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Nymphing mud?
Moderator: Paul Arden
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Nymphing mud?
Hey trout guys...
I came across a product called nymphing mud. It appears to be tungsten dust mixed into wax, to be a substitute for shot.
There might be a use for this in my salt water fishing but I'm having a problem keeping it on the leader. I've been molding a small dollop around a knot in my hand tied tapered leader, which seems to sink the leader quickly, which is what I want.
However, the directions say to dunk it into the water first, to harden it up, before using, but dunking it in tropical temperature water seems to do the opposite. Dragging it through any bottom debris removes it easily.
Does anyone know of a way to harden this stuff? I guess a coating with UV "knot sense" might work, but I thought I would ask first in case I'm missing something obvious.
Thanks!
I came across a product called nymphing mud. It appears to be tungsten dust mixed into wax, to be a substitute for shot.
There might be a use for this in my salt water fishing but I'm having a problem keeping it on the leader. I've been molding a small dollop around a knot in my hand tied tapered leader, which seems to sink the leader quickly, which is what I want.
However, the directions say to dunk it into the water first, to harden it up, before using, but dunking it in tropical temperature water seems to do the opposite. Dragging it through any bottom debris removes it easily.
Does anyone know of a way to harden this stuff? I guess a coating with UV "knot sense" might work, but I thought I would ask first in case I'm missing something obvious.
Thanks!
With appreciation and apologies to Ray Charles…
“If it wasn’t for AI, we wouldn’t have no I at all.”
“If it wasn’t for AI, we wouldn’t have no I at all.”
- Paul Arden
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Nymphing mud?
I've never heard of it! Who makes it?
Thanks,
Paul
Thanks,
Paul
Nymphing mud?
Have used a similar product , Tungsten Putty by Orvis but only in colder water. I think temperature is your main problem . Just did a little experiment and found it was much softer in warm water and probably more prone to coming off. It's a great product for trout fishing but not as easy to keep on the bigger diameter tippet you would be using.Coating with a UV resin might work but would negate it's main advantage ie. ease of application and movement up and down the leader.
You could incorporate a small swivel into the leader to give an equivalent weight.
What is really needed is a similar product that would be sticky enough to smear along a length of leader and stay there for a reasonable length of time. That's probably a big ask. Special applicator needed and tiny market. You will need to find a home made solution I think ........................John
You could incorporate a small swivel into the leader to give an equivalent weight.
What is really needed is a similar product that would be sticky enough to smear along a length of leader and stay there for a reasonable length of time. That's probably a big ask. Special applicator needed and tiny market. You will need to find a home made solution I think ........................John
- Paul Arden
- Site Admin
- Posts: 19598
- Joined: Thu Jan 03, 2013 11:20 am
- Location: Belum Rainforest
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Nymphing mud?
Something that can be done is to mould the putty direct to the top of the fly. But then I think you should have tied some different flies! To be honest I'm with TZ here. If the rules allow you to add weight to the leader then split shot is best. Easy to add, fairly easy to remove!
However are you sure that this is not a paste to apply to your leader to sink it? I.e. a Fuller's Earth mix? In which case I use it for all my trout fishing and times when I want to sink the leader and remove flash. It's easy to make too!
Cheers, Paul
However are you sure that this is not a paste to apply to your leader to sink it? I.e. a Fuller's Earth mix? In which case I use it for all my trout fishing and times when I want to sink the leader and remove flash. It's easy to make too!
Cheers, Paul
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Nymphing mud?
Thanks guys!
This stuff is labeled "JP's brown Nymphing Mud / Soft Tungsten weight". Its quite proudly made in the USA, judging by the ratio of labels.
It might be for lead restricted waters? It came into the shop from some other branch to be cleared out on discount... and it caught my eye.
Why not shot? Well primarily because my leaders have much thicker diameters than the usual trout leader, and the shot I would like to use would be quite small. To my eye it looked like a poor match judging by gap size in the cut shot. Maybe shot will work... this stuff just looked easy.
I'm already using Xink and fluorocarbon leader material to get leader down as fast as possible. The flies are almost neutrally buoyant. My goal is to have the leader on the bottom and the fly riding just above. The water is not all that deep and zero current. Its just an experiment.
This stuff is labeled "JP's brown Nymphing Mud / Soft Tungsten weight". Its quite proudly made in the USA, judging by the ratio of labels.
It might be for lead restricted waters? It came into the shop from some other branch to be cleared out on discount... and it caught my eye.
Why not shot? Well primarily because my leaders have much thicker diameters than the usual trout leader, and the shot I would like to use would be quite small. To my eye it looked like a poor match judging by gap size in the cut shot. Maybe shot will work... this stuff just looked easy.
I'm already using Xink and fluorocarbon leader material to get leader down as fast as possible. The flies are almost neutrally buoyant. My goal is to have the leader on the bottom and the fly riding just above. The water is not all that deep and zero current. Its just an experiment.
With appreciation and apologies to Ray Charles…
“If it wasn’t for AI, we wouldn’t have no I at all.”
“If it wasn’t for AI, we wouldn’t have no I at all.”
- Paul Arden
- Site Admin
- Posts: 19598
- Joined: Thu Jan 03, 2013 11:20 am
- Location: Belum Rainforest
- Contact:
Nymphing mud?
That's interesting. Where do fish and why are you Mangrove Cookoo, Cook?
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- Posts: 1051
- Joined: Tue Jan 29, 2013 7:51 am
Nymphing mud?
Paul
I spend the majority of my time canoeing the backcountry wilderness of Everglades National Park. Its a labyrinth of mangrove creeks and ponds that is inaccessible to boaters. Very few anglers are willing to put in the time and effort so the fishing can be pretty good. Besides, the chances of getting lost, and the bugs, and crocs tend to keep most sane folks out too.
A Mangrove Cuckoo is a reclusive native bird to the area that I have seen on a few occasions. I chose it for that and the other obvious reason.
I spend the majority of my time canoeing the backcountry wilderness of Everglades National Park. Its a labyrinth of mangrove creeks and ponds that is inaccessible to boaters. Very few anglers are willing to put in the time and effort so the fishing can be pretty good. Besides, the chances of getting lost, and the bugs, and crocs tend to keep most sane folks out too.
A Mangrove Cuckoo is a reclusive native bird to the area that I have seen on a few occasions. I chose it for that and the other obvious reason.
With appreciation and apologies to Ray Charles…
“If it wasn’t for AI, we wouldn’t have no I at all.”
“If it wasn’t for AI, we wouldn’t have no I at all.”
Nymphing mud?
I haven't heard of that particular variety of tungsten putty, but I understand the problem. Most types of the stuff are designed for cold water use, and to soften up when you warm them in your hands, and therefore are useless in warm water. The original hareline formula was harder and might have worked for you, but they don't make it any more. You could try tungsten powder mixed with uv glue.
A good reason to use putty instead of split shot is that it snags on stuff significantly less. You can roll it into a long skinny cylinder over a knot and pull it through grass without picking any up. You can't do that with split shot. I use it for nymphing for steelhead because it is less snaggy than split shot, even though it doesn't sink quite as fast.
I love that backcountry mangrove stuff! Wish we had something like it here.
N.
A good reason to use putty instead of split shot is that it snags on stuff significantly less. You can roll it into a long skinny cylinder over a knot and pull it through grass without picking any up. You can't do that with split shot. I use it for nymphing for steelhead because it is less snaggy than split shot, even though it doesn't sink quite as fast.
I love that backcountry mangrove stuff! Wish we had something like it here.
N.
- Paul Arden
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- Posts: 19598
- Joined: Thu Jan 03, 2013 11:20 am
- Location: Belum Rainforest
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Nymphing mud?
That sounds like some awesome fishing you have there, Mangrove Cuckoo! I travelled through the Evergrades many years ago and was eaten alive by the mosquitoes
One technique that we often use on stillwaters is to fish a fast sinking line with a buoyant fly. I fish this technique on rivers too sometimes. In fact it caught my largest salmon!
Cheers, Paul
One technique that we often use on stillwaters is to fish a fast sinking line with a buoyant fly. I fish this technique on rivers too sometimes. In fact it caught my largest salmon!
Cheers, Paul