's a very up-and-down appearance which can give the look of an injured or confused baitfish. It's also becoming one of the most popular ways to tie a sculpin pattern as it keeps the fly on the bottom, riding hook up, and "hopping along" when stripped.  

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If you have any questions please feel free to contact me: josh@allpointsflyfishing.com

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A little snow isn't going to stop us! Last night we gathered around the fermenters and brewing equipment at Sebago Brewing HQ in Gorham to tie some Euro/Czech style nymphs. As the snow flew outside, Nate Wight walked us through three patterns which thought would be a good basis for "standards" - Frenchie, RCC Caddis, and Brown + Copper. Not only are these great all around flies, but perfect for Maine waters! These style of flies and fishing techniques are fairly new to most anglers, so Nate also did a great job of explaining gear specifics and also details on how these flies are fished.

Our efforts to continue supporting Project Healing Waters through the raffle. Up for grabs last night was a Redington Hydrogen 10' 3wt Euro Nymph fly rod and a box of 90 Euro nymphs tied by Nate Wight. Thank you to Redington and Nate for the kind donation!

The beers last night at Sebago were great! I saw about 5 different styles around the room, so there was clearly plenty of options for everyone. Lots of dark beers to go along with the snowy weather...

The next Maine Bar Fly will be announced soon, so keep an ear out!

Words + Photos: Josh Thelin

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You really can teach an old dog new tricks....Local angler Alex Hernandez takes us through his recent journey into the world of Euro nymping. 

The past year has been one of discovery for me, as I’ve dove headfirst down the rabbit hole of a broad spectrum of techniques broadly known as ‘Euro Nymphing’. In the process, I’ve not only found greater success on the river, but deepened my understanding of fish behavior, and gained confidence in the quality and consistency of my presentations.  

While the tactics, rigging, leader styles, and flies used can vary greatly, ‘Euro’ or ‘Tight Line’ nymphing maintains a singular goal: to attain a highly realistic, drag free drift with superior strike detection. In broad strokes, the equipment differs from suspension or ‘indicator’ nymphing in a few key ways:

The Flies:

In pursuit of the most natural, drag free drift possible, split shot is omitted altogether, in favor of variably weighted, often tungsten headed, fly patterns. The use of flies tied on jig hooks, while not necessary for success, can greatly decrease the amount of time spent hooked up to the bottom, and allow for greater confidence while exploring bottom contours.

While fishing a multi-fly indicator nymphing rig, classical wisdom often states to attach the heaviest, or ‘anchor’ fly first, with smaller or lighter flies further down the rig. In tightline technique, where any slack in your rig can mean the difference between a missed strike and a successful hook set, this is inverted. Use your heaviest fly in the ‘point’ position, to keep even tension on your line. Having the heaviest weight at the end of your rig will also aid in the unique casting technique necessary to present these weighted flies.

The Rig:

The success of the technique relies upon keeping your line off of the water surface, and in direct tension with the point fly on your rig. While precise leader materials, lengths,  and formulas are highly personal and the subject of much debate, a successful tight line rig generally consists of a generous length (20-30’) of thin level line, monofilament, or braid, attached to the terminus of your fly line, or backing. These unconventional lines are used to reduce the amount of sag in the rig. To aid in strike detection and line visibility, most folks then include a length of highly visible monofilament, or specialized ‘indicator mono’, in their rig, followed by 4-7’ of fluorocarbon tippet before attaching flies.

The Cast:

The long, unconventional leaders used in this technique all but exclude the possibility of using a traditional fly cast for presentations. Instead of relying upon the weight of the fly line to carry the flies, casting must be modified to allow the weight of your fly rig to carry line forward, or utilize an oval cast, to build momentum in your rig under tension and propel it outward.

The Rod:

While it is possible to practice this technique with a conventional 9’ 5wt rod, having the right tool for the job will make your time on the river much more enjoyable and successful. Tight line rods generally share a few key characteristics.

Length: Generally starting at 10’, longer rods allow for enhanced line management, longer drifts, and, of course, longer reach. You can’t always wade further, but you can always back up!

Action: These specialized rods have extremely sensitive tip sections, which both aid in casting, and provide excellent tippet protection. On the best rods, the taper transitions into a much beefier mid and butt section, allowing for the ability to confidently fight larger fish.

Weight: With presentation techniques that often necessitate having an arm fully outstretched for long periods of time, rod weight and balance can mean the difference between tapping out early, or catching ‘one last fish’. Matching your reel choice to properly balance the rod in hand is also key for reducing arm fatigue.

The Drift:

Once flies are in the water, it is critical to maintain line control and tension throughout the rig. This generally involves ‘leading’ your rig downstream. Proper, consistent tension allows for near immediate detection of even the most subtle strikes, as ‘jumps’ in your line or sighter are telegraphed directly from the subsurface flies.

The Thomas & Thomas Contact:

Check out the T&T Contact HERE

Having the right tool for the job can be a revelation, and while despite measuring in a whopping 11’ 3”, probably the most immediately striking feature of this rod is its light weight and incredible balance in hand. T&T’s proprietary new StratoTherm resin, coupled with unique single footed titanium guides, allow for an extremely sensitive and svelte rod, with a surprisingly beefy butt section for fighting even the largest trout. The unpainted finish further helps to reduce swing weight.  Don’t be fooled by it’s ‘3wt’ designation and ability to launch tiny nymphs 40+ feet with pinpoint accuracy. This rod has no trouble controlling and landing even 20”+ salmon in fast current.

Thomas and Thomas is known for exceptional build quality, and this rod is no exception. From the best cork, to highest quality guides available, every inch of this rod is as good as it gets. Epoxy work and thread wraps are flawless, and the understated gray and olive finish lends to a overall ‘stealth’ look and feel. Exceedingly comfortable and balanced when paired with a properly weighted large arbor reel, like a Hatch Gen 2 Finatic 4+, or a reddington Rise 2 7/8W.  

That extra 15” of length definitely comes in handy on the river. I’ve found myself able to successfully fish a multitude of previously out of reach drifts on my favorite rivers. Even in relatively tight quarters, I’ve found the advantages of the extra length far outweigh any drawbacks.  

I can’t think of another situation I’ve encountered in my fly fishing journey where having the right equipment for the job has made such an immediate and quantifiable impact in my success and enjoyment on the river.

If you’ve been toeing the waters of this exciting technique, and are ready to up your game in the best way possible, this is the rod for you.

Words By: Alex Hernandez

Photos By: Alex Hernandez + Zach St. Armand

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