Wet flies have been a part of fly fishing since the days of Walton, and perhaps before. Some of the patterns are beautiful and rival Atlantic Salmon flies. The wet fly is also a very productive fly representing both aquatic and land based insects as well as small baitfish. While the wet flies I tie and fish won't find themselves in a frame on a wall, they have been found in the lip of a few trout over the years. The simple pattern above is the Dark Cahill. I tie them in sizes 10, 12, and 14.
I fish them both quartering downstream as well as just letting line out and allowing them to drift with the current. At the end of a drift let the fly hang a bit, then twitch it and retrieve.
The Dark Cahill pattern was very effective for me when I fished Monday. I was fortunate to take a few nice brook trout with the simple wet.
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Nice job Alan with the wet flies! I really like fishing them and tying them
ReplyDeleteMark,
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They are pretty simple, and effective.
Excellent flies ! Do you ever fish downstream with wet flies in streams so small ? I always seem to spook to fish going downstream (in bigger rivers it is very effective, though).
ReplyDeleteGlina,
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Almost always. There are times when I will spook fish, mostly because I tend to move before I think about what I'm doing. It's all fun though.
Hi Alan!
ReplyDeleteWonderful brook trout! Yes, the wet fly can produce a good catch in brooks and streams. Well in still water to I guess but it was a long time since I used wet flies (the type we're talking about) in still waters. Thanks for sharing!
The Jassid Man,
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Mats I rarely use wets in still waters, but they are effective.
These look great. I need to fish a bunch of flies I tied already. These will definitely be added to my need to tie list. Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteKevin Frank,
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Try them, especially in streams that have wild trout. You won't be sorry.
I really like that pattern. Is the tail on the fly on the lower left tied with snowshoe hare's fur?
ReplyDeleteKiwi,
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That's some antron dubbing. I will use it on some of my wet flies as a tail.
Beautiful brookies. I know a rugged mountain stream up north where that fly worked well for me in April.
ReplyDeleteApache Trout,
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The brookies were active that day John.
I think I might know the stream you speak of.
The kayak stream :)
DeleteAT,
DeleteThe wild rainbow stream.
Those are some nice looking flies if you ask me. I've been getting more and more into fishing wet flies but haven't fished them as much as I would have liked so far. Usually I get caught up in fishing another type of fly and forget about them.
ReplyDeleteBill,
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Wets usually work well in the spring, but I will use them at almost any time.
its been an age since i last tied some winged wets ,think i'll give some a go later. thats some nice brookies from that log jammed stream.
ReplyDeleteCol,
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Give them a try, I'll look to your blog for the report.
Enjoy fishing soft hackles often, but, haven't fished traditional wet fly's. Agreed, they look simple enough and contain general fish catching colors. Still envy those beautiful streams and colorful Brookies in your area. Thanks, Alan.
ReplyDeleteRainbow Chaser,
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Soft hackles have a few slots in my box, and I'll use them from time to time.
Good to see again that the great traditions never die, and that a Cahill in the jaw of a Brookie is still a universal truth. Beauty.
ReplyDeleteJim Yaussy Albright,
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The OLD ones still have that ability to fool fish.
Brk Trt,
ReplyDeleteI can see how a trout would want to chomp on one of these. Very appealing and very well tied! Well done.
http://newenglandflyfisher.blogspot.com/
-ASM
A Simple Man,
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On that day they were willing to take them for sure.
Beautiful fish. I want to go.
ReplyDeleteRKM,
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OK, the last week of April.
I've really been enjoying your blog Brk Trout. I've got a link to yours on my blog (www.wadetheriver.blogspot.com).
ReplyDeleteI recently read that you could fish a wet fly straight downstream as you stated. Stopping and twitching or a slow pull up as if emerging and, if no strike, you could continue to strip out even further down stream. Does that sound accurate? I look forward to fishing them. My dad did years ago but I was too young then to remember now.
Again, really great blog. Thanks for sharing.
Tight lines,
Mike
Michael Curry,
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That method is accurate. But have fun trying other methods.
That's a healthy brookie!
ReplyDeleteBrad From Potter,
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They came through the winter in good shape.
Alan
ReplyDeleteYou have a way of making us all feel like we are there with you fishing some of those awesome streams you fish. Those wet flies are fantastic and they are encouraging me to fish more wets this season. I really like the attention header image for the blog. Thanks for sharing
Bill Trussell,
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There are some pretty streams up here.
You might want to toss a few wets at those bluegills.
Hey, it's getting hard to squeeze in a comment here any more. Alan, no one captures the spirit of fly fishing for brookies better. I haven't fished wets but I plan on giving them a fair shake this year.
ReplyDeleteHoward,
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I truly appreciate your kind comments.
And give the wets a shot.
I find wets more satisfying to tie than to fish. There's something about concocting a simple, traditional pattern that just feels right at the vice.
ReplyDeleteSteve Zakur,
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They do tie rather easily. And sometimes do the trick.