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3. Wet Flies

Just wondering, anyone here fish wet flies in the traditional manner--winged wets, flymphs, soft hackles? I've tied some classic wets. They're not Don Bastian or Ray Bergman good, but there getting better.
Bruce

Hi Bruce
I know Casey P is wet fly person. I have a few.
Caddis and winged flies.

JaD




Soft Hackles

Now, Bruce,
You know I'm here, too. John has got a great selection, there, and you know we are both wet fly enthusiasts. I would like to see your flies. I'm sure they're coming along fine.

Mark

i tied a dozen march brown wets last night. in my experience and opinion, there is nothing more successful than a traditional down and across approach during the MB hatch. now the MB spinnerfall is another story...

Sorry, Mark. That was dumb. You and I have exchanged thoughts on wet flies many times. How could I forget?

JAD, those are really nice ties.

Gutcutter: I second that because I have firsthand knowledge. MB wets are a blast up north. If we don't get there at the right time let's make a promise to go back up when they're coming out of the water.

Mark: I'll try and post 1 or 2 classics tonight. They're the first ones I've tried. I have to send the pixes to Gutcutter and he posts them. I can't figure out how to do it myself.

Bruce

sorry to be late to the party! yes, Mark was very a generous teacher when i wanted to get into Yorkshire style spiders and wet flies. they really do deliver, even those funny old-fashioned ones with bright white wings. but honestly, a soft-hackled March Brown is one of my absolute favorites because they are so dependable!

My dry fly buddies are on me all the time , I truly enjoy the wet take more than on top, as a dry. If the fish are taking you will find a Flymph on my tippet.

Best
John

John's trying to convert me, and I must admit I fished wets more last season than any previous year--but I'll still make fun of him if I can catch a fish on top.

Ah,Louis,
You remind me of a friend of mine who fishes exclusively with dry flies, however, you must remember, wets can easily be fished in or just below the surface film, very much like dry flies, and can be just as successful in taking fish. Stewart fished his "spiders", upstream, pretty close to dry fly fashion, and this is how the idea of fishing upstream first originated. Halford copied the idea and made it the "rule" for dry fly fishing.

Mark

Very pretty flies, you have great skill. Someday I would like to catch a trout on a wet fly.

I love fishing wet flies down and across in the traditional manner. It's how I first learned to fly fish, and I often turn to that when nothing else is working. It may not be the most sophisticated method of fishing, but I don't care. It's a lot of fun.

And there is nothing prettier than a well tied traditional wet fly.

Fishing wets is often misunderstood (It may not be the most sophisticated method of fishing, but I don't care. It's a lot of fun.)Quote. Working wet flies is a hands on manipulation of your target flies. Depending how the fly hatches or how the fish are working the bug is the adventure too me, when the fish are not working and the stream appears dead, I work the wets because it"s more exciting than nymphing.I think you will catch more fish on nymphs but not as exciting.(To me) If I was a Streamer guy like Wbranch I would throw streamers.

Best
John

A 24" brown on a #18 dry fly in July 2010 -

I'm a dry fly guy 95% of the time and a streamer guy the other 5%.



A very nice streamer fish - the grip and reelseat is 11" long.

Re-quote from my signature:

"I have the highest respect for the skilled wet-fly fisherman, as he has mastered an art of very great difficulty." Edward R. Hewitt.

Mr. Hewitt was considered one of the best dry fly fishers, ever. The thing with wet flies, as John has touched upon, is they are very versatile and this is especially true of wingless wet flies. These flies will work when other fly types do not.

Mark

Great fish Matt
You have good skills and fish on a superb fishery, the only thing wrong with that picture I'm not holding the fish.

Again nice fish

John

Matt,

That's a couple of wonderful looking trout you have there!



Matt, that's pretty much the same for me, but that persistant Mark L has me tying up old classic softhackles and this last season I caught a few fish with them...I think that they cover the emergers really well and I'm pretty much fishing them as dries anyway.

Over the last few seasons my system has gone through a bit of a shock. My fishing mentor is known here in Michigan as maybe the best dry fly fisherman & tier in this state and for sure from those around the Au Sable that know him.

Several years back he looked at me, as we were sitting waiting for the hatch to begin, and said, "Spence. Have you ever noticed just how much we are just waiting around?!" He then set off on schooling himself in nymph fishing and basically freaked out everyone that knew him.

Yesterday, Mark pay attention here, he called to check in and wish us a Merry Christmas etc and quoted Oliver Edwards as he was about to hang up...Something about every angler eventually coming around to the idea that upstream wet fly fishing is the way to go...

Anyway! That's a nice brace of fish there...

Happy Christmas Eve everyone! "What you want for Christmas, Bobby?" "I want to fish with Matt!" :)

Spence

"Fishing wets is often misunderstood (It may not be the most sophisticated method of fishing, but I don't care. It's a lot of fun.)Quote. Working wet flies is a hands on manipulation of your target flies." (Quote)

I didn't mean to insult the method... Maybe I would have been better off saying wet fly fishing isn't sophisticated in my hands. For me it's always been more of a simple, easygoing method of fishing, (and a fun one at that) but that's not at all to say it can't be a sophisticated art in the right hands.

Hi JAD,

"the only thing wrong with that picture I'm not holding the fish."

I might not be able to get you to hold one like those two but your more than welcome to join me in May or June on those rivers. We could float one day and wade fish a day or float, and wade, two days. PM me in mid April.

OK. Now who is going to volunteer to teach me how to fish wet flies properly? I'm not a beginner and I will check all pasture fence wires to determine if they are live. I have real subtle technique, I grab them. Don't laugh it works.
Bruce

I'M not asking you again. I have ask you to fish with Louis and my self more than a couple times. I think you don"t like louis,It can"t be me I'm sweet, charming, love able and always thoughtful of my fellow fishing buddies feelings.

Bruce -Happy Holidays.