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Title: Wet fly Down and across
Post by: Billythefish on March 28, 2006, 09:17:47 PM

I was wondering if anyone could supply some answers to my questions about fishing the wet fly downstream.

Do you think the flies representing subsurface beasties or fry?

Is a dead drift best or should they swing round in the current?

Does it deserve to be maligned, as I think it is, in the press?

Title: Wet fly Down and across
Post by: aliferste on March 28, 2006, 09:50:51 PM

I fished that way for years and caught many a fish, however I think I lost as many as I hooked.
There are a few reasons why it isnt as good as fishing the fly upstream

1.The trout generally snaps at the fly as it zips past leading to missed takes, little dunt son the line
2. You are in the trouts line of vision, trout face upstream, you will be facing downstream....the trout will be looking at you and will probably rolls its eyes in disgust at your hat.
3. Flies cast upstream and left to drift towards you drift naturally.

Um thats all I can come up with at the moment :)

Title: Wet fly Down and across
Post by: Fishtales on March 28, 2006, 10:32:06 PM

I fish wet fly on rivers like that most of the time. As long as the fly is fished at the speed of the insect it is a representation of then it will catch fish. A fly travelling faster or slower than the natural will be either ignored or will be taken as looking like something else. When fishing, the fly should not be allowed to 'dead' drift as then it will only be seen as a piece of debris, it should be fished slightly faster as then it will be perceived by the fish as being 'alive'. Remember, something living in water travelling at X MPH has to swim at that speed just to stay still, so a fish might do it but a nymph might not. If the nymph starts to swim to the surface it will be moving vertically fast but will be getting carried down stream at a slightly slower speed than the current, this, to me, explains why a lot of fish take as the cast straightens out below you and the fly starts to rise in the water.

Title: Wet fly Down and across
Post by: Billythefish on March 29, 2006, 07:07:28 PM

Alan,

do you fish big rivers upstream?

Title: Wet fly Down and across
Post by: Billythefish on March 29, 2006, 07:10:27 PM

Fishtales,

I know what you mean about trout taking flies when they lift in the current. It used to make me think it was little fry they were after. I tend to use silvery flies because of this.

Title: Wet fly Down and across
Post by: Billythefish on March 29, 2006, 07:11:31 PM

Aliferste,

How did you know aboot the hat?

Title: Wet fly Down and across
Post by: Fishtales on March 29, 2006, 07:24:01 PM

They could still be taking it for a nymph, with its skin full of gas as it rises to hatch, or even a water beetle rising to replenish its oxygen supply, both would look silvery.

Title: Wet fly Down and across
Post by: Billythefish on March 29, 2006, 07:55:55 PM

hmmm...

Title: Wet fly Down and across
Post by: aliferste on March 29, 2006, 11:12:30 PM

Quote from: BillythefishAliferste,

How did you know aboot the hat?

Experience :D

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