Wet Flies. Walks?

[cheech]

This year I'm going to make a conscious effort to learn how to fish wet flies more effectively. I have very few patterns as of right now. Walks, will you share some of your gems with me? Also anybody else that has anything special feel free to chime in. I have a tying bug right now.

Thanks

P.S. I'm leaning more in the direction of wet flies, not soft hackles.

[Lonnie]

Cheech,

I think that wets are often overlooked as "antiquated". Not me.

One of my all time favorite wet flies is the "coachman". I'm sure you know it, but I'll post a link anyway. Try tying the wing with kip tail. This fly works great just before dark during most caddis hatches. I've tied a bunch up that on curved caddis hooks with beadheads. Sharp. If I had a decent digital camara, I shoot one....

Good luck, good topic.

http://www.carlsons.co.uk/shop/images/fly/wet/coachman.jpg

[Jason]

Walks, I'll have to get a few of your favorite wet flies and add them to the fly archive. I know you've got a few good ones.

Also, please email me and let me know you status on the Green Trip.

[walksinwater]

Cheech, since you are a pro at streamer fishing, then you will have no problem with wet flyes. The styles in presentation in my opinion are the same. Just about anything goes that will present a fly with motion to a predator. The strikes are nasty!

My technical equipment is limited, so may I refer you to flyanglersonline.com for information.
Look under Just Old Flies for history and receipies for wet flyes. You will find some of Mary Orvis's patterns and many others.

A good wet fly that amazed me this fall was the Pazooka.

Greenwells Glory in the month of March will be a thrill.

Cotton's Owl and Thorn flies also do very well.


Lonnie's good looking Coachman along with the Western Coachman and Royal Coachman are the type of flies you can take into a hole that has been well worked over and still land some good fish.

One fly that I just found out about that I want to tye up is the Hooker, (aka the general)
Named after General Joseph Hooker of Lincoln's Army of the Potomac and Army of the Cumberland. (Maybe that was who I saw thru the smokey haze at Chattanooga back in November of '63.) Hopefully this fly will attract fish as well as Hooker attracted the Soiled Doves of the countryside.


Fly tyer's Magazine has a classic fly section that occasionally presents knowlege of diffrent wet flyes.

Have fun!

[Ouzel]

I hope I'm not giving away secrets but one dry/wet fly that Walks gave me is the "Bent Hackle"; it also can be found at 'anglersonline'. Because of the underwrap of dry fly hackle tied around the hook it will, for awhile, float/drift like a dry and at the end of the drift it can then be worked as a wet.

The afternoon Walks gave me the fly and for the rest of the day was 'giggle time' on the Lower.

[cheech]

Thanks guys. That's what I've been after.

And Walks, by no means am I a master at streamers:)

[Lonnie]

So is a wet fly swap in order ? I know Jaymor just did a WF/Soft Hackle swap last fall, but I think a straight up err, um, a "traditional" wet fly swap would be a fun one...Humm, what do you guys think? (Maybe in a month or so?)

And Walks, that's not my coachman, I just stole the pic....

Lonnie

[cheech]

So is a wet fly swap in order ? I know Jaymor just did a WF/Soft Hackle swap last fall, but I think a straight up err, um, a "traditional" wet fly swap would be a fun one...Humm, what do you guys think? (Maybe in a month or so?)

And Walks, that's not my coachman, I just stole the pic....

Lonnie

Might be a fun swap. I participated in jaymorr's swap, and I think most people went the route of soft hackles. I think it would be interesting to make the swappers tie all original flies. No variations. Did I just say that? Whew, I must be sick...

[Lonnie]

I think it would be interesting to make the swappers tie all original flies. No variations.

Wait, are your reading from the manual again ?

Lonnie

[cheech]

Fly Tying Manual

Section 126.3-988753

"...changing, varying, integrating of new materials, and any other form of blatant mutation of any pattern is strictly prohibited. Zebra midges are always to be tied with black thread and silver wire, NO BEAD...." "...Flies that are over 150 years old should not be tampered with if one expects to stay free of lightning strikes. To verify the originallity of a 150 year old pattern, it can be taken to Walksinwater (who is the local expert), or to Ouzel (who is old enough to have known the inventors of such flies).

[Lonnie]

So can you tie a black midge, with silver wire and a bead, you just can't call it a zebra ??? ;-)

I say we go for the traditional wet fly swap. I've got some ideas on what I could tie....

Lonnie