I had the opportunity to visit quite a bit with Eric Stoup from Pennsylvania. Eric is a guide, author and speaker of high order. Eric and I spent a lot of time discussing nymphing techniques. He nymph fly fishes without an indicator. During our discussions I decided I would give his methods a try.
I always have felt that the more versatile a fly fisher you can be the better. So, armed with a leader that Eric designs and builds himself, a picture in my mind of how to rig bugs and weight, and a 9′ 5weight TFO, I hit the river.
Right away I realized how helpful an indicator is. So lost without it. I caught fish, some by accident, others on purpose, but an indicator for tailwater fish is a great tool. Tailwater fish have a tendency to take bugs gently. It was hard to detect a strike. I’m not saying Eric’s methods don’t work, on the contrary they do, but I’d have to log in many more hours to feel proficient. Funny, that’s the way I learned to nymph.
I think that the simple fact that I worked on that method for a half day, I became a better fly fisher. I had to really tighten up the drift, had to “feel” the fish, and had to be more attentive to everything. I certainly employ it again sometime, and I can envision it being a go-to method of nymphing on a few waters I fish like Clear Creek and the Middle Fork. It’s fun.
Eric’s method works. To learn how to employ it you can buy a copy of his first book, Common Sense Fly Fishing: 7 Simple Lessons to Catch More Trout.
Pictured is a Cuttbow I picked up nymphing sans indicator. I “felt” this fish eat.
Stay tuned- next week I will post a video on long line mending.
Fear No Water!
Duane
duaneredford.com 
This has been my preferred method most of the S Platte river except for the Dream Stream section for as long as I’ve fly fished. It allows you to change depth and presentation is while fishing without having to stop and adjust depth. I carried this method over from the early days before fly fishing, using a Zebco spinning rod combo, line, split shot, hook and Pautzke’s fire balls in swift current. The key then was to “feel ” the rig through the river structure. It now goes by the name Czech nymphing or some other catchy phrase? Nymphing without an indicator makes sight fishing more effective and efficient with one less piece of rigging to be concerned with. I show others this method and how more effective your fishing can be, minus the indicator. By using this method you develop a sixth sense of what’s happening below the water’s surface and when a fish has taken the nymph. The main key to this method is it’s a short line line method and by short I mean only 12″ or less of fly line and the length of the leader you’re using and if you don’t think you can get that close to fish, think again?
Good comments Jason. Like I mentioned, this was how I learned to nymph. I like the part about using the Zebco, now that sounds like fun productivity. Interesting how things evolve and revolve and they sound new, but they really aren’t. I’m going to keep messing around with this method. That’s what winter fishings for. Take care.