New to dry flies

[troutfin308]

Hello, I'm pretty new to flyfishing and new to the site as well. I've browsed through a lot of the topics and found them to be very helpful and i feel as though i've learned a lot. I started out mainly fishing with what i've come to learn are "junk flies". Mainly dead drifting egg patterns, sucker spawns, san juan worms etc. under an indicator. I've done really well with all the "junk flies" and i eventually moved to nymphs. I've done good with nymphs too but now i want to make the leap to dry flies. I just got some royal wulffs, orange and yellow stimulators, and adams to start out with (not much hatching this time of year and these are supposedly good prospecting flies). Any other patterns I should pick up? Whats the most popular technique for dry flies, down and across, straight upstream etc.? Do you have to mend the line when fishing dries like you do when nymph fishing? I went out today and when i tried mending the fly would get sucked under and then it wouldn't float anymore. I picked up some floatant after i was done fishing and i was wondering if there is a certain way to apply it to make sure the fly still floats correctly on the water? Thanks a lot for any input and sorry for the newbie questions, just want to get the basics covered.

-Brady

 

[afishinado]

Welcome Brady,

Here's a link to a decent article about dry fly fishing that should answer most of your questions:

http://www.streamsideadventures.com/tips-and-techniques/improving-dry-fly-fishing.html

Good luck.

 

[joseywales]

Very good article. Simple and to the point. Thanks

 

[dryflyguy]

Best advice I would add here - get some beetles!

 

[pcray1231]

I catch more fish on dries than any other method. That said, I seek out places and times where I can succeed with dries because I enjoy it. There's something special about the visual aspect of seeing a trout rise to a fly. I enjoy nymphs too, but if the situation allows me to be reasonably successful on top, that's usually how I play it.

Always keep in mind your stream type. On richer streams, while prospecting with dries can sometimes pay off, it's fairly rare. If there's a hatch and they're rising on their own, by all means, use dries, that's when you get into the match the hatch game. You'll learn to time em, on a given stream at a given time of the year maybe this only happens in the evenings or whatever. But if nothing's rising, your more often than not going to struggle on top, total prospecting is much better underneath with nymphs, streamers, and the like.

Small, infertile streams are a totally different ball game. Even without the hatch and visible risers, those fish are often very opportunistic, and will smash a dry as well as anything else. The fact that dries are easier to fish, and can be fished from a greater distance, often makes them more effective in such places.

 

[BlkLgbEaDheAd09]

my go to dry fly would be an elk hair caddis size 14-16. they are extreamly versitile, you can tie them in just about any color, simple, and easy to tie (if you are into tying). and with a little floatant, they will ride on top all day. welcome to the site. dont hold back yer questions man, and good luck!

 

[troutfin308]

Thanks afishinado, that is a really good article, can't wait to get out and try again.
There are so many styles of beetles, any styles you recommend dryflyguy?
pcray1231, i'm mainly fishing stocked western pa streams, so would you recommed only using dry flies when something is hatching? And, if nothing is hatching i can still use terrestrials right? Floating beetles, crickets, hoppers, etc?
Thanks for all your help guys i really appreciate it.

 

[gaeronf]

troutfin308 wrote:
And, if nothing is hatching i can still use terrestrials right? Floating beetles, crickets, hoppers, etc?
Thanks for all your help guys i really appreciate it.

I'm just going to respond to this part. Yes, you can. But you can also try terrestrials that aren't floating! In particular, ants. I like fishing ant's wet (drowned ant) as well as dry. It's all up to you. Experiment.

 

[dryflyguy]

I like crowe beetles - which are made of deer hair. Unfortunately, they aren't very durable, and often come apart after a few fish. But they're simple to tie, and I don't mind replacing them often
Many guys tie and fish foam beetles, which last longer - and work too

Best sizes for me are #12, #14, and #16 - with the smaller size working best in low clear water, with picky fish

 

[pcray1231]

Stocked streams are generally a bit larger.

There will be some cases where you see very occasional risers. Not the typical hatch when they're contantly up and down, more like 1 every 10 minutes or something. But it does mean they are looking up, and dries can be effective. If they're out in the middle and splashy, try a caddis, even skate it around some, often they're keying on the movement and will EXPLODE on the fly. If it's up against the bank, or under or just downstream of an overhanging tree, and more sippy type rises, terrestrials are often the ticket. Ants, beetles, and the like. This can be effective. And don't just fish to the fish you saw rise, others are doing the same in the same kind of places, you just didn't happen to be watching that spot the last time they rose.

These are dry fly prospecting situations.

Of course, they sometimes start rising steadily, where you're constantly seeing rises in multiple locations. In those cases, match the hatch, fish to visible risers. My biggest number days are like this, they've done you the service of telling you exactly where they are, announcing that they are actively feeding, and if you're observant, it's easy to determine what they're feeding on. Look at the water and look for bugs to determine what insect, and watch rise forms to guess at what stage. "Boils" are usually floating nymphs, "slow" emergers or drowned flies, something just under the surface. Fast emerging insects can be splashy or even with true "jumps" where the fish rockets out of the water. Porpoises are often spinners, and regarding sound its like someone smacking their lips. Duns can be a bit splashy, or just audible, deep gulps. "Thwump".

If absolutely nothing rises, like those days where you see zero rises all day, you're probably gonna strike out on top. Though, it is nice to have observed a previous time when they were rising, because then you know where they lay, and can focus on those spots with your nymphs.