Wet Flies........is it a lost pattern?

[UtahFlyGuy]

Who here fishes these patterns? I dont know anyone that uses them at all. It seems like its a pattern that anglers in europe use alot of. Are they not so popular or productive on our waters here? I cant even tell you how these are fished. If you have ever visited the Danica Tyers page almost every tier featured on that site ties them but not many of the American tiers tie them.
Your Thoughts?

[«°Ñøvã°»]

Your talking "Traditional" wets right Pat? They sure are great to look at and make some perty cool looking Jewelry. I dont think i have ever fished a traditional wet to tell ya the truth. You seen my ties...they aint much to look at

[UtahFlyGuy]

Your talking "Traditional" wets right Pat? They sure are great to look at and make some perty cool looking Jewelry. I dont think i have ever fished a traditional wet to tell ya the truth. You seen my ties...they aint much to look at

Not the Traditional (Jewelry)Patterns, but just the patterns in general. Your ties work well Jer. I dont care what Doughty tells me.;)

[«°Ñøvã°»]

Not the Traditional (Jewelry)Patterns, but just the patterns in general. Your ties work well Jer. I dont care what Doughty tells me.;)

I do fish wets quite a bit during Caddis season. Trail a few feet off a dry its deadly

[Utah Tyson XII]

I don't like the winged wets much but I like sparse spider type patterns because they are one of the few flies I know of that are light enough to be easily cast on a floating line, yet sink quickly and provide enough visual information underwater to seem alive.

I also wonder if anyone here uses teams of wet flies on stillwaters loch style like the Europeans have always done.

[Marty]

Love em, very fun to fish on my new 11" #4 two hander.

[Lonnie]

Pat,

I used to fish the ALOT when I was back east. Not so much out here. Royal Coachmans, Lt. Cahills, Leadwing Coachman, etc.

Jer is right, they work well in caddis season.

[MuseJr]

Are they not so popular or productive on our waters here? I cant even tell you how these are fished. Your Thoughts?

Popular? Not unless you make it out of "new" materials. Productive? only if they are in the water. Never swing a soft hackle of any kind. They don't work at all under an indicator while you try to eat lunch either.

[lewie]

Used to do quite well on a swung "Professor" , up on the Teton years ago. I don't know why I quit, except that when I go there, I expect to use dries.

[lostdog]

when you fish a dry wet style is it wet or dry...or float a hare ears... what is the proper term.

[«°Ñøvã°»]

when you fish a dry wet style is it wet or dry...or float a hare ears... what is the proper term.

Sink a dry: Drt submerged
Float a Hares Ear: Floating nymph ???

Never done the latter but I just love fishing submerged teresticals

[catch&release]

I tie up a lot of soft hackle patterns tha imitate the calibates nymph and they work fantastic on Bridgeport Reservoir and i have also had good success on a southern utah lake as soon as i see the sail boats all over the water along with the midges i put a soft hackle on above my midge and under an indicator and have caught some hugh fish because i feel the trout will seek out the calibates nymphes over the regular midges.

Just my experience in the past and my humble opinion.

Also the only time i tye on a soft hackle is when i see the calibates nymphes comming off of the water.

[Garth]

I am sorry, but, for the majority of us, who do not know Latin. When do you tie on a wet?

I do wet when nothing else works.

If nothing else is working, and I have fished up stream for 2 miles using dry flies and nymphs, why not, come 1/2 way back throwing streamers and having got shi*, why not try a wet?

[Andy B]

Well a very interesting question and observation. First I guess that should be answered is, why are wet fly's a lost art or has become an out dated dinosaur:

1) Most tiers do not know how to tie them. Tying wet flies requires practice and patience.
2) Good materials are a little hard to find, but they are out there.
3) Not to many us are out there to teach and show the techniques needed on how to tie classic wet flies with tags, married wings, floss to use and tricks to setting wings.
4) Want to see a ton of us American wet fly tyers, then go to flytyingforum.com. You will see what I mean.

Now far as fishing them, I am a throw back and I guess a Dinosaur. I fish these flies with much success all through PA, NJ and the birth of fly fishing and home to the past great ones like Theodore Gordon, Darbees, Dettes, Rubin Cross, Ray Bergman and so on. Yes I am talking about my love, The Catskills in upstate New York. I fish 90% of the time with wet flies with the wet fly swing and Leisenring lift to up stream aproach to that timeless classic I love so, a three wet fly rig.

Wet flies will out produce a dry fly fishermen any day of the week. The trick is learning how to fish with them, patience, trial and error. Once you learn to fish wet flies with confidence, skill and patience, you will have very great catch and release days.

Far as patterns look at Ray Bergmans Trout and you will see the patterns I love to fish with. Also I fish with a lot of Irish and Scottish wet flies as well.

Far as fishing them out west my good friend and long time mentor Don Bastian has had great success in Montana with the classic winged wet fly patterns. Now I am not all that great in tying these classics, but I will tell you that my research and articals that I write for the Catskill Fly Tyers Guild will tell you when these patterns work at what time of year and includes river conditions and weather and type of fly line. For the bigger size 6 & 8 I use and intermediate Sinking line. I do use floating lines, but for different water level conditions.

In closing every one preaches match the hatch and go smaller. Trout are the same today as they were in the 1700's. Trout have a minute brain and a life span of a few years for the most part. Trout eagerly take these wet flies in size 6 & 8 all the way down to size 14. Just because you fished a Cahill or a Dark Hendrickson with out success does'nt mean the wet flies does'nt work. Have you ever thought of a Grizzly King or a Blue Professor or maybe perhaps a Greenwells Glory or a Fontianlis Fin or Quack Doctor and so on.

Wet flies dead, I THINK NOT!

Andy B

[Lonnie]

Now I am not all that great in tying these classics,


You LIE!!! :)

Andy's flies ROCK! Truly AMAZING!

[chanceb]

Andy B,
Just curious, do you have any pics of your patterns online?

[Andy B]

Here is one of my flies that I tied called the Parmachene Bell.

http://www.njflyfishing.com/reviewpost/showproduct.php?product=71&sort=2&cat=9&page=1

[Andy B]

Here's another called the quack Doctor.

http://www.njflyfishing.com/reviewpost/showproduct.php?product=69&sort=2&cat=9&page=1

[Andy B]

Lastly, here is another one of my wet flies called the Montreal, All the flies I have shown to all of you are all fishing flies. The looks are so so and are not up to my standars for my show flies. Any way, I hope you all appreciate the photos. Maybe it's time for me to tye some up for this web site. Let me know, I would be more than happy.

http://www.njflyfishing.com/reviewpost/showproduct.php?product=70&sort=2&cat=9&page=1

[spotter]

...Maybe it's time for me to tye some up for this web site. Let me know, I would be more than happy...



Andy, please do. I was the grateful recipient of a "blue bottle" during a UTOF fly swap 3 years ago. I have long admired the craftsmanship of wet flies but never been disciplined enough to learn the art.

[Jason]

Nice Andy. Thanks for sharing. So do you prefer to use Goose quills over other feathers? Are they easier to work with? Do they marry much better than others?

[Lonnie]

Andy,

You should come to the tying Expo in the spring. Jason will reserve a spot for you to tie....

http://www.utahonthefly.com/forums/showthread.php?p=184816

[chanceb]

Andy,
Beautiful work! Your flies are definitely functional pieces of art.

[Andy B]

Jason:

I use both goose and duck quills. It just depends on the quality of the feather and the first pair of quills I grab coming out of the many drawers full of Turkey, Goose + Goose Shoulder, Pheasent, Duck (Quills, Flank) Guinea Hen, Kori Bustard, Peacock and many other types. I marry every kind of feather out their. Now that I am also getting into full dressed Salmon flies, swan is entering the picture. For new wet fly tyers, I tell them to go with Duck or Goose along with Gosse shoulders. Learn how to tye wing in with quills and get the basic technique down then you can start tying grizzly Kings and professors and Tomah Joe's that require left and right flank feathers. Flan feather require a little more patience and gentler handling. I have a show in JHanuary that I have coming up and made some display flies for the table up last night. I will be tying about a dozen more. Once the show is over I will be glad to send some to spotter only if he promises to show every one the flies in person if possible. If not then post them on your web site for all to see. I am tying on January 27, 2008 at the fly fishing show east with my club the Catskill Fly Tyers Guild. After that date. Spotter and I will be in touch so I can send him some wet flies.

Andy B

P.S. Lonnie, I tied a few wet flies up from a Japanese wet fly tyer who's name is Ken Sawada. Some of his flies I love because of just artistic imagination. I love wet flies, not because they catch a ton of fish, but also because they are old forgotten works of art that I love so.

[Andy B]

Spotter:

Please E-mail/PM me with your home address. At the end of January a little package from your friend in the East will be shipped.


Andy B

P.S. I promise you will not receive another Blue Bottle

[spotter]

AndyB

I would really appreciate some samples. Can you enable your user profile to accept e-mails or e-mail me through my profile? I'm not in the Salt Lake Metro area so the patterns would have to be shared through photos posted here on the site. Perhaps the flies would be better displayed by sending them to a better photographer on the site than I (BugEye, Jaymorr are you out there)? Someone with the proper camera equipment could take some shots and keep the flies for their effort. Just a thought, I want as many others to appreciate your work as possible!

Thanks,

Spotter

[BugEye]

AndyB

... (BugEye, Jaymorr are you out there)? Someone with the proper camera equipment could take some shots and keep the flies for their effort. Just a thought, I want as many others to appreciate your work as possible!

Thanks,

Spotter

I'm down. PM or e-mail me through the site. Beautiful flies Andy! I'll shoot the heck out of 'em. 'Course you'll have to let me do some arty images too:

[spotter]

I'm down. PM or e-mail me through the site. Beautiful flies Andy! I'll shoot the heck out of 'em. 'Course you'll have to let me do some arty images too:

Thanks for stepping up BugEye. You will do much greater justice to Andy's creations than I ever could. Nice pics of the fly boxes BTW.

[jonescort]

Could you post them so people like me can see them?