All fishing flies get wet, that is unless they land in a tree when they are cast. Well, on second thought,
many wet flies never do actually get wet because they stay in the fly angler’s fly box and are never used. Many of the older, original wet flies end up as a collectors item. It is a fact that wet fly fishing isn’t as popular as it once was. It was one of the very first types of trout flies. Some of the old timers and some anglers that have recently been introduced to the wet fly, think they are the most effective type of trout flies.

Trout are primarily feed below the surface of the water but even so, anglers generally prefer the dry fly.
When they do fish below the surface, most anglers use nymphs. The wet fly in several different forms is the basis for fly-fishing, as it is known today. Anglers from past years relied heavily on the wet fly as their primary method of fly fishing for trout. Today it is used very little but it is becoming more and more popular.

Some may think fishing the wet fly is a simple method. Quite the opposite of that, it is as involved as most any other type of fly fishing for trout. I have had anglers ask me, what the advantage of a wet fly is over a nymph. These same anglers rarely know the difference in a nymph and a pupae because they lack a basic understanding of aquatic insects. The wet fly imitates a caddisfly pupa accenting to the surface very well. Nymphs are found on the bottom unless they are emerging to hatch on the surface of the water. It could be said that wet flies are effective in imitating emerging mayflies, but I don’t think that’s an advantage over fishing a mayfly emerger fly, especially if it is a specific imitation of the hatching mayfly.

Fishing wet flies is usually done in a searching manner, without any specific place in mind. Of course, it is far more effective if presented in areas that have a concentration of trout. Many fish a wet fly the same way they swing streamers or on the swing. Swinging the wet fly allows you to cover a lot of water fast. By taken a step or two downstream on each presentation, you can cover an area of riffles or a large pool fairly easy.

Wet flies are also used effectively with the Czech method of fly fishing. Sometimes two, even three, wet flies are fished using this method. I think wet flies is better than nymphs when using the Czech method. This method works best in fast riffles and runs.

The Japanese used the Tenkara method of fly fishing using wet flies hundreds of years ago. It is still an
effective method of fishing today that’s gaining in popularity.

Copyright James Marsh 2013

A banker once ask me what I did for a living. I replied, “I sell flies”. He then asked, “who in the World is
buying flies”. I continued to explain that I didn’t sell house flies, rather fishing flies. From that time on, I
have always tried to add the word “fishing” to flies, or trout flies, flies you fish with, or something to
indicate the difference in house flies and fishing flies.

Flies to catch fish on have been around for hundreds of years, if not longer. Fishing flies are artificial
flies that are used in fly fishing. Fly fishing is a method of fishing. There is a huge difference in fly
fishing flies and other artificial fishing lures and baits. The main difference is flies used for fly fishing
are very light and in many cases, almost weightless. They are cast using a fly rod. Unlike conventional
fishing tackle, fly rods work by casting the weight of the fly line, not the fly.

Conventional fishing tackle rods, such as spinning and bait casting rods, depend on the weight of the
fishing lure or bait to propel the cast. You cannot cast a hook size 16 dry fly on a casting or spinning
rod.

Although fishing flies imitate what their name indicates, they also imitate other types of food fish eat
other than flies. They can imitate crustaceans, baitfish, egg flies, worm flies and many other types of
trout flies. Fishing flies can imitate frogs, fish, shrimp, crabs, mice, and just about any thing fish eat in
fresh and saltwater.

At Perfect Fly, we tie and sell trout flies, smallmouth bass flies, largemouth bass flies, bream flies,
panfish flies, bluegill flies, muskie flies, northern pike flies, salmon flies, steelhead flies, inshore
saltwater flies, offshore saltwater flies, saltwater flats flies, redfish flies, permit flies, bonefish flies, and a lot more different types of fishing flies.

Flies can also be designated as wet flies and dry flies. Sometimes they are classified as nymphs and
dry flies. They can also be classified as adult flies, larvae flies, pupae flies, egg flies, attractor flies,
streamers, and as many other types of flies.

Flies can also be classified as specific imitations of food fish eat and generic flies that imitate a variety
of different foods fish eat. They can also be classified as realistic imitations, semi-realistic imitations,
impressionistic flies, and by many other names.

Copyright James Marsh 2013

I love to fly fish and have done so for many years. Recently, I found out that I
had a herniated disc which made slipping or falling extremely dangerous. Always
before, I just took off into the stream and took falling as part of the day, but no
more. I was then introduced to the best and safest way to move in the water
without falling. I got introduced to the collapsible wading staff.
  A collapsible wading staff is the best and safest way to get around in your
favorite stream. It will act as a third leg to help you maintain your balance. The
wading staff also allows you to check water depth and to check the condition of the
bottom where you are wading. The collapsible feature allows you to carry the
wading staff easier without it being in the way. It also allows you to have access to
the wading staff quickly.
  The best collapsible wading staff that I have found is the Perfect Fly Deluxe
Collapsible Wading Staff. I have found this collapsible wading staff to be very
strong, lightweight, and extremely packable. There’s never any reason to not take
it with you. It has an aluminum staff that packs down to 15 inches to easily stow in
your pack until it’s needed. Expands to 54″ to support the largest anglers, which is
a big plus to me as I am 6’7” and weigh 230#. It has a grip made for the hand and
a nylon wrist sling. It includes neoprene storage case, and is price competitive.
  All in all, a collapsible wading staff makes a safe and necessary addition to any
fly fisherman’s list of accessories.

Copyright James Marsh 2014

Many dedicated trout fishermen load up their gear to go fishing and look forward
to a great day in their favorite stream. They grab their rod, flies, waders and chest
pack, but don’t think about basic necessities such as the wading staff.
 
    Wading staffs are almost as important a piece of gear as your rod. Most
streams have bottoms that are uneven or rocky and footing can be treacherous at
times. The Wading staff can help to prevent falls, check water depth, and check
the texture of the bottom you are wading. The Wading staff can act as a third leg
and help you to maintain your balance in fast moving water or on slick or rocky
bottoms.
   
   There are numerous kinds of wading staffs, but the best ones seem to be the
ones that are collapsible and go in a pouch on your belt rather than the rigid ones
that are hard to handle and seem to get in the way as you are trying to fish.
   
    We think the best one for the money on the market is The “Perfect Fly” Deluxe
Wading Staff. It is very strong, lightweight, and extremely packable. There’s never
any reason to not take it with you. It has an aluminum staff that packs down to 15
inches to easily stow in your pack until it’s needed. It expands to 54″ to support the
largest anglers. It has a grip made for the hand and a nylon wrist sling. It includes
neoprene storage case. It is also competitively priced and makes an excellent
addition to your fly fishing gear.

Copyright James Marsh 2013

Landing nets not only make it easier for you to land a fish, they also make it easier on the
fish. Most fish, especially those ultra tired from being taken on very light tippets, need all
the help they can get to survive unaffected. Keeping them in the water while you are
releasing the hook is one key to good release technique. Choose the smallest one you
can get away with, landing net that is, not fish.

Copyright James Marsh 2013

GPS Receivers/Chart Plotters:
If you spot a big fish or discover a good fishing area in a remote location that you are
unfamiliar with, then you may want to store that location by marking it as a waypoint in the
memory of a portable GPS receiver. They are small, lightweight, affordable, and accurate
to within a few feet. You can always return to that same exact location from any other
location in the world at any time later.  

Radios:
If you are fishing with a partner, normally you will be some distance apart in order to stay
out of each, others way. Often, on small streams you may not be within sight of each
other and in some cases, even when you are in view of one another, you cannot hear
one another due to the sound of the water. Small, economical, family use, two-way radios
are very useful in communicating with each other and may even offer some safety
advantage.

Copyright James Marsh 2013

Polarized sunglasses are just about a must for any fishing situation. They simply allow
you to see you line, leader and fly better in various lighting conditions than you can with
the necked eye.  They are also very helpful when it comes to being able to spot fish and
structure below the surface of the water.

If you use regular prescription glasses then you should consider prescription, polarized
sunglasses. If anything, you need to see better when you are fly fishing- certainly not
worse. In most all cases you must be able to read the water and in some cases, spot fish,
to be successful.

Polarized, sunglasses reduce the glare on the water’s surface making it much easier to
see everything including your fly. Don’t forget the UV protection advantages that you can
get from making the right choice. You should also be aware that different shades of
lenses are available for different lighting conditions and this can make a difference.

Copyright James Marsh 2013

Strike indicators provide a quick, easy solution to catching fish on nymphs. They  
make it easier to detect strikes with submerged flies. They are in essence no
different than a float that bobbles or dives under the water when a fish takes the
nymph. Strike Indicators lets you present nymphs in a dead drift manner.

Often we head to our favorite stream anticipating a hatch and arrive to find nothing is
hatching. That’s the time you have to decide if your going to be a stubborn dry fly
only angler, or your going to fish nymphs. If you choose to fish nymphs, unless
nymph fishing is something you have had a lot of experience with, you will probably
want to use a strike indicator.

Some anglers consider using an indicator unethical. Some anglers fish nothing but
dry flies and others wouldn’t dare use a sinking line. Others will not add weight to
their flies. Different anglers have different ideas about what’s right or wrong and
good or bad. This will probably never change. The difference most anglers make is
usually determined by answering this one question. Had you rather catch trout or just
cast flies?  

A strike indicator is nothing more or less than something attached to the leader to let
you know when a fish has taken your submerged fly. This is all well and fine except
there are some things you should consider. Strike indicators can spook trout. The
question becomes, how many will you spook versus how many will you catch. If the
indicator increases your odds of success by letting you know what’s happening to
your nymph, most anglers would have a difficult time rejecting their use.

This “spooking” problem can be controlled to some extent. The distance you place
your fly from the indicator is a factor. Of course, this depends on the depth of the
water and the current. In determining the distance, you have to allow for the speed of
the current and the amount of weight added to help keep the fly down. It also
depends to some extend on how far from the fly the weight (usually split-shot) is
placed. The rule of thumb for average stream conditions (if there is such a thing) is
to place the strike indicator one and a half times the depth of the water.

The next thing that’s a factor is the type of indicator being used. There are many
types available. Bobber type strike indicators come in all shapes and sizes. There
are also yarn type strike indicators. You can even grease up the leader and tippet
and use it as a strike indicator.

Bobbers come in plastic, cork and foam. They come in all colors of the spectrum.
They come in all sizes. Large ones cast larger shadows and are easier for the trout
to see, yet they are easier for the angler to see. Small ones are difficult to see in
rough water. The larger ones may be more difficult to cast, especially in windy
conditions. There’s plenty of trade-offs to consider.

A big consideration is how easy is the strike indicator to take off the leader and
replace or to use the leader for another type of fishing. Some are so difficult to
change out they require you to replace the leader. Others are easy to remove and
can be done quickly and without damage to the leader.

All of these things affect the efficiency and benefit of strike indicators. There are no
set hard, fast rules. The best thing available for any angler using a strike indicator is
common sense.

Yes, we are biased. That’s why we prefer and use our “KISS Strike Indicators”. We
don’t just prefer them because we sell them. We think we have very good reasons
for preferring them.

Copyright James Marsh 2013

Fly Floatants:
Generally speaking, most dry flies will tend to float high on the surface of the water for
only a given amount of time, depending upon the materials the fly is made from. At some
point it may begin to sink partially and sometimes, completely. Various types of  
“floatants”, some dry and some in liquid composition help prevent this.

Fly Line Dressings and Cleaners:
The dirtier you floating fly line gets, the more likely it will not float high on the surface of
the water. Both dirty sinking lines and floating lines are less likely to shoot through the
guides of your rod as good as they would if they were clean. Fly line cleaners and
dressings not only clean your floating line and helps prevent them from sinking after
repetitive use, they can make any type of line easier to cast.

Descent Leader Sink:  
There are dressings designed to do just the opposite thing with your leader-that is help
them sink. This may be helpful in fishing wet flies and even may come in handy in
concealing the presence of your leader. Slightly sinking the leader when you are fishing
dry flies in calm water may help reduce the flash as well as the shadow the leader may
cast on the bottom. This helps to conceal the presence of the leader.’

Lead Weights (Split Shot):
There are removable type lead split shots as well as the type that’s difficult to remove.
Both types can damage a tippet if they are applied to tightly. This is more of a problem
with fine tippets than heavy tippets but clinching lead split-shot on any nylon mono tippet
or leader material will damage to some extent. It will do the same thing with flourocarbon
tippet.

Most anglers prefer a variety of sizes of split-shot in one container rather than several
boxes of different sizes of split-shot but the choice is yours. Some anglers tend to just
keep adding more of the same size split shot but in most fly fishing situations, having a
variety of sizes is a plus.

Non-toxic weights:
There are some areas and streams that require the use of non-toxic weights. In other
words, lead weights are not permitted. There are several types of non-toxic weights on
the market. Some are applied similar to the way you apply lead split-shot and others are
putty like substances that you wad up on the tippet.

Copyright James Marsh 2013