How Deep is Deep

[Loren]

I fish woolies and nymphs a lot with limited success. I try a variety of methods, but mostly dead drift with a rise and short strips and the end of the drift. I'm thinking I'm not weighting the nymphs enough. Should the nymph and wooly buggers bump the bottom?

Loren

[superchub]

Loren if you are fishing with a dropper it may be the length of the dropper. for shallow water I usually fish a bead head wooly with a 18" dropper and beadhead prince nymph (or zug or GRHE). For deeper water I add some split shot to the line or switch to a tunsten bead wooly or conehead wooly to get the line deeper. If you are in predominatly dee water extend your dropper to 24". Another combo I like for deepr or fast water is a cone head muddler with the 18" dropper nymph configuration.
Cast to the head of the run and let it drift slightly then start my strip . I usually allow the line to get about 10' below the fly but this varies. THis lets the line loop down stream of the fly and when you begin to strip, the fly initially moves downstream following the line then across the current then back up current. ....this resembles a bait fish movement. I have had fish hit the nymph in all positions and the wooly mainly on the strip back. Browns will eat up the muddler when it begins to move across current. Hopes this helps. Have fun.
SC