Czech nymphing: Essential guide for great grayling and trout fishing

Why learn the Czech nymphing?

The answer for Me is simple, it’s a…

deadly method for catching grayling & trout on rivers.

That is why, when practised Czech nymphing becomes…

a reliably successful fishing method.

However, when nymphs leave their underwater homes to complete their lifecycle the tables turn and for a brief moment…

classic dry fishing and wet fly steal the show

The Czech / Euro nymphing technique is now considered by modern anglers to be a standard fly fishing method that will provide plenty of great fishing memories.

So, what is required to start Czech nymphing… 

Fishing tackle for Czech Nymphing

Nymphing rod

There is no need for a specialist Czech nymphing rod to start nymphing. A standard 9 to 10-foot fly rod that is rated from #3 to #6 weight will work just fine for most rivers and streams. I started my journey with a medium-action 10ft 6# rod.

Once you progress to doing a lot of nymphing then investing in a soft-medium action rod (10ft, #3 weight) is beneficial for several reasons: 

• Drift length will be as long as your reach and a longer fly rod extends your reach and hence cover more water effectively.
• Lightweight soft-tip fly rods are designed to detect takes and flex to protect light tippets when you strike to set the hook.
• A long soft-tip fly rod makes it easier to play fish at close range because it will absorb the shock when a fish dashes for freedom.

In addition, select a rod as light as possible within your budget because this will minimise arm aches. 

The rod I’ve been using for a few years is an Airfo Stream Tec Nano (10ft #3/4), which I bought for about £100.  

If you want a specialist Czech / Euro nymphing rod you will be looking at the £300 and upwards price bracket. I recently upgraded to an 11ft #3 Vision Nymphmaniac rod, which is a dream to fish with and it was worth every penny.

Fishing Reel for nymphing

You can start Czech nymphing with a standard fly reel that is matched to the weight of the rod. Unlike traditional fly fishing methods, you rarely have any line off the reel. Therefore, select a reel that has a sensitive and smooth drag system, which is easy to adjust. 

There is an advantage to having a cage spool reel which prevents the leader line from jamming behind the spool. Currently, I use a 4/5 Vision XLV nymph fly reel.

Nymphing Fly line

When to use Czech Nymphing?

Czech Nymphing is a fly fishing technique that can be used to catch trout and grayling throughout the seasons. However, I’m much more selective because I also enjoy fishing dry and wet flies.

Consequently, irrespective of the time of year you will find me nymphing when…

• there is no evidence of trout and/or grayling taking flies in or on the surface,
• the river is high and/or coloured
• when it’s difficult to fish the fly with the other methods.

In autumn, winter and spring I often begin the day fishing Czech nymphs until I see fish taking flies at the surface. At this point, I will switch to either wet or dry fly fishing.

Where to fish Czech nymphs?

On many UK rivers (e.g. Welsh Dee, River Ribble, River Calder, etc.), short-line nymphing techniques are indispensable because they will bring you a lot of unforgettable experiences. 

Czech nymphing is best employed where there is enough flow to get the nymphs to tumble along the riverbed. For example,

• riffles, fast runs, deep glides;
• boundary lines (seams) between fast & slow currents and back eddies;
• alongside and behind obstacles (e.g. boulders, weed bed, submerged logs, etc.);
• through depressions in the riverbed. 

I use this technique when the river is either too deep, quick or both for traditional upstream nymphing to get the flies down into the feeding zone. 

On the Welsh Dee at Llangollen, a few good places to practice Czech nymphing include:

How to fish Czech Nymphs?

Czech nymphing (Euro or short-line nymphing) is a method of fishing a team of 2 or 3 weighted nymphs on a fine leader at short distances from the rod tip (also referred to as short-line nymphing and/or Euro nymphing).

The technique was developed to catch grayling and trout that were feeding on bottom-dwelling insects in fast-flowing streams and rivers.

It doesn’t compete with the excitement of catching fish on the dry fly but when you become proficient, it will help you avoid blank days and maybe catch a fish of a lifetime.

Czech Nymphing leader set-up:

It’s important when learning how to Czech nymph that you begin with a simple 2 or 3-nymph leader setup that includes an indicator to detect bites. My standard leader setup is made up of… 

• 10m Daiwa tapered carp leader 30lbs to 12lbs
• RIO Two-Tone Indicator Tippet (2X)
• 3 – 5ft 4lb fluorocarbon tippet (Airflo Sightfree G3)
• Two 4” droppers spaced 18” apart (4 lb Fluorocarbon)

Indicator choice is personal because you need to select one that you can easily see. Currently, I use the 2X RIO Two-Tone Indicator, but I started using an indicator made from two different coloured 12lb lines joined together. 

A Google search on Euro / Czech nymphing indicators will reveal many commercial alternatives. 

Whether you start with a 2 or 3-fly setup it’s important to put the heaviest nymph should go on the point of the leader and the lightest nymph on the top dropper. The point fly should have sufficient weight to enable it to bounce along the riverbed in the current, but not too heavy that it constantly snags the riverbed.

The following video covers making a three-fly Euro Nymphing rig for trout and grayling fishing in high water.

The above arrangement aids bite detection because it will maintain a ‘tight’ line when leading the nymphs downriver. 

In addition, it will minimise tangles and I believe lighter nymphs fished higher in the water column are more mobile, mimicking the motion of natural insects.

Czech Nymphing technique

The technique involves casting the nymphing rig upstream, allowing it to sink to the bottom with your fly rod held with an outstretched arm. Then follow their passage downstream with the tip of the rod, ensuring you keep in contact with the flies all the time. 

Takes show up as a change in the motion of the leader, which could be: 

• a slight stop in the steady downstream movement,
• sideways movement of the line,
• or a rapid deviation in line movement.

Any of the aforementioned should be met with a downstream strike, parallel with the surface of the river. 

It is important to keep in contact with the flies by mimicking their movement through the water with the rod tip, otherwise, your ability to observe a take is significantly impaired. 

Don’t be too hasty to recast at the end of the drift because when the line tightens the nymphs lift off the bottom and this can induce a fish to take. Therefore, wait a few seconds before recasting to cover a slightly different area of the riverbed.

Czech / Euro Nymph Selection

At the business end of the leader, there’s a multitude of fly patterns that can be used.

Czech nymph patterns were designed to imitate caddis larvae and freshwater shrimps. Traditionally, tied on curved Gammarus hooks (size 8 to 16) and weighted with lead wire.

In the situation where you’ve no idea what pattern works on a particular river then start by using three patterns with distinctly different colours. Often I tie a natural pattern on the top dropper and a more colourful pattern on the other dropper and point. For example…

Typically, I will fish my initial selection for about 20 minutes to give them a fair chance. If they haven’t worked, I start testing alternatives until success comes.

Once I’ve identified a successful pattern, I will switch the other two nymphs over to a similar pattern but in different sizes. 

How do river conditions affect nymph selection?

For me, the primary variable to consider when selecting which nymphs to use is…

‘Water Clarity’

Secondary variables include…

• river ecology (an insect life present),
• time of year (water temperature).

Building knowledge of the above comes from practical experience. However, to help newcomers to Czech nymphing, I’ve described 16 nymphs that catch grayling and brown trout.

Nymphs for fishing ‘coloured water’

The simple definition ‘coloured water’ I use is when the riverbed is just visible at a depth of 3ft to 1ft.  [N.B. If clarity is < 1ft it’s probably best to go to the PUB or focus on Czech nymphing in very shallow water]  

Point nymph selection:

For fast deep coloured water, a bright heavily weighted point fly is needed to take the other flies down to the fishing zone.

Middle dropper nymph selection:

Squirmy worms are not everyone’s cup of tea. However, it’s worth having a fly box with some in it because sometimes they’re the only thing that will catch grayling and trout when the river is running off after a flood.

I always carry a few squirmy worm variations tied with different coloured beads and squirmy material. For me, they seem to work best on the middle dropper.

Top dropper nymph selection

It is also worth having a few variations with bright-coloured beads (e.g. gold, silver, pink) and alternatives with an orange or red tag.

Nymphs for Czech nymphing in ‘clear water’

The simple definition of clear water I use is that the riverbed is visible to a depth of greater than 3ft. Often in this situation, it is best to fish nymphs that more closely resemble natural insects.

Point nymph selection (clear water):

When the water I’m fishing is less than 3ft deep then I often use either of the following two nymphs.

When I need to get small nymphs to the riverbed quickly in deep clear water I resort to tying the following fly on the point.

Middle & top dropper nymphs (clear water)

The following four Czech nymphs are the ones that I often use and have caught plenty of trout and grayling when the river is running clear. In the middle of the summer, it is best to fish the patterns tied on small hooks.

It is also worth having the versions of the above nymph tied using various coloured tungsten beads (e.g. neutral, black, silver, copper, gold).

I hope you have found this post interesting and that it has provided the nymphing essentials to get you started. If you have any questions, please raise them in the comment section.

Finally, there’s some excellent day ticket water on the Welsh Dee, which is great for practising the Czech nymphing technique.