Wet flies soft hackle and wings

[jayL]

They are versatile. I dead drift, swing, lift, czech nymph, and fish them in the film. That's just scratching the surface.

My favorite presentation is a dead drift followed by a swing, ala czech style.

 

[fritz]

I throw them a bit upstream, fishing them across, down and let them swing up through the current and/or off to the side of the current--in the slack water.

 

[troutslammer]

royal coachmen wet size 16-18 is very hot for steel in clear water with fluoro tippet .......

 

[JeffK]

Don't forget the winged wets - they haven't lost effectiveness and most trout aren't conditioned to them anymore.

A white wing fly works well in dirty water. Royal Coachman wet is the classic, but IMHO most white winged flies will do.

Hare's ear wet is a classic. One winged wet I really have grown to like, the Pass Lake, has a calf tail wing. I also like the teal, blue, and silver with a simple rolled teal wing. In the teal wing category the Peter Ross works well. I have had good luck with a Peter Ross during sulphur hatches - don't ask me why.

 

[afishinado]

JeffK wrote:
Don't forget the winged wets - they haven't lost effectiveness and most trout aren't conditioned to them anymore.

A white wing fly works well in dirty water. Royal Coachman wet is the classic, but IMHO most white winged flies will do.

Hare's ear wet is a classic. One winged wet I really have grown to like, the Pass Lake, has a calf tail wing. I also like the teal, blue, and silver with a simple rolled teal wing. [color=CC0000] In the teal wing category the Peter Ross works well. I have had good luck with a Peter Ross during sulphur hatches - don't ask me why.[/color]

Never heard of the Peter Ross. Here is what I came up with:

http://www.flytyer.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=291&Itemid=82

http://www.fish4flies.com/Wet/Winged/Peter_Ross

http://www.centralflies.com/wet-flies/peter_ross.html

A lot of different versions as with many flies.

I started FF with wets and they worked well. I didn't use them for a while, but have fished them a bit more lately and I usually do well, especially when I see fish hanging in the column feeding, not rising, but not on the bottom either. One more thing to try and tie. I like that Peter Ross pattern and will give them a try Jeff. Which version looks most like the ones you use?

 

[JeffK]

I like the looks of the second one, but usually just bunch the wing like the third one. The last one could use a longer thorax and a sparcer tail IMHO.

Basically mine is:
Tail: Golden pheasant tippet
Body: silver tinsel 2/3, red coarse dubbing 1/3 (seal substitute, coarse synthetic, or chopped up wool yarn in a pinch)
Rib: small oval tinsel over both the tinsel and dubbing.
Hackle: black hen (I generally tie it collar style and pull it down when I tie in the wing)
Wing: teal bunched - I don't bother trying to get nice matched wings for teal winged flies. First fish usually combs the neatly tied teal into a bunch, so why not start that way.

Pass Lake Wet
Tail: Brown hen
Body: Black wool
Hackle: Brown hen
Wing: White calf tail (light snowshoe hare foot OK too)
Looks simple and plain, but has worked well for me.

I typically use a 12 or 14 Mustad 3906 hook for these.

For teal, blue, and silver I actually use a Danish variation. I used to love to fish and tie Silver Doctor wets. Still do, but these seem to fish the same and take only a fraction of the time to tie.

Thread: Red (makes for a nice red head like a Silver Doctor)
Tail: red duck quill slip - slender (can also use cheap swan/goose quill from craft store)
Body: silver tinsel
Rib: silver oval tinsel
Hackle: Silver Doctor blue (a light blue)
Wing: Bunched teal

 

[afishinado]

Thanks Jeff, I'll tie some up.

 

[osprey]

On almost all pheasant flank feathers there is a small hackle looking feather attached to the back , the stem is real fragile to wrap and also to trout teeth , to get around this dub a little fur and soak it with head cement , let it set up a little and then wrap , more movement in water than anything i know of , even marabou , they are small , just the right size for most of our nymphs and wets , someone got a nymph in Boss's swap.