All this talk about wet flies, flosses and such has really given me the tying bug. This may be my year to fish only with the wee wets. I’vve been using nylon and rayon flosses for years, gave them up for the silks. Very nice to tie with. Easy to split into the appropriate size, smooth bodies are a breeze with just a little burnishing.
Any body else got the wet fly bug?
REE
Ron…LOL…dont give me any ideas. I have enough going on with swaps and flies I I usually use. Been a while since I tied any wets…dang maybe I need to tie a few soft hackles just to cover all bases.
Alex Jackson got me to using the Daiichi 1182 which is Crystal (silver)several years ago. Using pearsals gossamer silk one need not use anything under the silk with this hook. The water makes the silk a more beautiful color when wet without the bulk in the body. Simple body of one layer of silk and tie in a couple wraps of JV hen and whip a small head. Presto one of the best (for me) fish catchers in the wet fly group. I do fish quite a few wets in the size 16 to 22. In some of the waters where I like to fish if the drys are not working (yes, I prefer drys) I catch a lot of fish on these wets. No box should be without several colors to fish.
Denny
you betcha. been tying them all season. here’s a project for a charity auction…
Very impressive!
Thanks,
Doug 
Hey there, Mr. Blur, very nicely dressed flies. Seome of the classics are so pretty I hate to fish them, but they are very effective.
REE
I haven’t been tying many soft hackles, but i am going fishing with syl nemes this year, so i guess that i should really get tying!
JZ
REE,
I put together a fly box full of them for a good friend (as a Christmas present) and I liked them so much I am going to do the same for myself. Now if I could just finish tying all these Muddlers I could get started on my own box of winged wets.
Alberto,
I’m finishing up a few swaps myself, and really want to get back to the wets, winged and softies… There really is something pretty about a well tied winged wet.
Hi REE,
I’ve been bitten by the Wee Wet Bug for the past few years. Lately, it’s been spiders, and mostly versions of Pritts from the 1880’s. They are a lot of fun to fish, and it’s worth while tying some of the spider patterns on dry fly hooks. They are great “drowned food” immitations.
And, the winged patterns are good fun too. I also like the palmered wets, like the Invicta, Soldier Palmer, and Bibio. Worth having some of those in the box as well.
I’ve been tying alot of the classic wets lately. Partly for the art of it, but also definitely to fish them this summer for, get this, panfish. Yeah, I know, tradition, trout, etc. etc. etc. But why not? Besides, it’s all I’ve got around here to fish for. The panfish love bright colors, and the wets certainly do fit the bill.
Deeky
decky, being from Pembina County, North Dakota, before the great move, I understand completely. Those classic winged wets will certainly sucker in the panfish.
Jeff, yeah, you and Donald Nicolson are to blame for my current passion for the wee wets. Yeah, it’s all your fault, that’s the ticket! Between what you’vve posted and Donald’s fine site, I’m staying busy.
REE
Hi REE,
I think you’ll find it can be a lot of fun poking the wee wets into the riffles and runs. If it’s allowed, I do suggest fishing them in teams. It requires one to really slow down the casting to avoid some of the most frightening of tangles, but it allows one to try various combinations and test different ideas as to what the fish are taking. It’s also a great excuse to tie more flies (if I fish 3 flies at a time, doesn’t that mean I need 3 times as many flies? Of course it does! ha!)
MB…those are very nice…are those wings tied butt ends facing the eye? do you put anything on the head…(ie head cement)?
sweet looking flies Wets are definitely my favorite flies to tie, they look awesome
yes they’re tied as you described.
I generally finish the heads w/ one coat shhan black and two coats shhan clear. nice hard shiny black finish.
REE, I think that they should put up a warning about looking at Donald Nicolson’s flies. The man had caused me to expend cash in pursuit of feathers and things that I never needed before. I mean really, who would have thought that I would start buying mole skins? Of course, Hans Weilenmann helped me down that path, too.
Ed
EdD,
I agree completely. They should post big red internet banners on any links to both sites that they will cause serious damage to your wallet. Have you checked the price of Plover skins lately?
REE
Hi,
I posted some links to various wet flies that I quite like a few threads down. Tried to copy it here, but the links didn’t work.
P.S. And yes, Donald’s site has caused a few drops in my bank balance as well!
Jeff,
I have a funny feeling I’m gonna regret this (in the wallet portion of my anatomy) but your links aren’t working, at least for me. They all take me to the PhotoBucket home page.
REE