Fly Fishing with Wet Flies: The Complete Guide | Ep. 110

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About this video: Fly fishing with wet flies is one of the easiest, most effective ways to put more fish in the net. Wet flies are often considered one of the easiest types of fly fishing flies to use, and some experts recommend starting anyone out in fly fishing with wet flies. In this episode of Untangled, you'll learn all about what wet flies are, why you'd want to use them, and how to fish them.

You'll also learn about:

- How to get good drifts across large, deep pools with multiple currents
- The differences between a 9' 4-weight and 9' 5-weight
- How to cast strike indicators
- The best strike indicators for mountain streams

#venturesflyco #livereellife #flyfishing #beginnerflyfishing #howtoflyfish

[edherrmann]

When I learned to tie flys back in the middle/ late 60’s as a young lad, wet flies were the fly to tie.
I learned the old school wet flys with wings and wet hackles. Some of my favorites were tied as size 8, 10, and 12s.
I learned to swing wet flies before I learned anything else. And when a fish hit a wet fly you knew it because they slammed them. Today, I still tie a few old patterns as well as the newer soft hackles.
Most people don’t realize that many of the materials we have today, didn’t exist 35-50 years ago. Many synthetics and even wire was rarely available or used. I love the materials we have today. But I Remember the hair and feathers, chenilles, and dubbings. Real flosses and limited tinsels. Threads like today were not available.
But I’m glad you’re covering wet flies.

[FlyGuy-lj]

I will never forget "SOFT HACKLE, SOFT HACKLE" Written by Alex and Performed by Spencer! The bill for cleaning my keyboard from a Pepsi spew. Priceless!!! 2 Diet Cokes and 2 Coke Zero`s. On a more serious note. Could you please do a complete on the water with soft hackle episode in 2025? Hint hint early spring would be nice.😉🙂

[danmcnamara]

Wow! Well done! I was introduced to these flys in North Central PA years people have looked at me like I'm a Martian. I continue to use them, when I can find them in fly shops. And with God success. They're coming back! Great video great lesson... Really enjoyed this! Thanks!

[MichaelKuczynski-xt]

Very effective way to fish . I was just in Chile fishing and had brought a Skagit head setup on one of my 6wt reels for my single hand 6wt rod . Took my reel off that was set up for dries ( that was working) and put this setup on 3rd cast went tight on the biggest brown of the day . Swung down about 10 yards further caught a huge Rainbow . The guide we were with was sold, he had done two handed spay but never used a single hand Skagit setup . I live in Montana and use this setup a lot especially when mayflies or caddis are starting to hatch. One thing I would add when swinging is when the fly gets directly below you and your line is straight don’t pull it out right away. They call that the dangle Or hang down quite often the fish follow the fly and when it’s at this point they take it . Thanks for sharing

[johnhanley]

Thanks for all VFC does, enjoy your pod casts and all the info you put out. keep it coming

[ome]

Simon Gawesworth is by far the best teacher in fly fishing I've ever watched, so clear and informative and often goes into the subtleties often critical and over looked, a great ambassador for fishing and Great Britain. Not to say Tom Rosenbauer isn't a brilliant teacher, both have changed how I fly fish.

[darrelbaillie]

Thank you for the interesting tips. I am not normally one for podcasts, but I find your channel very helpful and informative 👍. Look forward to some more videos.

[johngrove]

Hello, 100 years ago my Grandfather was a master fly fisherman using bamboo rods, silk fly line, and wet flys. I had the chance to watch him do his thing in the fifties and nineteen sixties. I was a thing of beauty. Good on all fisher people where ever they are. 🐸

[logstuff]

Peacock hearl body with soft grouse feather wing and a bead head has caught hundreds ++ of fish for me over the years.

[jonathanmead]

Had a great day today on the East Fork of the French Broad River in Brevard, NC. 15 + fish big hookups on the old reliable soft hackle flies

[glenndotter]

There are winged wet flies and there are just soft hackles. 60 + years ago I was introduced to wet flies and given a 3 fly set up with black gnat, March Brown, and Light Cahill. Those 3 will catch trout anywhere.

[BP-]

Another great video! Thanks guys. I've struggled at times when I see fish breaking the surface but not taking dries. Also, I can remember numerous times when I was not paying attention at the end of a drift and then getting bit. After watching Simon's video a few weeks ago, a light bulb came on. They have to be related. Since watching his video, all I've been tying recently to fill my fly boxes are emergers, soft hackles, and cripples. I'm using partridge and CDC for wing movement. I've also tied these same patterns with brass beads, glass bead and with no beads for different depths in the water column. I can't wait to try them out and refine my flies and techniques if needed. Thanks again and keep up the good work!

[mlg]

Learned so much here. I always thought all wet flies were meant to mimic small fish, minnows, etc. My favorites, btw, are the Alexandra and the Carey Special.

[leonardchecchio]

Davy Wotton a Welshman living in Arkansas has a fantastic video on traditional wet fly fishing. He goes into detail re leaders, droppers, different drifts knots and conditions. It’s not just swinging. There are many ways to fish them during different conditions. When swinging a critical factor is to keep the rod tip chest high with a bow between the tip and water surface with a light drag. When the fish strikes do nothing until the fish hooks itself. If you strike the fish will break the line or get off. It can be a very relaxing enjoyable way to enjoy time on the water.

[brianfeeney]

Merci 🎉
Love me Soft Hackles in NW Michigan
🎣

[daveschlom]

Here on the Lower Sacramento my go to when wade fishing is swinging a bird's nest. So fun. To reiterate an important point you made, do not set. The fish will either do that or not. A smooth horizontal, gentle rise of your rod towards the near side bank is a good way to "set." The takes are WAY fun! And you can relax and enjoy the scenery instead of staring at a bobber or your dry. Lovely way to fish AND it works! Good topic Mr. Durant. Do you miss getting called that?

[jonathanmead]

My PB 28" Rainbow came on a soft hackle caddis emerger that i tie. You will not find it in any fly shop that I know of. It has been developed from 44 years of time on the water. It doesn't matter where I am, it works.

[jasonlowe]

It always surprises me how few USA anglers fish "North Country Spiders", most of your waters look perfect for it. When I talk to them. they have little to no interest, they would much rather fish Nymphs/mono line/Euro nymph. So I was really happy when I saw the above video. I was also surprise on how well you covered the subject. One thing I would like to add is on how you fish Spiders/wet flies. There are two main parts of the drift, yes I fish the swing and catch lots of fish by doing so, however if you cast upstream slightly ahead of you, the dead drift from there to when the line starts to swing is just as important (it is a bit like Euro nymphing but covering water horizontally rather than vertically). I would be fishing a team of 3 flies with the point fly slightly weighted, Thanks again for putting this video out, Cheers!!

[jonathanmead]

It's similar to a Holy Grail but different. Size 18 and 20

[collinlheureux]

My name is Collin I’m from Idaho I have a wild story. The other day I went down to my local stream couldn’t figure the fish out. I tied on everything I had in my box and nothing then right when I was about to leave I had saw a fish rising for midges so I tied on a size 18 zebra casted 15 feet above where the trout was rising and I saw the fish come out of nowhere and eat my midge and I got it to shore and it broke off. I I rushed the netting. Your podcasts are teaching me so so much about the sport and you thought me how to match the hatch and just wanted to say thanks cuz you are giving me so much knowledge in the sporting