TIPS & TRICKS · NYMPHING

Split Shot, Done Right

The fish feed on the bottom. One BB shot, placed 8 to 10 inches above the fly, is how you get there - and there’s a simple test to know it’s right.

THE TIP

12-18 Inches Above the Fly. Start Light.

Split shot puts weight exactly where you need it while the fly itself stays unweighted and swims naturally. Placement matters more than size: far enough from the fly that it drifts free, close enough to control its depth. The shot ticks along the bottom; the nymph rolls naturally just above it.

Pinch one BB shot 8-10 inches above the fly. BB is the default starting size for most nymphing. The primary shot always goes 8-10 inches up the tippet; a secondary shot, if you ever need one, goes 24-30 inches above the fly.

Cast upstream and let it roll. Drift the rig through a gentle current with the rod tip up, line just tight enough to feel.

Run the test. The nymph should tick bottom within 2-3 feet of the cast - light, occasional taps as the shot bounces rock. That ticking is the signature of a perfect drift.

No tick? Add weight. If it’s still sinking at 6 feet, the trout never saw your fly. Add a second shot 24-30 inches above the fly and recast the same water.

Dragging? Take weight off. If it’s scraping bottom on every cast, you’ve got too much - reduce by half. Target: occasional ticks, natural drift speed, fly rolling free.

JOE SAYS

“Minimal weight on the leader keeps the fly swimming naturally. That’s the whole idea.”

- Joe Humphreys, on weight selection

JOE’S SETUP

SPLIT SHOT COLOR CODE

Joe color-codes his split shot by weight for fast on-stream decisions.

Brown = medium weight
Yellow = lightweight
Black = heavy

Set your box up this way before the first session. It removes guesswork when adjusting depth mid-drift.

NYMPH PREP - BEFORE THE FIRST CAST

Before fishing any nymph, Joe does two things every time.

First: rough it up. Rub the nymph against a streamside rock. This gives it a natural, textured look, activates materials, and kicks off loose fibers.

Second: sharpen the hook on a small stone. A dull hook is a missed fish. “Why fish with something that doesn’t work?” Check the point before you tie on and again any time the fly bounces off bottom rock.

PRACTICE THIS

Five Minutes. Today.

THE 5-MINUTE DRILL

The Depth Ladder: pick one short run and fish it repeatedly. First drift - one small BB shot 18 inches up. Does it tick? No tick: add a second shot and recast. Tapping constantly: halve the weight. When it rolls naturally with occasional ticks, you’ve found the setup - fish it until the water changes. Adjusting weight between drifts IS the skill.

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GO DEEPER

Bottom Contact Is Weeks 1-2 of Brook Trout School

Brook Trout School starts exactly here - add small weight, feel the tick, learn to tell a rock from a trout. Then you roll the seam and strike with confidence.

Continue in Brook Trout School

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