Czech nymphing is one of the most effective ways to catch trout. It’s a style of short distance fly fishing first developed in Eastern Europe. This style of nymph fishing is done holding the fly rod high and fished on a tight line with relatively heavy flies. Nowadays these flies and this style of fishing has become known as Euro Nymphing.
Czech nymphing originated with Polish pro fishermen, but was appropriated by Czechoslovakian competitors in the 1980s in world tournaments. The Czech pros learned the technique from the Poles during a 1984 international fly fishing competition, then took the technique even further. Today, the technique is an amalgamation of contributions from fishermen all over Europe.
With Czech nymphing, there’s only about a foot of fly line out of the tip of the rod. The fly line often doesn’t even touch the water. The flies themselves typically imitate freshwater shrimp or caddis flies. A grub hook (rounded) or jig style hook is weighted with wire and the bodies are made with either natural or synthetic dubbing. Monofilament or colored wire is used for ribbing for added weight. They’re usually tied thin so they’ll sink quickly.
The evolution of the Czech nymph fly is one of constant experimentation and evolution. You have to salute those pioneering Czechs with their use of foam from sponges used for cleaning cars, strips from a red raincoat ribbed with horsehair, the casing from a sausage, the dried skin of an eel, and who knows what else in their fly patterns.
Today, however, you can purchase Czech nymphs pre-made and ready to fish. We’ve got some of the best Czech nymphs you’ll find for sale from our online shop.
Czech nymphing works for shallow water fishing as well as deep, fast running streams and deep holes. It’s a proven technique for landing trout, especially Grayling, brown and rainbow trout. Need a pro recommendation, but don’t speak Czech? Give us a call - 414-259-8100.
