Fly Fishing - Wet Flies For Trout: Best Wet Fly Patterns?

jeremy · Location: Portland, Maine

I was trout fishing the other day and noticed that trout were feeding, as the do a lot of times, just under the surface. I then remembered that I used to fish wet flies a lot. Not sure when I stopped and why I stopped --- but it has been a while since I tied on a wet fly. Swinging a wet fly for trout has produced some amazing results for me on certain rivers and in certain situations. I was wondering if anyone esle fishes wet flies on the swing .. and if so, what wet fly patterns do you use or recommend .. or what patterns would you consider "must haves" and all around good versatile patterns. If memory serves me correct .. I think I used to fish a March Brown and a Dark Hendrikson wet fly most of the time, with the March Brown wet fly being a very versatile pattern that I could use to represent various bugs ... What wet fly patterns do you "never leave home without" ... and how do you fish them .. dry line and swing? as a dropper to another fly? .. Thanks ..

Matt1515 · Location: Greensboro, NC

I've never been a "match the hatch" guy so general flies always have suited me well. I really only carry two wet flies in my boxes and they are the hare's ear tied in traditional style and the "orange and partridge" wet fly. I like the form and enjoy tying traditional wets but mainly for gifts to give to my older clients.

joey · Location: Colorado

Swinging wet flies can be killer....but like your Jeremy I tend to forget to try it. My favorite patterns have been soft hackle flies in various colors. I like to set my line up with two flies, much like nymphing but slightly different. Start with a 7' to 9' leader and add 12-14" of tippet material. Connect the two with a surgeons knot and leave a tag about 3-4" long. This is where I attach my first fly and the second one is attached to the end of the tippet. Much like swinging flies for steelhead I cast my flies down stream at a 45 degree angle and swing them through. This technique works well in shallow riffles where dry flies are difficult to see.

Fish1 · Posted: Fri 07/17/09 1:30 am Post subject:

This one is my #1 wet...I use it in smaller and bigger versions!
T

Kennebecster · Posted: Wed 07/29/09 10:30 pm Post subject:

A partridge and olive wetfly is one of my favorites . a colored body with one or two wraps of partridge hackle usually does the trick. I think that it looks a little like everything.
The old leadwing coachman has produced very well for me when you have caddis that are laying their eggs. In the early eighties my father would use coachmen wetflies during caddis hatches and catch an awful lot of fish.