A year with a wet fly

A year with a wet fly

Text, photos, fly tying—Jakub Chruszczewski
(This article appeared in WW 2017)

   Early spring, somewhere in Pomerania. A river teeming with sea trout; the water—as is often the case at this time of year—is slightly high, with a moderate current but fairly deep. If there are any fish here, they’ll be clinging to the bottom, behind some obstacle, or in a washout on the riverbank. You’ll need to work the fly as deep as possible and let it work there for as long as possible. For this, the right setup and the proper technique are essential.

   Under these conditions, I usually use a 10'–10'6” rod in the 8–9 AFTM class. The main line (depending on the drag and depth) has a sink rate of III–VI; the leader consists of two sections of monofilament, most often 0.45/0.30, with a total length of about 2 m. The speed at which the fly is retrieved to the appropriate depth can also be adjusted (in addition to using lines with different sink rates) by changing the length of the leader. After all, it would be difficult to frequently change the spool with a different line depending on the nature of the spot we’re fishing. For example, when fishing with a setup using a line with a sinking rate of IV, the fly’s descent speed is satisfactory. At some point, while moving leisurely downstream, we come across a promising channel—not very long, but significantly deeper and with a fast current. It’s not worth switching to a faster-sinking line, especially since we’ll soon be fishing in slower, shallower water again. A simple solution is to shorten the leader to about one meter at most. A fast line will sink a properly presented fly and allow it to penetrate the area of interest. Conversely, if the line is too fast, lengthening the leader will prevent the fly from getting snagged. Before the line pulls the fly to the bottom, the current will do its job and carry it to where we want it to go.

   Some fly fishermen use weighted flies to get the fly to the bottom quickly. I’m not a fan of such solutions; I don’t like weighted flies. If anything, I equip my flies with metal eyes that aren’t too heavy, which give the fly an interesting action, especially when tied to the leader with a loose loop. 

   With all these efforts aimed at placing the fly in the right spot—under the often challenging conditions found on Pomeranian rivers—a rod of the appropriate length proves invaluable. It allows for roll casts in places where a classic overhead cast is impossible. It also allows you to mend with a quickly sinking line. This is because we’re often separated from the spot where we expect the fish to be by a current of faster-moving water. In such cases, you need to cast the line upstream to delay the moment when the water, pressing against the line, sweeps the fly away from where you expect the fish to be.

   The flies I use in these conditions are either classic wet sea trout flies or more colorful, fancy patterns. Both types come in sizes 4 through 2/0. However, in my opinion, when fishing for sea trout in winter and early spring, the fly pattern is of secondary importance. What matters more is the proper presentation and retrieve. And, of course, hooking a fish that takes an interest in our fly.

   Early spring, a river in the foothills. The snow has already melted; now the water level is quite high, with a slightly greenish tint. The fish aren’t very active yet and don’t feed very often. They aren’t stimulated to feed by insect hatches, as these are rather rare at this time of year. You have to try to „entice” a fish that’s just sitting on the bottom. Offer it something that will provoke an attack. It should be a bite large enough that it’s worth the fish’s while to swim over to it. Something that mimics a large insect, a larva, or a small fish. For example, a large, classic wet fly, or one of the many „streamer-like” lures in subdued colors. You need to retrieve such a fly as slowly as possible, close to the bottom, because that’s where—behind a rock or a submerged log—a large fish is waiting for it. For fishing in such conditions, I usually prepare the following setup: a 9'6” rod – 10' in AFTM class 6–8, a sinking line with a sinking rate of II–IV, a leader slightly shorter than the rod, with a tip section 0.22–0.25 thick. All the techniques described above, which are useful when fishing for sea trout and aimed at properly presenting the fly, will now also apply. After all, we’ll still be dealing with sluggish, inactive fish, so it’s important to present the fly as deep as possible and allow it to work in the right spot for as long as possible. Once again, a long rod and the ability to mend in both directions will come in handy here. Adjusting the leader length—shortening or lengthening it—also makes it easier to quickly adapt the rig to the conditions we encounter.

   Spring is in full swing. The days are already long and warm. All the insects have appeared. There are numerous species of mayflies, caddisflies, and stoneflies; we can expect the Mayfly hatch soon. Basically, all types of wet flies are suitable. Most often at this time of year, I fish with a classic wet fly—probably my absolute favorite. So many years ago, I learned to fish on the Raba River. An 8'6''–9' rod, AFTM class 5/6. Line ranging from floating to intermediate, to a line that sinks at the second sink rate. A traditional leader, slightly shorter than the rod, with a tip that’s usually no thinner than 0.16; halfway along the leader, there’s a loop for tying on a second fly.

   I try to match my flies to what I observe on the water, because during the insect hatch, a wet fly can be just as effective as a dry fly—sometimes even more so. I think that during the emergence, a wet fly imitates a nymph emerging in its final stage of metamorphosis or an insect that has failed at this final stage and is drifting listlessly with the current. My observations suggest that fish sometimes selectively feed on precisely these nymphs or „failures,” known in English as crippled flies. The method in question, in a nutshell, goes like this: cast diagonally downstream toward the opposite bank. Depending on the current conditions, you’ll need to make one or more mends. Next, when the current tightens the line, we let the flies drift with the current, while maintaining contact with them at all times. This is where a problem arises. Flies drifting quite freely will provoke fish to strike, but these strikes cannot be felt on the rod. On the other hand, if we keep the line under constant tension, the flies will move naturally for only a short time before drifting rapidly across the water. Reconciling these two essentially mutually exclusive factors—natural drift and constant contact with the rig—is the fundamental challenge of this method. Holding the rod high enough to keep as long a section of the line as possible in the air, following the drifting rig with the rod tip, and gradually lowering the tip allows you to maximize the effective time the flies spend in the water.

   There’s also another type of wet fly that I often use, similar to fishing with a top nymph. I reach for it when I see fish feeding near the surface and have a chance to get as close to them as possible. I cast relatively close by, diagonally upstream. I hold the rod high and try to guide the rig so that only the leader floats on the surface or just below it. It drifts toward me, so as it gets closer, I have to raise the rod higher and higher, while simultaneously reeling in the line with my left hand. When the rig is directly in front of me, I begin to lower the rod, following the drifting leader with the tip. The faster the current, the shorter the natural drift of the flies. It’s difficult to spot a bite when fishing this way. Any sign of a fish near the flies should be met with a set.

   And here’s one more method I remember from years ago. I’m referring to the method that Józek Jeleński calls „the dip method.” After finishing the retrieve, when the line straightens out completely, lift the rod upward so that the leader fly hovers just below the surface, and the “jumper” (hence its name, I suppose) on the leader dances on the surface or just above it. Fish strike both flies. As the leader fly, it’s a good idea to tie on something large, such as a muddler. This helps keep the rig taut. Wingless flies like spiders or Pallmers work well as the “jumper.”  This method, practiced from a drifting boat using special long rods and a three-fly rig on a long leader, is a distinct art of fishing in still waters, popular in the British Isles.

 Fall. A calm, windless day by the river…
Oh, right, I think we've already talked about this…