Rigging for Euro Nymphing

These last couple of years we've been getting really into European style nymphing here on the Madison and have found it to be a super effective tactic. The majority of questions we get in the shop and online are about how to get started and rig for euronymphing. There are two approaches. The first, for the "euro-curious," is to convert your current setup into a euro rig using the RIO Shorty. The second is to outfit yourself with a dedicated euro nymph rod, reel, and line purpose made for the pursuit.

The Euro nymph lineup from RIO.

To very inexpensively and very quickly get in the euro nymphing game, take your standard rod (9' 5wt etc.) and weight forward line and remove your tapered leader. From there, attach your RIO Euro Nymph Shorty via loop to loop to the tip of your WF line. The Shorty is a 20 foot long, thin diameter Euro nymph fly line made specifically to quickly convert your setup to the euro style.

Attach the RIO Shorty to the welded loop on your standard weight forward line.

Next attach your RIO Technical Euro Nymph leader to the Shorty via a loop-loop connection. The leader consists of a 9ft milky-white high-vis material blood knotted to a 22-inch two-tone sighter and ends with a tippet ring.

From the tippet ring to the point fly, we are now going to rig both the Shorty setup and the dedicated Euro kit the same way. Peel off 5-feet of RIO Fluoroflex Plus 5X and clinch knot it to the tippet ring at the end of the leader. 

Next peel off approximately 30 inches of 6X fluoro. Surgeon's knot that 30-inch section up to the five-foot section of 5X. Leave the bottom tag about 12 to 14 inches proud. The reason we leave that proud is you're also leaving room to tie on the top fly of the system. From the surgeons knot to the point fly, you want to be 18 to 22 inches. Your point fly is always going to be heavier than your top fly.

When you head into our shop to get yourself in the game and start purchasing euro nymph flies, you'll see there's a myriad of different head colors and weights. They're all barbless and also tied on jig hooks. The different weights of tungsten are so you can accomplish always having a heavier point fly and a lighter fly up top. The euro nymph system is a fun way to try out a new tactic and a very effective way to fish. Stop by the shop or give us a call with your euro nymphing questions!

SHOP ALL EURO NYMPHING >>

Dedicated RIO FIPS Euro Nymph line.