Recent NCPA Blue Lining

[Wild_Trouter]

Water levels and temps are ideal right now. #12 Mr. Rapidan has been the fly of choice lately. Cheers!

 

[salmo]

Great photos. Thanks for the post.

 

[wildtrout2]

Beautiful trout! Thanks for sharing that.

 

[Prospector]

Wild_Trouter, Great pictures

I’m curious. What is your best guess on your hookup percentage on a small wild trout stream with a dry fly?

For the past 40 years I used nothing but dry flies in wild streams. Then earlier this year, I was going anywhere from a 1 out of 5 to 1 out of 10 hookup rate, so I switched to wets on most days. For the most part it seemed to be a better approach with a far better hookup rate. There were days when the wet wasn’t hooking up either so I switched back to a dry and it is just so much more fun.

 

[barbless]

" I was going anywhere from a 1 out of 5 to 1 out of 10 hookup rate"

I'm glad someone else admits to this.

 

[Acristickid]

I could see using wet flies on the stream in the pictures above- but on streams smaller than that how do you effectively fish wets? Seems problematic.

 

[Prospector]

acristickid wrote:
I could see using wet flies on the stream in the pictures above- but on streams smaller than that how do you effectively fish wets? Seems problematic.

Yes I fish wets on very small creeks. As the stream gets smaller you need to fish upstream. Usually a roll cast works best from a little below the hole. Just keep a very low profile. The natural splat as your roll casted fly hits the water is very important. The hookup rate is improved if you let the fish take it and turn upstream before setting the hook.

A roll cast sometimes isn’t possible in stretches where the bank gets high. I usually get behind some cover and extend my rod over the stream and dab the fly in. The roll cast at water level is more effective but dabbing works too.

 

[Acristickid]

10-4 , very good.