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Czech Nymph Rods Explained

Czech Nymph Rods Explained

Ryan Gabert |

Czech Nymphing is very popular these days, and for good reason - it's incredibly effective and a fun way to fish! Only a few years ago, there were very few options out there for long, light rods that were appropriate for Czech style fishing. That's changed quite a bit, and there's a wide variety of Czech Nymph rods, lines, and leaders out on the market now. What makes a Czech nymph rod different? The length is the first thing many people notice, but there's more to it than that. Rather than seeing your strikes like you would fishing a conventional indicator setup, you feel your bites when you're Czech nymphing. Because of that, the rod needs to be light, balanced, and have a sensitive tip so you can feel strikes and miss fewer fish. The lines you're fishing are essentially weightless, so the rod needs to have a nice, smooth, medium action to cast well. Here's a blog post on how to pick a proper Czech Nymph rod size and line also - How to pick a Czech Nymph Rod. There's a lot of options out on the market today at a variety of price points - here's a breakdown of our most popular Czech Nymph rods! Echo Shadow II - The Echo Shadow II is one of our best selling rods in the shop, and one of the most versatile. You can buy a Comp Kit that comes with two 6" extensions, a fighting butt, and weights to balance it all out. So, say you have a 10' 3 weight and a Comp Kit - you now have a 10', 10'6", and 11' rod all in one. The Shadow II is a light rod, especially when balanced with a 5 weight sized reel. Comes in a 10' 2 weight, 10' 3 weight, and 10'6" 4 weight. Super sensitive and really versatile! The price can't be beat either - $249.95 for the rod, and $74.95 for the comp kit. Syndicate Pipeline Pro - Syndicate has been around for a few years now, and their Pipeline Pro series of Czech Nymph rods have been a big hit with the tightline nymphing crowd! Super lightweight and sensitive, these rods are easy to fish all day and feel every strike with. These rods are some of the most sensitive tipped rods we've ever fished - it's incredible how many strikes you feel with a Pipeline. The Pipeline Pro series comes in 10' 2, 3, and 4 weight, as well as 11' 2 and 3 weights. These five models will cover anything from the smallest of pocket water fish, to big tailwater bruisers. Sage ESN - If you're serious about Czech nymphing and want the easiest casting, most sensitive rod out there, look no further than the Sage ESN series of fly rods. Manufactured in the United States, these rods are beautiful fishing tools and they're made specifically for Czech Nymphing, unlike many other rods that simply come in a 10' length. The ESN is the lightest Czech rod we sell, which makes it easy to fish and hold your arm out all day long without getting fatigued. The medium action allows you to fish the essentially weightless Euro Nymph lines with ease, and bends deep to help protect light tippets on big fish. Comes in a 10' 2, 3, and 4 weight, as well as a 10'6" 3 weight. If you want the best Czech Nymph rod out there, the ESN is it. There are a few other Czech nymph rods out there that are nice as well - the Redington Hydrogen is a notable one that is a great rod for the money. That being said, these 3 rods are our best sellers and are the highlights of Czech nymphing fly rods. If you're looking to get into Czech Nymphing and aren't sure what to get or how to get started, give us a call at the shop or shoot us an email and we can get you squared away! Ryan