this might belong in the soundoff section, so JC, if you think it does, feel free to move it…
just recently started tying traditional winged and soft hackle wet flies, and fishing them more often than dries. i never realized how much fun it would be. ive always been a huge fan of dry flies, and would fish them almost exclusively, probably to my detriment.
but just recently, after seeing pictures of some of the traditionally winged wets out there, i started tying a few and fishing them with tremendous success.
none of my guide friends believed me until i tied a few extras for them to try. i think i made a few converts …
Reads like a fine and pertinent post to me. You are for sure enjoying yourself
On the softhackle wets, more accurately called North Country Spiders: Try blending the two approaches and fish them in the film, dead-drift, as you would typically fish a dry. You may be in for another pleasant surprise.
There are so many styles of Wet Flies, that the number of ways to tie them, is mind boggeling!
Besides the North Country Style, there are the Irish Style, and the Clyde Style to name a few.
Something so simple at first inspection, can lead you down the road to perdition, if you are none to careful.
~ Parnelli
Down in the bottom of the Itty Bitty Pool.
Swam Three Little Fishies, and a Mommy Fishy too.
“Swim”, said the Mommy Fishy, “Swim if you can!”
And they, swam swam, all over the Dam. Boop Boop Ditta Datta Watta Shoo…
Boop Boop Ditta Datta Watta Shoo…
Boop Boop Ditta Datta Watta Shoo.
And they swam swam, all over the dam!
[This message has been edited by Steven H. McGarthwaite (edited 08 May 2005).]
I thought it was Fin Fan Fiddum and a Waddum Chew and “Down in the meadow in an itty bitty pool.” With swam swam swam. Oh well, different strokes .
tyflier,
Oh, wet flies are great. I have a whole lot of different ones I use on bream (McGinty and Yellow Miller are my favs). Didn’t know trouters were so dead set on dry flies only, I never am when I fish for trout. Their loss .
Robert B. McCorquodale
Sebring, FL
“Flip a fly”
[This message has been edited by dixieangler (edited 08 May 2005).]
I had a book of Soft Hackel Flies…I never got around to trying any of them. I mite of tyed two or three of them.
Now that I’m starting over those will be on the list of flies to get.
Tyflier:
Here in Patagonia Argentina, I use to cast some wets and soft hackles sometimes, with the same success that you had. Partridge & Orange, Partridge and Grey, Soft Black and Hare’s Ear Soft hackle are my favourites. #10-14 hooks.
During my last fishing in a high mountain small lake (the only person in the lake)I caught 22 trout (brookies and bows) from my belly-boat, 5wt rod and intermediate sink-tip line. The killer was Partride & Orange. Are fantastic flies!!
I also am a big fan of wets. Their appeal stems from feeling connected to the origins of our sport, but also taking pride in my ability to use modern materials to make them even more productive. I will usually make the wing out of antron yarn and the body out of a synthetic blend or totally synthetic dubbing. My last time out, I was amazed at how many Spotted Bass I was able to catch on what was basically a large wet caddis.
Davy Wotton has a book coming out that will be an exhaustive manual on wet flies and methods that have proven successful to him over his many years of fishing them. This may be of interest for those wanting to learn more about this tried and true method.
Okay, another closet wet fly fancier here. I’ve found that when teaching someone to fly fish, a wet fly is a great intro to moving water. Cast in front of you, mend upstream and let it swing round. There is little needed in the area of setting the hook as the fish will do it for you.
My favorites are the soft hackle wets. Very easy to tie and catch tons of fish.
Frank Reid
Wet Flies and Soft Hackles do not catch fish; don’t be fooled by those who tell you otherwise!!! It’s a conspiracy started by dry fly aficionados who just want all the fish for themselves. Sylvester Nemes doesn’t know what he’s talking about…
I agree, … I started on these critters after looking over Sylvester Nemes’s book.
Its a conspiracy … I mean, in this age of high tech, 1,000.00$ rods and 400.00$ reels, 300.00$ for Waders … How could such a simple fly, made from natural materials, no lead, beads or sparkle EVER work.
First off, it’s TOO EASY to tie. If it worked, everyone would use 'em.
On my third fly, which I melded sometime this spring combined a Hare n’ Copper pattern with a palmered partridge softhackle wing, I started really hitting the gills with it last Wednesday ? after using the same pattern of a HNC moments before without so much as a look. Several years ago, in In-Fisherman’s one fly fishing article per decade, they had a story on soft hackle flies that I saved over the years. Why? Don’t get me started on things I choose to save. Anyway, a dandy bluegill fly. JGW
I also like traditional flies, wet, dry and streamers.
I think the hint is in the “traditional” part of the name. Tradition is something that is repeated often enough that it becomes a standard of sorts. Poorly performing flies do not become “traditional”
I’ve been tying alot of wets, but not fishing them as much as I did 5 years ago. One great thing about fishing wets over rising fish is that they take the fly shallow as an emerger, and I’ve had the water literally explode with a good fish taking on the swing shallow. It’s fun, really fun.
Eric
Dang it guys, try and keep these flies a secret! One of the reasons they work so well is that the guides are not pounding the fish every day with them like nymphs and dries. And if folks ever found out how easy they are to tie and fish, that is all they would ever see anymore!
I love to fish them cause you really cant fish them wrong. As long as they are in the water, they work. It is also nice to be able to tie 20 in an hour without reaking a sweat, and using just three types of material.
Have fun,Jeff
Tis my time on the water, in the mountains, and in my driftboat where I can see things as they really are.
well, ive been tying a combination of traditional wings and soft hackles. you know, duck wing quill segments for wings, and than soft hackle collars up front, rather than a fiber beard. im assuming its the look of the wings combined with the action of the soft hackle that is driving them so crazy, because my efforts with one or the other (traditional wings or soft hackle) proved less successful, although successful still.
in talking to some of my friends, they were very skeptical of the idea of wet flies, claiming “the rivers around here arent big enough for a swing technique”. just goes to show how much “they” sometimes really know…
as an aside, i even managed to entice a 5lb carp on a wet fly yesterday. not a fast swimmer, but so strong and heavy, it was fun none the less. made me really glad i brought out the 5wt over the 3wt, for sure…
Hey tyflier, since i know where, how about which patterns and sizes you are tying up? I would love to add something new and different to my usual repertoire up there. Thanks RC
Capped a fab day of dry fly fishing yesterday with one last fish caught on a Partridge and Chartreuse Wire. Wouldn’t have left without just one on the wet.
so far, my favorites have been (and im making them up as i go along. im not following specific patterns out of books, just trying to match colors and sizes for what i see flying around.):
hook: TMC 3769 #12-18 thread: olive 8/0 tail: light to medium dun hackle fibers body: olive floss or superfine dubbing wing: grey mallard wing quill segments (with white tips). white quill segments are also working well. collar: dun to match tail OR barred chocolate dun OR barred light ginger soft hackle (the barred hackles seem to be better producers)
ive also been successful with royal coachmen wets tied with white mallard wing quill segments and red dun soft hackle collar. so far, variations on the BWO style of fly are working best, as that is what is commonly hatching. were getting alot of pale olive mayflies, so thats what im tying.
cant wait to try out some caddis-style wets. anyone got any good patterns for these??
…
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