Wet fly fishing advice

[lonekimono]

Hello everyone. I would like to try some wet fly fishing. I live in NEPA. If anyone could please help me out with some good wet fly patterns to tie? What sizes are recommended? I see some pretty big wet fly sizes. Also what type of set up for a leader setup is recommended and any other advice to pointme in the rightdirection? It would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks.

 

[Tigereye]

Some wet flies worth having in NEPA are) March Brown (10-12) , grey soft hackle (12-14), Partridge and Green soft hackles (14-16), Partridge and yellow soft hackles (14-18), leading coachman (12-14), hare's ear wet fly (12), breadcrust (12-14).

As for fishing them, they are quite simple. A 7 1/2 ft leader with an 18 inch 4x tippet will work. Vary your presentation. Some times an active retrieve works especially during caddis hatches. Other times just let the fly hang below you for a minute or 2 and slowly hand wrap it back.

Another technique is the Leisenring lift. I fish that with a bit of a twist. Add a sinker at leader tippet knot to get fly down fast. Follow line with your rod tip and stop drift when fly enters likely area. The fly will rise to top imitating hatching insect right where you want it to.

Strikes will be solid. Leave a bit of slack in your hand above the reel. Resist temptation to "set" the hook. Let fish take slack from your hand. They hook themselves. Alot less missed fish this way.

 

[lonekimono]

Thanks! Tigereye. I will definitely give it a try. Thanks for the advice.

 

[bigjohn58]

Throw a picket pen or picket pin or however you want to say it too. That looks like a good selection of flies. I always did a march brown, gold rib hares ear, and a picket pen. sometimes I'd swap the march brown for a leadwing coachman.

 

[Dave_W]

Wet fly fishing is most effective in the springtime when insect activity is high (in my experience) and water temps are above 45 degrees.

In particular, keep an eye out for caddis. When I see caddis out and about, especially if I see no rise activity or the occasional splashy rise, I reach for wet flies.

If you haven't already seen it, there's a recent thread on hooking fish on wets here.

For patterns, I like any style tied with Hungarian partridge soft hackle. These skins are a bit on the pricey side but generally less than dry fly necks. I like some of my wets tied with a bead for weight and most of them are in the 12-14 size range. Green and brown bodies are standard for me. I rarely fish traditional feather wing wet flies.

 

[maxima12]

All your questions can be answered by:

Davy Wotton , check him out on internet.

Davy has also been used by rod companies to develop rods. The companies choose not to call the rods, wet fly rods because of a real lack in wet fly fishing, instead call them Euro Nymph Rods. As always , the right name sells more.

As far as his fave's. March Brown, Hares Ear, Alexandria , several Invicta patterns.

Also a 3 fly rig is very good for wets. Why fish 1, when you can fish 3.

 

[salvelinusfontinalis]

I dont exculsively toss wetflies on my line at anytime.
I do like using them as droppers off a caddis.
I find a size 16 or 14 adams wet to be extremely deadly most days i go to one.

Im sure swung on a wet fliy set up the results would be the same.
Just an fyi

 

[SteveG]

Tie some sz 16 and 18 starling and peacocks. Also, if you're having trouble finding appropriately sized feathers to hackle conventionally, you can use this technique shown here https://youtu.be/31DWumnrPIs

With the method in that vid, you can just buy the cheap "bulk" partridge feathers that everyone ignores.

 

[redietz]

Tigereye wrote:
Some wet flies worth having in NEPA are) March Brown (10-12) , grey soft hackle (12-14), Partridge and Green soft hackles (14-16), Partridge and yellow soft hackles (14-18), leading coachman (12-14), hare's ear wet fly (12), breadcrust (12-14).

I'd add to that Pheasant Tail Soft Hackle (14-18), Tup's Spider (14), Stewart's Black Spider (16), and a Wet Ant (14-18). The latter two are useful in summer. A Pratridge and Orange will pretty much take fish year round.

Don't limit yourself to just fishing on the swing. At times, an upstream or up and across presentation will catch more fish, and often larger fish. (An upstream presentation is much like Euro nymphing except that the flies will be near the top of the column rather than near bottom.)

 

[lycoflyfisher]

Redietz, I did fairly well a couple Sundays back on Cedar Run utilizes the upstream/ contact fishing approach. I was actually nymphing and using a olive softhackle as a dropper high in the water column. I think that it could be a very effective approach in the right conditions.

 

[redietz]

lycoflyfisher wrote:
Redietz, I did fairly well a couple Sundays back on Cedar Run utilizes the upstream/ contact fishing approach. I was actually nymphing and using a olive softhackle as a dropper high in the water column. I think that it could be a very effective approach in the right conditions.

Especially in pocket water, where swinging isn't really an option.

 

[riverwhy]

Anyone have any advice on hackling with duck feathers? I just watched a tutorial on tying an olive emerger that had cdc then mallard or wood duck. I did OK on the CDC portion then epic fail on the mallard portion. I really would like to learn this skill!
My problems:
1. fibers seem too long
2. fibers seem too clumpy
3. breakoff at the tie in point and and at the hackle pliers
Sorry, I just rewatched and it was Hungarian Partridge the guy used. Why do I have so many materials but never the right one!

 

[just_jon]

I’m a died in the wool down and across wet fly guy. After seeing the below video two winters ago, I now do most of my wet fly fishing upstream.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ge7Cl6ltAAs

 

[lonekimono]

Thanks everyone for all the great information. I will have to start tying and give the wet flies a try.