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The Down and Across Wet Fly Technique |
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by Robert Williamson (As published in Utah Fishing magazine) The Down-and-Across wet fly technique is a very relaxing and effective way to fish. It is also a very easy way for beginning fly fishers to learn how the equipment works and how the currents of a stream move a line and fly. Relying on down and across presentation can also help the angler to reach places that remain untouched with dry fly and nymphing techniques. It is possible to get a wet fly down under the thick brush that oftentimes covers the banks of certain rivers. The only real draw back to this type of fishing is that a fish usually hits the fly as it swings or as it is slowly retrieved up the current. This is because the strike is a tight line strike and at a slightly poor hooking angle. Nevertheless, many trout are taken by this method and it is almost as visual as dry fly fishing. My experience indicates that about a three to one ratio exists — that is, for every three hits one hook-up will occcur. As far as equipment is concerned, all that is needed is a fly rod, a reel, a tapered leader, some tippet material and a selection of wet flies. The tippet can be utilized to lengthen the leader as it gets shorter from changing flies or more cominonly from breaking off in the trees. Once the gear is assembled, it is time to check the other variables that are important to the success of this approach. The angler must first decide from which side of the stream he must fish. The most important keys are as follows: Is the sun in a position that will cast your shadow into the area you want to fish? What is the available cover that can be utilized to hide oneself? How far must I cast to reach the desired area? After a careful analysis, it is time to get the fly in the water. By aiming the cast toward the opposite bank and a little downstream from your positon it is possible to land the cast near the bank and then work the fly from the far bank across the current and then up the near bank. Many times the fish will chase the fly across the current and hit it and then turn to go back to its position in the stream. On these occasions the angler will see a flash of color and feel a quick intense tug. After a few seasons it is possible to determine what type of trout it was by recognizing the color. With this technique work each hole with about ten to fifteen casts and then move on. This is a search type approach and fishing the water is used, instead of trying to locate the fish and then casting. One can cover a lot of water this way and find the fish that are willing to strike. Be sneaky and it is possible to go back to holes where trout were missed and pick on them again. The brown trout will usually hit once and that is it. Rainbow and Cutthroat can usually be persuaded to hit at least two times. Planted Rainbows will sometimes keep striking until caught or until they feel the hook. When working an area of the river try to bring the fly up in a few different seams and pockets. Sometimes the trout are less active or aggressive and will not hit unless the fly is close to them. By bringing the fly into the different areas, the chances of it passing through a trout's window are increased. After practicing this down and across method, the angler will mentally note the types of water and the location of the fish he either hooked or raised. This information will give a degree of confidence to the fisher the next time he fishes that same stretch of water on another day. There is a real variety when it comes to the types of wet flies available. Sylvester Nemes popularized a series of wet flies called soft-hackled wets in his book THE SOFI` HACKLED FLY. They are easily tied and represent a whole group of different colored insects. They are particularly effective in representing an emerging insect when slowly retrieved or a drowned adult when dead drifted. Most of Sylvester's flies are nothing more than a colored body and a soft partridge feather tied in at the front and pulled back to represent legs and wings. The names are simple and give the color of the body. These include: Partridge and Green, Partridge and Orange, Partridge and Yellow and the March Brown Spider. The soft hackle gives the fly a lifelike movement as the current moves them causing them to pulsate in and out which tends to be attractive to fish. Striking the fish as it swims up behind the fly can cause some concern. If the strike is too quick and too forceful the fly can be pulled right out of the fish's mouth. If the strike is too slow the trout can exhale the fly and be gone. Timing is important and will take some practice. Another situation that can cause anquish is that when a large fish is hooked he is below you and his weight and the force of the current can cause the fly to be puffed loose. The best remedy for this situation is to keep a fairly tight line and then walk (sometimes run) downstream with the fish. The down and across technique does work. It is an excellent way to learn to fly fish and a relaxing way to fish. It is visual and exciting. The best book on the subject of wet fly fishing is titled THE ART OF TYING THE WET FLY AND FISHING THE NYMPH, by James Leisenring and Vern Hidy. It goes into depth on tying and technique. |
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