Great video, nice fishing. Thanks for the overview of the different lines. Where you are fishing obviously every trout is a good one. Where I'm fishing, the third one you caught, fish like these are the bigger ones. You are a very lucky guy. Tight lines 🎣 from the Čech Republic 🇨🇿.
I too am a big fan of the OPST as a Euro rig line. Much prefer it to Maxima and others. Having said that, pretty tough to use when the fish move to dry flies. It works pretty well with heavier indicators and or heavier nymphs, but limited in casting light rigs when needed. Therefore, I follow the lead of Dom Swentosky over at Troutbitten and just use the OPST as a very long leader butt, added to the end of my regular fly line. I use about 24 ft., then add the sighter and the tippet. If I need my regular line, I just coil up the OPST leader rig, clip it off my fly line loop, and put on whatever leader I need to fish dries, dry-dropper, etc.. It helps if you don't have your reel overloaded with backing and fly line, leaving room for the long OPST leader. Love your videos. You and the lively legz crew due a great job of teaching.
Mike thank you so much for making this video. I have been wondering about the nymphing lines. That was a very informative video and I cannot wait to try some of those products. Thank you for showing the tip with the left hand. I feel sometimes I miss strikes or staying in contact with my nymphs. I like how you covered all the options and demonstrations of each setup. Thank you all so much for the time you put into your products and videos!!!
Mike, thanks for another really clear and educational video. I found the Lively Legs channel about 2 months after I returned to fly fishing in July 2017, after a 40 year hiatus. Between your Lively Legs nymphs and flies ( especially the Iron Mike streamer which our CT rainbows seem to love), a Syndicate 10ft 2wt rod, your leaders, and inspiring teaching videos, I can certainly say I owe all my fishing success to date to the Lively Legs crew! Thanks again!! Jeff
Hey Mike. I know this video is months old, but I always enjoy the stuff you guys put out. I have been messing with the Euro thing for a year or so and having some success, but could never find a setup that clicked with me. This video was a gamechanger for me!! I ordered some 30lb OPST (and some Livelylegz nymphs) from you guys last week, and last night took it to the river to try it out. The sag between the eyelets of my 10 foot 2 weight Euro rod was gone and I couldn't believe the sensitivity difference!! I felt all the subtle takes and even caught some TINY fish that I never would have had a chance to even detect before - think minnow size. Anyway, thanks for the super informative video and pointing me in a direction that will stick. I now have a Euro setup I truly believe in. Tight lines friend!! Chip
That was brilliant mike, really informative & you make it so easy to understand thanks so much for sharing yet another brilliant video from Lively Legz.
Mike, great video. Thanks for explaining the how and why of the different options for nymphing. Thanks also for sharing the Lively Legs patterns. I have caught some nice fish on the double trouble. Keep up the good work.
Hi Mike, as always the material in your videos is always outstanding... You keep it simple yet cover every angle so that people can understand perfectly your methods... I like the OP mono used here... I fish streams where the fish are thin biters and the extra sensitivity helps tremendously... I also like how you demonstrated keeping your line tight on the drift... Great job!!! Thanks for another great video...
Joe Wilkinson thanks for watching and yes a lot of people don’t realize the importance of keeping in contact with those flies as much as you can. Detecting those subtle takes is key to success. Thanks again! Mike
Outstanding video Mike, thanks for putting this together! My buddy and I have been using the wf line/watch the “belly” approach, and we were just talking a week ago, about exploring the other nymphing rig set ups. This video definitely answered some of the questions we had, and gives me good reason to believe that it’s definitely worth a try. And that 1st fish.....on the 1st cast....are you kidding me? WOW!
Rob Deddy certainly give it a try. The only problem with the “belly approach” you are not in direct contact with your flies and will miss those subtle takes. If the fish are slamming that is a great way to fish but often especially in the winter it’s very soft takes. Thanks for watching! Mike
Great video. Very helpful on explaining the different rigs especially for a newbie to fly or euro nymphing. Going to go with your OPST 30lb. Will be headed to your website to shop for some of those double trouble flies.
Thank you so much for this video. Getting ready to pull the trigger on a syndicate 10’ 2wt and a redington rise reel. Now I have a much better idea on what line to go with.
We've certainly tinkered with enough lines huh!?...definitely gonna be getting that OPST on a reel spool, pretty sweet u guys are carrying it. As always, great video!
Jon Miller thank you for watching. The 2wts are a lot of fun for sure and if you ever decide to purchase a syndicate we will certainly love to help you get set up. Thanks a bunch for the support.
Great video as always. I’ve been experimenting with different rigs to see which 1 I like best. I still have to tryout the euro line. So far I like the opst
Mike. Your videos are awesome and now that I will be retired after tomorrow. I will be catching up on all your videos i have missed. I was also thinking about making a couple of fishing videos in the future so, I was wondering if you ever looked into a way to block some of the background noise like in this video. If so please share. Thank you from Pennsylvania
ardell1350 thanks for watching and awesome to hear. Congratulations on the retirement and enjoy! About the background noise...we use very cheap cameras. They do not filter those noises out...lol thanks again!
Very informative video Mike. I have no problem with 25# maxima because that's what I learned to cast with all these years. But I'll tell ya, I am gonna try the OPST, just cause of the colors and what you are saying about how it's easy to cast. I'm all about trying something new that might better my techniques. Thanks for the info!!!
David Pcholinski no problem. You are certainly not a beginner. That being said I have talked to many wanting to experiment with the “mono rig” and the most difficult thing to get used to is the casting. This long lazar line will help void those problems. Plus the color is so easy to detect. You are absolutely correct. Thanks for watching
Nice explanation, would love to find that pool !! I can certainly attest to the 25-30lb mono recommendation I started with 12lb chameleon (based on a you tube recommendation) and it was terrible to cast, ok for a very small stream, but I have been working my way bigger to find the sweet spot of casting/sensitivity, currently at 20, might well get some OPST next.
Thank you for the tips and it helped a lot. You should try a braid instead of mono I have tried it out for a couple of months there is no memory and it is super sensitive even a little more than mono. Great vid
I use the opst line method. I don't use any particular sighter material in fact mine is a piece of fly line backing tippet ring tied to that and then my tippet line. When I use dry flies it just bring a spare spool with regular flyline
Greetings from Colorado! I was curious for your OPST set up, what size tippet ring you’re using and what size sighter ? 2X? 0X? What connection knot are you using from OPST to Sighter? Thanks and awesome information!
Have you tried Chameleon 20ib line? Would love to hear your comparison between it and lazar line. The troutbitten guy prefers Chameleon, but I know some do prefer lazar. Also have you felt any need for tapering the line, does it help with casting? Troutbitten guy also does this, but it seems quite a hassle to do all that tapering. Of course it's worth it if it really is useful. What is your experience? Thanks for this very good video!
Hey Mike, This is an awesome video! Thank you for taking the time to share this valuable information with us. I do have a question for you ... I currently have my Euro Rig setup with a Euro Fly line to leader to sighter material to tippet ring to tippet to fly ... I've been using this setup since August 2019 .. I din't know of any other way before this video .. I'm extremely interested in the OPST Mono setup ... My question is .. Is the OPST that much more sensitive than my current setup & which color of this Laser line is more visible? Thanks in advance for your response!
Gerald Hice great question and thanks for the contact. The opst is certainly more sensitive than the euro nymphing thin diameter lines. Both are very visible. But if I had to say which one is “more” it is the green. The green only comes in 30lb. The pink comes in 25lb. You lose a touch of sensitivity with the 30lb green over the pink but not much. But the 30lb casts a touch better. I hope this answers your questions. Best of luck. Mike
Thanks for going over the different lines. On an unrelated subject, how do you like the Dryft waders? How breathable are they? Any info on them would be appreciated.
Jeff Price I really like the Dryft wading pants as well as the s14 but really nice, breathable, and have held up well. Being black I was worried about retaining heat which would cause sweat. This is not the case even on warmer days. Best of luck and thanks for watching!
Andrea Scott great question! You can certainly use the mono (opst) or the nymphing line on a shorter/heavier rod. Now your nymphing rods in a lighter/longer length have more sensitivity but a 9’ 5wt will no doubt do the job. Thanks for watching
Terrific video. Thanks. Could you tell me why you prefer attaching your nymphs in-line (eye to eye knots on the top fly) as opposed to what the comp anglers do, which is to use dropper tags?
Alex Argyros I certainly can explain as to why I do this...the dropper method is great as far as the most “natural” way to present a double fly rig. With that said I get way more tangles and knots catching fish with the “dropper” style setup, therefore I go through the eye of my top fly twice. Thanks for watching!
@@livelylegz4754 Thanks, Mike. I have another question. When you're using the OPST line but fishing a wider creek or river, do you still cast the same way? I was wondering if the OPST line would sag, creating drag, if you had to fish at some distance?
@@alexargyros7186 hey Alex that’s a great question. To be 100% honest the opst will drag way less than any fly line you encounter. I never really fish long distances with my opst line and if I come to a spot that is too deep to get out and fish effectively I put on an indicator and use that. I certainly do not feel comfortable euro nymphing/tightlining (whatever you chose to call it) at long distances. Thanks again for watching!
Is that mono line legal on fly fishing only project water with the 18 foot maximum leader rule? Could that mono be considered as a leader since it is not a more traditional type fly line or Euro type line?
dominic regos that is a great question and one I never put thought into. The monofilament is my “flyline” and the leader I would consider my sighter line to my tippet ring. So I would certainly think yes you would be fine. There could certainly be some contradicting opinions over this though for sure. I’ve never came across a fly project that I read into that had a leader length stipulation. Please consult your specific project rules to be 100% safe though. Thanks for watching!
@@livelylegz4754 I have wondered this very question before, and your response I think hits the nail on the head. However, to help add on to it, we both can agree the comp anglers, who fish ALL the time, and I am sure in front of PAFBC people aren't getting cited. Therefore, why would they be running illegal set ups if it went against code? I would have to imagine it is perfectly legal.
@@tightliningmd the answer to the leader length question is that the Commission has dropped that part of the rules language and there is now no limit on leader length. They took into consideration the popularity of the new nymphing techniques and changed the rule to keep up with the times.
Lively Legz : Hi Mike, great video as always ... you guys are the best! I want to comment on the legality of the mono rig in FFO sections. Here is the pertinent section of PA law, copied directly from the PFBC website: Fishing may be done with artificial flies and streamers constructed of natural or synthetic materials, so long as all flies are constructed in a normal fashion with components wound on or about the hook. Fishing must be done with tackle limited to fly rods, fly reels and fly line with leader material or monofilament line attached. Anything other than these items is prohibited. I haven’t spoken to anyone at the PFBC, but I personally am convinced the mono rig as described in this video is not legal because no fly line is used. Notice the law describes three components of a line to be legal ... fly line, leader and tippet. For the record, I use a similar rig almost all the time, but not in FFO sections.
Hello Mike! Thanks for the great video! I live in northern VA and Trout stocking has been put on hold in MD due to Covid19☹. I'm not asking for exact locations, however I would love to escape this (rat race) place and get in the water. Which regions should I do research on in PA? Going to order some products from you guys right now. Thanks again in advance for any direction you can point me in. Warmest, Ibrahima Dia
Ibrahima Dia central pa. Little Juniata river, penns creek, spring creek, big fishing creek, all great places. I hope this helps and if you need more specific locations to those rivers shoot is an email.
claudiu albeanu unfortunately I can not give you a defiant answer I have never tried the courtland nymphing lines. I have used Rio fips as well as the Hanak. They both are great but the rio has major design problems in the amount of time it takes to start cracking, breaking, and become brittle. The fips is a great line for the first 8-10 outings but if you fish a lot you will wear it out in less than a month. The Hanak has been holding up well for me thus far.
I like 65 or 80 lb braid fishing line as my nymph line. I attach an indicator leader and the feel is unreal. Braid has zero stretch therefore, compared to mono, the sensitivity is huge. Anyone else ever tried braid? Thanks!!
James thanks for watching. Mid to small size streams I would not be caught in anything else. They are like fishing in jeans. Very comfortable and highly suggested
I have a question what diameter is the OPST, and What diameter sighter 3 foot section are you useing and what brand, I saw 5 foot sighter leaders on your website could I use that I saw the ring is already attched. or could I use amnesia line with a ring and then tippet, by the sounds of it you favor the mono, I like the green lazer line.
James the green opst is 30lb test. I like to run at least a 13lb sighter at the end of the opst to a tippet ring. Then you can use your desired tippet. You could certainly use amnesia line. I like the Hanak bi colored and the asso indicator lines. There are a ton of good indicators lines so whatever you chose should work great! Best of luck! Mike
THANKS Mike for the reply, I fish for steel head and trout I have a 5w 6w 9 foot rod, what all around weight rod would you reccomend for what I do, I have been spin fishing but am getting back into fly fishing mostly Nymps probally all Nymps, should I get say a 4 wt rod ? Just wondered if I need two setups, I really like that green OPST in your video, so for just Nymping would you recommend I go with that, and 13lb sighter? Thanks again. James. PS Just ordered some of you Lively leg Nymps They are so cool I have never seen Nymp look so good Will be gett more later kinda watching my money right now with all this viris stuff, lol. I see lots of cool shirts and hats also, I will be getting some at a later date.
James The 5/6 weight rods are great for steelhead. If you want to truly have a more sensitive setup for trout you need to go with a 10’ rod that is a 2 or 3wt. Now you can certainly nymph effectively with your 5/6 weights but will not have near the sensitivity. Your best option is to have a steelhead rod and a trout setup. You do not want to run your 2-3wt on steelhead they are just a bit to powerful and may feel you have zero control over the fish. That being said I’ve landed multiple fish over 20” on my 2wt. Hope this helps and keep safe
@@livelylegz4754 Thanks, I probally will get a 2 or 3# for Just trout, I know the steelhead do some frast runs, But all the ones I caught were on my spinning rod, But had guys above me nymping and when they hooked one I go my line out , cause those fish ran about 30 yards past me with the fly guy in toe, the one guy fell in after his got to the fast water and he chased it down his wife got him falling in on vid, it was shallow but cold he was ok but I was ready to help if he needed it.
Éamonn Ó Broin thanks for watching and the reminder to wet hands. The day I made the video was a cloudy dreary day and hands were constantly damp. Again thanks for showing concern and watching the video.
John Zemrose I hope the season does not take a huge impact from the virus. I pray it passes just as quickly as it came and families can get back to their normal lives and spend time with the people they love. Thanks for watching. As far as stocking changes and fishing schedule changes I’m sure the PFBC will take a proactive approach and some stockings may change and the amounts of fish put in. If you practice catch and release those fish will be there for a long time to enjoy this great sport.
