tightlinevideo, brother, I wish could shake your hand. Your videos are some of the best on the net, and MANY of us have benefited from your outstanding approach to fly fishing. Please do not let these clowns get to you. For every one of these disgusting internet trolls there are a hundred of us singing your praises. Keep on doing what you do! Also, nice job keeping it civil when responding to these a$$hats - I don't know if I could have been so gentlemanly! Thanks for all you do!
As a competitive fly fisher this is an excellent video to watch. I have to agree with Tightlinevideo. It's not product plugging, he is merely letting other people know who want to get into competitive fly fishing what to buy.
I am 67. Been fly fishing since I was 12. I loved this video. I believe that competition promotes many things - some positive, some not so. For me the best of competition promotes innovation, creativity, research, openness to the new, sharing (nothing stays hidden forever :-) ). I don't mind the product info. Helps the industry to stay flexible, gives new companies a way to move into the field with new equipment and material, gives anglers new options (often less expensive) than being stuck with the few companies. This video thrilled me. Love Czech (Euro) nymphing which I use for trout, smallmouth and steelhead. There are 101 videos espousing a narrow view of "this is the only way to fly fish." So delightful for me to see this, which I will use as I teach fly fishing and Tenkara to scores of kids, teens and seniors in Chicago. Thank you. Well made (technically) and informative.
I catch a fair bit of trout. Been skunked 4/30 outings this summer. Impressive maybe? But the questions is, how long is an outing? 2 hours? 10 hours? I like to think i'm pretty good, but I'm pretty terrible. So to those that accuse the video of plugging products i offer the following: I just participated in my second comp and i realize the video does lack an important point to justify all this. Time. If you're assigned 200 meters of water and only 40 minutes to fish it, your gear needs to be easily available AND out of the way when you don't need it. If you lose you're entire system (if you're not fishing the snags you're not fishing the fish) you need to get set up ASAP. My system uses 3 different leader material, 4 blood knots and 3 clinch knots. Just substitute the previous sentence with this: My system takes TIME to set up. You're team depends on you catching fish in a timely fashion (if that's not your idea of fun then that is sooooo very cool). I just participated in my second tournament and found myself really slow and ineffective at adjusting to the varying situations in a timely matter; so i didn't, i just kept fishing what i knew wouldn't work. I thought i was good; but the pros were leagues ahead of me. Their advantage in adjusting wasn't due to their water reading, their physical superiority, their tight loops, or their expert fly tying. It was because they were geared up in an optimal fashion. It doesn't mater if you're a comp fishing or not. There is a lot of useful information here. Like everybody I've got a lot of responsibilities in my life and my time on the water is limited. Approaching the water in an organized fashion is something EVERYBODY can benefit from. Go ahead, google it. Try to find information on flying fishing which isn't about casting 10 gazillion feet. Or 1k $ rods, or 5k$ exotic destinations. Try to find information out there on how to wade light weight and still have everything you need where you need it. You'll end up here.
Good on you for fishing competitively, at the end of the day its all about your own fishing journey and progress so of course the pros were leagues ahead. Organisation is key for sure, but primarily for those fishing solo. Update me on if you're fishing improved and what tips you have i'd love to know! :)
I see I’m incredibly late to the party. But who cares. So glad this video was produced. I fished as a boy on our property that had a stocked trout stream. Almost never caught one with the worm/bobber style. 50 years later I got back in the game with spinners. Caught many more. A friend of mine kept telling me I had to leap into fly fishing. One day I was fishing my local spring creek and within 10 yards of me a pair of anglers were in a competition catching fish after fish after fish. That was the day I leapt into the sport. I fly fish all styles and love euro. It is not chuck and duck as one arrogant dry fly only angler accused me of. Euro anglers dissect every square foot of a peice of water and develop a plan to catch every fish in that section. Every cast is strategic. Knowledge of prime, holding and feeding lies are critical to success. That leads to the every cast strategy.
I'm a youth and would like to meet more who share a passion for fly fishing like I do and thought competitive angling would be a great opportunity. How might one start?
As always, great video. Competition forces innovation. If I remember right, beadheads came from the competitive fly fishing scene. When I first learned that, it definitely made me think. I've learned so much from George Daniels book Dynamic Nymphing. He is a champion competitive fly fisherman from pa. Can't wait to see what you guys do next.
I'm not sure where you got the idea that beadheads came from competitive fly fishing, but that is absolutely wrong. Beadheads had been around for many, many years before anyone had even thought about competitive fly fishing. I can remember my dad having put some beadheads in my fly box (when I lived in PA) over 50 years ago. There was no competitive fly fishing back then and beadheads were around prior to that.
Heard about it, not looked into it, so help me understand: To Euro-nymph I need a long cane pole (about $2 at the roadside bait shop) with a strand of mono tied on the end, and a nymph? So what’s next for these trailblazers, these drivers of the go-fast equipment race? NASCAR-style logo’d shirts (in muted colors, of course)? Gotta sell product to keep the arms race juiced. I thought fly fishing was about the time I spent with my dad, making that leap in understanding of my bait versus his example of something challenging to understand as a small boy but so much better. And now spending time with my sons as they make that same leap, fishing and immersed in beauty. The goals are sharing time, or solitude during those treasured moments, acquiring respect for nature, learning-no, embracing-patience, being unhurried, appreciating the value of simple skills and how they contribute to overall ability, understanding that peak efficiency doesn’t always equal the best or most satisfying outcome and deeply developing a positive and joyful countenance regardless of fish caught, or not caught. I get enough competition and drive to wring every ounce of efficiency out of things at work. I treasure my inefficient, slow fishing time. Frankly, to me, watching humans compete at everything, even their leisure, is a bit silly. And misses the point. To each his own but I’ll politely pass on competitive reflection and prayer.
Great video. Nevermind the negative comments. Whilst it seems like product plugging, it really isn’t for anyone who has done their research. If you do, you’ll come to similar conclusions on the brands like cortland competition. Like it or not, the real question is why did traditional western techniques not deliver the results in competition. The Europeans developed methods to catch more fish. I agree that catching more fish is missing the point of fly fishing but we’re all fishing more and more heavily pressured waters these days so there might me merit in looking at these other techniques to deal with pressured waters. I have two kids and as they get into fly fishing, I’m going to have less and less opportunity to fish virgin water. If euro Nymphing allows me to fish behind them and still get a fish, I’m happy. It’s like Kelly Galloup asked. Why were the rapala guys catching bigger fish than fly fishermen. That lead to his big streamer techniques. Same applies here. Why do the competition guys catch more fish. What can we learn from them.
Just wondering…Are these events held on public waters? I don't really get the competition aspect but to each his own. As always excellent and informative video.
Really dig this video and am looking to get into ESN. Can you swap leaders and flick a dry fly or a dry dropper rig with these cortland rods? Having trouble finding a solid answer online. Thanks Tim and crew, keep up the great work.
In short, yes you can, but it far from a perfect solution and a bit time consuming. I have become very accustomed to fishing with two rods, one set up for competition style nymphing and another rigged for dry fly or streamer fishing. I know this doesn't work for everyone but for me and waters I usually fish it is both fast and functional. The less time I spend rigging or re rigging the more time I have flies in the water and the greater my chances of success.
good video. don't know if i agree with the 'more focus means more fish' personally, as i've caught more fish by goofing off or untangling myself than not
OK I just got a 17/21 trout net personally it is way too big your good all the way up till like a 15 pound trout with it next size down would be better
I have just recently started fishing this way and really like it, so much contact with the flies. Might be hard to go back to more traditional nymphing techniques.
Well I just found it funny you talked about the price point of the rod then mentioned a perfect reel to balance it. Which happens to be twice that of the rod. Video was well done though
If what the narrator said is correct; “the fly line seldom is outside the guides” it’s no longer fly fishing. Fly fishing casts a line. This would be fishing with a fly. Might as well get rid of the fly line entirely and run straight mono or fluoro and stop kidding yourselves.
Yes by definition fly fishing is casting a line. Euro nymphing isn't fly fishing. People get so worked up about it. Why do they have to group euro nymphing with fly fishing? It's its own thing and there's nothing wrong with that
We are just one of few old school fly fishermen that take false casting very seriously! Trying to keep the sport pure . It's not all about the fish ! As you grow you will realize that .
+James Brede In the 35 years I've been fly fishing, I've come to one indisputable truth. Dry fly only guys simply suck at nymphing and that's OK. If you don't have the patience to learn, then don't. Taking out your frustrations on other people that have learned the skill, well Jimmy, that's not being grown up at all. On a side note, you may want to get Kim a Ketchum Release Tool, a rubberized net or something. Watching her squeeze, wrestle the hook out with forceps and generally hold the fish out of water for way too long before unceremoniously chucking it back in may be keeping the sport pure, but it simply isn't cool. There, now your video has 42 views. DFM- grow up.
"We are just one of few old school fly fishermen that take false casting very seriously! Trying to keep the sport pure. It's not all about the fish ! As you grow you will realize that. " Or you're a judgemental pretentious antique who has exploited their ability to expand their "horizons?" Have fun "fly fishing," we'll have fun catching.
Jon Zoppi well Joh your very perceptive ! your the only one that has caught on! all the other so called fly fishermen lather each other up to make each other feel goooood ! we need a villain like me it keeps the sport humble ! you should get that !
Very disturbing video. What has the sport of Fly fishing come to. A sign of the times from the ME generation. This video is nothing but a cheap advertisement and does not represent the true sport of fly fishing. Fly fishing was never intended to be a competitive sport. I'm 72 years old and have been fly fishing almost all my life. Like everyone tell me "you must be from the old school" maybe so, maybe the finest hour of fly fishing has come and gone. I hope not!
Blaine Willis As stated at the very beginning of the video "there are strong opinions..." Me personally, if young people become interested in and pursue fly fishing for competitive reasons or for any reasons, I'm all for it.
Blaine Willis Oh and by the way Blaine, the USA Youth Team recently took home GOLD in the World Championships. www.wyffc2015.com. I've met a number of team members and they are absolutely rabid about fly fishing in all its forms not just competition. Their skills and knowledge of the sport are way beyond their years.
+Blaine Willis I actually had to read this comment twice to realize that it wasn't a joke. Very disturbing? No. Very disturbing is the guy who shows up at your favorite river with a foam box of worms and kills every fish he catches. This is just another way to engage in the sport of fly fishing that may seem unfamiliar to you. I'm 21 years old and from my point of view it seems that people who share your opinions are holding fly fishing back.
tightlinevideo, brother, I wish could shake your hand. Your videos are some of the best on the net, and MANY of us have benefited from your outstanding approach to fly fishing. Please do not let these clowns get to you. For every one of these disgusting internet trolls there are a hundred of us singing your praises. Keep on doing what you do! Also, nice job keeping it civil when responding to these a$$hats - I don't know if I could have been so gentlemanly! Thanks for all you do!
As a competitive fly fisher this is an excellent video to watch. I have to agree with Tightlinevideo. It's not product plugging, he is merely letting other people know who want to get into competitive fly fishing what to buy.
I am 67. Been fly fishing since I was 12. I loved this video. I believe that competition promotes many things - some positive, some not so. For me the best of competition promotes innovation, creativity, research, openness to the new, sharing (nothing stays hidden forever :-) ). I don't mind the product info. Helps the industry to stay flexible, gives new companies a way to move into the field with new equipment and material, gives anglers new options (often less expensive) than being stuck with the few companies. This video thrilled me. Love Czech (Euro) nymphing which I use for trout, smallmouth and steelhead. There are 101 videos espousing a narrow view of "this is the only way to fly fish." So delightful for me to see this, which I will use as I teach fly fishing and Tenkara to scores of kids, teens and seniors in Chicago. Thank you. Well made (technically) and informative.
This video is great. The bobber tossers in some of the comments are rediculous. Keep up the good work as always!
Awesome Video Tim! Now my shopping list just got a little longer...
Great video! Competitive fly fisherman use effective and efficient equipment as well as simplistic methods to help with success
thanks man! we now need a video of the set up, instructions, and a quick view of how you do this euro nymphing.
I catch a fair bit of trout. Been skunked 4/30 outings this summer. Impressive maybe? But the questions is, how long is an outing? 2 hours? 10 hours? I like to think i'm pretty good, but I'm pretty terrible. So to those that accuse the video of plugging products i offer the following:
I just participated in my second comp and i realize the video does lack an important point to justify all this. Time. If you're assigned 200 meters of water and only 40 minutes to fish it, your gear needs to be easily available AND out of the way when you don't need it. If you lose you're entire system (if you're not fishing the snags you're not fishing the fish) you need to get set up ASAP. My system uses 3 different leader material, 4 blood knots and 3 clinch knots. Just substitute the previous sentence with this: My system takes TIME to set up. You're team depends on you catching fish in a timely fashion (if that's not your idea of fun then that is sooooo very cool). I just participated in my second tournament and found myself really slow and ineffective at adjusting to the varying situations in a timely matter; so i didn't, i just kept fishing what i knew wouldn't work. I thought i was good; but the pros were leagues ahead of me. Their advantage in adjusting wasn't due to their water reading, their physical superiority, their tight loops, or their expert fly tying. It was because they were geared up in an optimal fashion. It doesn't mater if you're a comp fishing or not. There is a lot of useful information here. Like everybody I've got a lot of responsibilities in my life and my time on the water is limited. Approaching the water in an organized fashion is something EVERYBODY can benefit from. Go ahead, google it. Try to find information on flying fishing which isn't about casting 10 gazillion feet. Or 1k $ rods, or 5k$ exotic destinations. Try to find information out there on how to wade light weight and still have everything you need where you need it. You'll end up here.
Good on you for fishing competitively, at the end of the day its all about your own fishing journey and progress so of course the pros were leagues ahead. Organisation is key for sure, but primarily for those fishing solo. Update me on if you're fishing improved and what tips you have i'd love to know! :)
Wow that is so ironic because I am just getting into competitive fly fishing myself. Thanks for the tips.
Great video. I hope you'll share some videos about the finer points of Euro-style nymphing. Thanks!
Great video, learnt a lot here many thanks from the UK!
I see I’m incredibly late to the party. But who cares. So glad this video was produced. I fished as a boy on our property that had a stocked trout stream. Almost never caught one with the worm/bobber style. 50 years later I got back in the game with spinners. Caught many more. A friend of mine kept telling me I had to leap into fly fishing. One day I was fishing my local spring creek and within 10 yards of me a pair of anglers were in a competition catching fish after fish after fish. That was the day I leapt into the sport.
I fly fish all styles and love euro. It is not chuck and duck as one arrogant dry fly only angler accused me of. Euro anglers dissect every square foot of a peice of water and develop a plan to catch every fish in that section. Every cast is strategic. Knowledge of prime, holding and feeding lies are critical to success. That leads to the every cast strategy.
I'm a youth and would like to meet more who share a passion for fly fishing like I do and thought competitive angling would be a great opportunity. How might one start?
As always, great video. Competition forces innovation. If I remember right, beadheads came from the competitive fly fishing scene. When I first learned that, it definitely made me think. I've learned so much from George Daniels book Dynamic Nymphing. He is a champion competitive fly fisherman from pa. Can't wait to see what you guys do next.
I'm not sure where you got the idea that beadheads came from competitive fly fishing, but that is absolutely wrong. Beadheads had been around for many, many years before anyone had even thought about competitive fly fishing. I can remember my dad having put some beadheads in my fly box (when I lived in PA) over 50 years ago. There was no competitive fly fishing back then and beadheads were around prior to that.
Heard about it, not looked into it, so help me understand: To Euro-nymph I need a long cane pole (about $2 at the roadside bait shop) with a strand of mono tied on the end, and a nymph?
So what’s next for these trailblazers, these drivers of the go-fast equipment race? NASCAR-style logo’d shirts (in muted colors, of course)? Gotta sell product to keep the arms race juiced.
I thought fly fishing was about the time I spent with my dad, making that leap in understanding of my bait versus his example of something challenging to understand as a small boy but so much better. And now spending time with my sons as they make that same leap, fishing and immersed in beauty. The goals are sharing time, or solitude during those treasured moments, acquiring respect for nature, learning-no, embracing-patience, being unhurried, appreciating the value of simple skills and how they contribute to overall ability, understanding that peak efficiency doesn’t always equal the best or most satisfying outcome and deeply developing a positive and joyful countenance regardless of fish caught, or not caught.
I get enough competition and drive to wring every ounce of efficiency out of things at work. I treasure my inefficient, slow fishing time. Frankly, to me, watching humans compete at everything, even their leisure, is a bit silly. And misses the point. To each his own but I’ll politely pass on competitive reflection and prayer.
Ever heard of Czech nymph fist hint. They wade in the water and catch fish 5 feet away. They are not hiding.
Great video.
Nevermind the negative comments.
Whilst it seems like product plugging, it really isn’t for anyone who has done their research.
If you do, you’ll come to similar conclusions on the brands like cortland competition.
Like it or not, the real question is why did traditional western techniques not deliver the results in competition.
The Europeans developed methods to catch more fish.
I agree that catching more fish is missing the point of fly fishing but we’re all fishing more and more heavily pressured waters these days so there might me merit in looking at these other techniques to deal with pressured waters.
I have two kids and as they get into fly fishing, I’m going to have less and less opportunity to fish virgin water. If euro Nymphing allows me to fish behind them and still get a fish, I’m happy.
It’s like Kelly Galloup asked. Why were the rapala guys catching bigger fish than fly fishermen. That lead to his big streamer techniques.
Same applies here. Why do the competition guys catch more fish. What can we learn from them.
Great Video! Keep them coming!
Just wondering…Are these events held on public waters? I don't really get the competition aspect but to each his own. As always excellent and informative video.
Both public and private water. This particular event was on public water and there were regular anglers fishing right along side competitors.
Love the recent competitive fishing videos
I fabbed a fish measuring tube out of PVC similar to the one used in this video, very handy!
what is the brand of landing net? couldn't make out the spelling thanks
Frabill trout net
Really dig this video and am looking to get into ESN. Can you swap leaders and flick a dry fly or a dry dropper rig with these cortland rods? Having trouble finding a solid answer online. Thanks Tim and crew, keep up the great work.
In short, yes you can, but it far from a perfect solution and a bit time consuming. I have become very accustomed to fishing with two rods, one set up for competition style nymphing and another rigged for dry fly or streamer fishing. I know this doesn't work for everyone but for me and waters I usually fish it is both fast and functional. The less time I spend rigging or re rigging the more time I have flies in the water and the greater my chances of success.
+tightlinevideo perfect, thanks for the clear answer. May just have to splurge on a 10 footer and throw my tenkara in the pack for dry fly duties.
good video. don't know if i agree with the 'more focus means more fish' personally, as i've caught more fish by goofing off or untangling myself than not
😂😂😂
OK I just got a 17/21 trout net personally it is way too big your good all the way up till like a 15 pound trout with it next size down would be better
Yeah! This eqipment I'll use on fly fishing competition's etc...;-) special a chest-pack! Good for spinning too...Awesome thing! BR from nord Poland.
Where is this competition at?
This one was in eastern Pennsylvania and was a troutlegend.com series event. Really nice people and a great overall vibe.
That's exactly how I fish normally
Awesome video
I have just recently started fishing this way and really like it, so much contact with the flies. Might be hard to go back to more traditional nymphing techniques.
this looks a lot like Tenkara. The line does not go by the guides.... same thing.
Love how the reel you suggest is more expensive then the rod!!!!
Is there some rule that says in can't be? There are just some things that work really well together regardless of price.
Well I just found it funny you talked about the price point of the rod then mentioned a perfect reel to balance it. Which happens to be twice that of the rod.
Video was well done though
The Europeans kick Americans ass…….
If what the narrator said is correct; “the fly line seldom is outside the guides” it’s no longer fly fishing. Fly fishing casts a line. This would be fishing with a fly. Might as well get rid of the fly line entirely and run straight mono or fluoro and stop kidding yourselves.
Yes by definition fly fishing is casting a line. Euro nymphing isn't fly fishing. People get so worked up about it. Why do they have to group euro nymphing with fly fishing? It's its own thing and there's nothing wrong with that
thank you Blaine ! yes nymphing is NOT fly fishing! it's all about the cast ! check out woman fly fishing colorado and you will see !
+James Brede Really James? I don't even know where to start. I sincerely hope you are just looking for video views.
We are just one of few old school fly fishermen that take false casting very seriously! Trying to keep the sport pure . It's not all about the fish ! As you grow you will realize that .
+James Brede In the 35 years I've been fly fishing, I've come to one indisputable truth. Dry fly only guys simply suck at nymphing and that's OK. If you don't have the patience to learn, then don't. Taking out your frustrations on other people that have learned the skill, well Jimmy, that's not being grown up at all.
On a side note, you may want to get Kim a Ketchum Release Tool, a rubberized net or something. Watching her squeeze, wrestle the hook out with forceps and generally hold the fish out of water for way too long before unceremoniously chucking it back in may be keeping the sport pure, but it simply isn't cool. There, now your video has 42 views. DFM- grow up.
"We are just one of few old school fly fishermen that take false casting very seriously! Trying to keep the sport pure. It's not all about the fish ! As you grow you will realize that. "
Or you're a judgemental pretentious antique who has exploited their ability to expand their "horizons?"
Have fun "fly fishing," we'll have fun catching.
Jon Zoppi well Joh your very perceptive ! your the only one that has caught on! all the other so called fly fishermen lather each other up to make each other feel goooood ! we need a villain like me it keeps the sport humble ! you should get that !
this looks like your watching the outdoor channel and you are trying to sell everybody stuff you were paid to promote
stupid, fishing as a competition...
Very disturbing video. What has the sport of Fly fishing come to. A sign of the times from the ME generation. This video is nothing but a cheap advertisement and does not represent the true sport of fly fishing. Fly fishing was never intended to be a competitive sport. I'm 72 years old and have been fly fishing almost all my life. Like everyone tell me "you must be from the old school" maybe so, maybe the finest hour of fly fishing has come and gone. I hope not!
Blaine Willis As stated at the very beginning of the video "there are strong opinions..." Me personally, if young people become interested in and pursue fly fishing for competitive reasons or for any reasons, I'm all for it.
Blaine Willis Oh and by the way Blaine, the USA Youth Team recently took home GOLD in the World Championships. www.wyffc2015.com. I've met a number of team members and they are absolutely rabid about fly fishing in all its forms not just competition. Their skills and knowledge of the sport are way beyond their years.
+Blaine Willis I actually had to read this comment twice to realize that it wasn't a joke. Very disturbing? No. Very disturbing is the guy who shows up at your favorite river with a foam box of worms and kills every fish he catches. This is just another way to engage in the sport of fly fishing that may seem unfamiliar to you. I'm 21 years old and from my point of view it seems that people who share your opinions are holding fly fishing back.