Put and Take Sverige
Montana Nymph
When the fish will not hunt a streamer, it is often time to go heavy and slow, and then Montana Nymph is a classic that deserves a place in the box. The black body with a yellow or green thorax has taken rainbow trout for decades, and it complements the Woolly Bugger exactly where the searching fly runs out.
When it comes into its own
Montana shines brightest on sluggish days and when the fish stand near the bottom without wanting to follow anything up. The heavy body sinks fast and stays in the search zone, even in slightly deeper or moving water. If the fish will not move, the answer often lies in a slowly fished Montana. It is also a grateful fly in the middle of the day in clear water, when rainbow trout have dropped down and grown careful.
Size and colour
Size 8 and 10 are standard in put and take. Black body with a yellow thorax is first choice, and a green thorax is a good second variant to switch to. If you want it even heavier for deep fishing there are gold-bead variants that take the fly down faster.
Two ways to fish it
The first is to let the nymph sink near the bottom and creep it forward in very small twitches. The second, and often the most effective on still water, is to hang it under a fly indicator at a chosen depth and let it sit almost still. When the indicator stops, is pulled under or moves unexpectedly, you make a soft strike. With an indicator you also see the cautious takes you would never have felt.
Find the right depth
The key is to get down to where the fish actually hold. If it does not work near the bottom, shorten toward the indicator or switch to a lighter nymph and fish higher. Change one depth at a time until you find the zone, just as with PowerBait when bait fishing. And have patience, because a Montana should rarely be ripped fast. It is the calm, meaty presentation that triggers the take.
Build on the box
With a Montana and a Woolly Bugger you have both a slow bottom nymph and an active searching fly, which covers most situations. If you want to pick patterns by species you find more tips in flies for rainbow trout, and presentation sits under nymph fishing.
FAQ
What does Montana Nymph imitate?
Originally a large stonefly larva. In put and take that matters less: here it works mostly as a large, meaty mouthful that gets passive rainbow trout to open up.
How do I fish it?
Deep and slow. Let it sink near the bottom and creep it forward in small twitches, or hang it under a fly indicator at the right depth.
Black with a yellow or green thorax?
Yellow thorax is the original and what you start with. Green can make a difference on individual days, so keep both in the box.
When should I pick Montana over a Woolly Bugger?
When the fish will not follow and hunt. The Bugger is the searching fly that shows where the fish hold; Montana is the slow nymph you pick up passive fish with when they will not take anything moving.