Morning Douglas
Thanks for your input
Found this article of dead drifting:
Nymph Fly Fishing : Dead Drift Technique
The dead drift method of fly fishing with nymphs is the most effective method an angler can use. Remember, nymphs are generally at the mercy of the rivers current, and get carried wherever the current happens to take them. An angler who can simulate this “helplessness” of the nymph will be able to consistently take trout.
There are basically two different ways to accomplish a dead drift of a nymph. Each of these is covered below.
Dead Drift Method : Quartering for Wade Anglers
This is the easier of the two different dead drift nymph fly fishing methods for an wade angler to use. Basically, this method is not much different than dry fly fishing. Simply cast your nymph across AND upstream. Retrieve any excess line, throwing upstream mends as needed to allow the nymph to dead drift for as long as possible (you do not want to “drag” the nymph across the current). The mends also allow the nymph to sink to the proper depth as well.
Dead Drift Method : Direct Upstream for Wade Anglers
This is the most effective, and most difficult, of all nymph fly fishing techniques. It is also similar to dry fly fishing when you cast your fly directly upstream of where you happen to be.
This method is simply done but very difficult in practice – beginners can expect to lose many a fish. To do this method, simply cast your nymph directly upstream (and in the same current seam, if possible) from where you are standing in the water. As the nymph makes it’s way back down towards you, retrieve in all excess fly line – striking the balance between allowing the nymph to have a perfectly “drag free” float while at the same time not having to much line out (which will prevent proper hook set).
Strikes on a nymph fished in this manner can occur anytime since the nymph is floating drag free. Always follow the strike indicator using this method, setting the hook immediately whenever you see the strike indicator stop momentarily in the water or suddenly change direction. With practice, you’ll get a feel for what differentiates a “rock strike” from a “trout strike”.
Also, don’t be in to big a hurry to pick up the nymph. You can let it float right down almost to your feet (within 5-10 feet), assuming you didn’t make too much of a commotion during your wading (thus scaring away all the fish near you). Remember, trout will be facing against the current waiting for their food to arrive – and you’ll be downstream from them. Thus, they won’t see you unless you make lots of noise to let them know that you are there.
The other reason you want the nymph to continue floating towards you is because you want to nymph to come up from the bottom of the river a bit – which simulates an emerging insect. As the nymph gets closer to you, simply raise the rod tip a bit. This will bring the nymph off the bottom of the river and put it in a gradual, but still downstream, incline towards the surface.
Once you pick up the fly, you will then want to wade just a bit to your right or left, then make another cast, allowing the nymph to dead drift through another spot in the river that is just a bit away from where your nymph previously floated through. By doing things this way, you can cover a lot of water in a hurry – in a very effective manner.
The difficulty I'm have with Tenkara dead drifting on the River Nene is on fast running water, mainly due to the shortness of the line, in that the fly is back on top of me very quickly, and if the cast is not perfect its journey distance is very short indeed. I am, of course, working on that
On slower running water, I am gently pulsing the fly with slight 'twitches' of the rod tip, and raising/lowering it.
I seem to have had more interest and 'tugs' while fishing across and downstream from the bank, although 90% of my T fishing to date has been upstream... as a general rule, fishing downstream on the Nene whilst wading is pretty much a no no, due to the silty bottom kicking up debris even with the gentlest of wading... 'clouds' of silt colour the water with every step.
Work in progress, and very enjoyable too ;D
Will keep posting on this thread as (hopefully) my upstream dead drift technique improves...
Cheers
Gary