Wet Fly Rod?

[shimloom]

I have been getting a bug to fish wet flies. From what I can glean there isn't a lot of people that do this style any more. So I wanted to put it out there to those of you who do it or have done it what lenght rod, weight would be good for this. I do have to add that I am not a Sage guy (sorry to the fans) so what would work for this style.

Thanks,
Craig

 

[pegboy1]

Just dip yours in the river...........certainly will be a wet fly rod...

 

[MoscaPescador]

Here is a response to very similar thread in regards to rod configuration for soft hackle wet flies.

Have you ever noticed how long Tenkara rods are?

Use whatever length rod is conducive for the water being fished.

Dennis

Here is a list of my wet fly rod arsenal. I happen to use them for other techniques as well.
8'3" 3 weight
9'0" 4 weight
9'0" 5 weight
11'9" 6 weight Spey - Traditional Steelhead patterns are wet flies.

By the way. Wet fly style fly fishing is alive and strong.

Dennis

Edit: As for your questions for what would be good for this technique. Get a rod that feels comfortable casting all day. Your shoulder will love you for that. Maybe like a Winston B3X 9'0" 4 weight?

 

[rockriver]

I use my Sage Z-Axis 4 or 6 weights or my old Fenwick 5 weight. The choice is whatever to me depending on the water I'm fishing.

 

[moucheur2003]

In the old days before fiberglass and graphite, a rod with "dry fly action" was a crisper (and often shorter) rod made from the better strips of bamboo, so that you could dry your fly easily with quick false casts and they lay it down again precisely. Rods made from inferior bamboo usually didn't have the same crisp action, but were perfectly adequate for lazy, repetitive, down-and-across casting, and so were said by sunny-talking salesmen to have "wet-fly action". Often you would find a wide variation of action in different rods of exactly the same model, especially the mass-produced factory rods, depending on the quality of the material that happened to go into an individual rod.

But with today's materials, that distinction doesn't really apply any more. Fishing wet flies down-and-across doesn't really require a slow action, and a lot of people enjoy a gentle (by today's standards) but accurate graphite rod for delicate dry fly and nymph work.

I would, however, recommend that you pick a rod with a sensitive tip in whatever action you prefer. It can help you detect more strikes, and protect fine tippets from the hard strikes wet flies often provoke. (This isn't a serious constraint. There are lots of rods at every price point that don't have too-stiff tips, and the ones that do tend to have other unattractive qualities anyway.)

 

[renomick]

Are you looking to purchase a rod as a specialized wet fly rod? While I fish soft hackles as much as the next guy, the idea of setting aside an outfit exclusively for soft hackles, never occured to me. I suppose it's as good a reason to purchase a new outfit as any other though,lol.
Personally, if I'm tying on a soft hackle, it's a better than even chance that I've already got one of my nymping rods in my hand. In no particular order, that's going to be..
Scott S4 9' - 6 wt
Pennington Pine River 8' - 5 wt
or my newest addition
Sage ESN 10' - 5 wt
(I know you don't care for Sage, doesn't make you bad. Afterall Im not a fan of Orvis)

 

[Pocono]

Some wets are heavy by dry fly standards, some are not. For example, a partridge and orange or a North Country spider (like Stewart's Spider) is not going to weigh a whole lot more than, say, a #14 dry fly; other than the weight of the hook.

As you start to bulk up the fly, let's say traditional hackled wets or flymps, you get well outside the range of dries and by the time you've arrived at some of the larger winged wets you're almost in the range of a small non-beadhead woolly bugger.

So, for me, there really isn't any one wet fly rod that's best for wets; it's a series of rods; depending on what type of wet fly I'm going to be fishing.

For soft hackles/spiders, I use a 9'0" Winston BIIt 4 wt., which most would regard as a strictly dry fly rod. It does the trick for me on those smaller wet fly patterns and doesn't give me as much of a "plunk" when the fly hits the water.

For more heavily dressed wets, including flymps, I'm usually using a medium action 5 wt. something like a 9'0" Sage ZXL (I know, you're not a Sage guy, but I'm not sure why.............)

For larger winged wets, I'm usually using a 6 wt.; my favorite (since I built it) is a Sage One 9'0".

This would be my list for areas where casting was not a problem. If you're in tighter quarters, then I would cut the rod length down to accommodate the situation; perhaps down 1/2 - 1 1/2 ft.

As MP said, wet fly fishing is alive and well in most of the US; it certainly is wherever I'm fishing.

Pocono

 

[taylor16]

Here is a response to very similar thread in regards to rod configuration for soft hackle wet flies.



Here is a list of my wet fly rod arsenal. I happen to use them for other techniques as well.
8'3" 3 weight
9'0" 4 weight
9'0" 5 weight
11'9" 6 weight Spey - Traditional Steelhead patterns are wet flies.

By the way. Wet fly style fly fishing is alive and strong.

Dennis

Edit: As for your questions for what would be good for this technique. Get a rod that feels comfortable casting all day. Your shoulder will love you for that. Maybe like a Winston B3X 9'0" 4 weight?

Would you want a faster action rod or more medium to slow like a BiiT or WT?

 

[shimloom]

Ok, thanks. I was sorta under the impression that you needed a softer rod/action for the spiders/soft hackle stuff, which is what I was planning on throwing. I have two rods in mind.

1) MY Hardy Zenith 9' 4wt and, 2) my G.Loomis 8'8" 3wt Whispercreek GLX.

So, I guess either one depening on fly selection and water being fished.

Craig

 

[MoscaPescador]

Would you want a faster action rod or more medium to slow like a BiiT or WT?

This is just personal preference. As long as the rod is not too fast, the rod should be fine. The rod has to be able to absorb shock to protect light tippets.

Dennis

 

[fly_guy12955]

As long as it's an Orvis,,who cares who makes it ?

LOL,,ok ok,,,put th rope up,,all in humor

 

[Rip Tide]

In the old days before fiberglass and graphite, a rod with "dry fly action" was a crisper (and often shorter) rod made from the better strips of bamboo, so that you could dry your fly easily with quick false casts and they lay it down again precisely. Rods made from inferior bamboo usually didn't have the same crisp action, but were perfectly adequate for lazy, repetitive, down-and-across casting, and so were said by sunny-talking salesmen to have "wet-fly action". .

Actually the wet fly action rods were made that way on purpose and were very good for mending

When I was a youngster, my grandfather taught me how to fish, and he fished REALLY "old school" with "cast" of 3 wet flies, a long leader, and a 9' cane "wet fly action" rod.
It's a deadly way to fish that's pretty much forgotten.
Anyway, the rod had a soft action unlike anything most people would be willing to fish today which made it very easy to mend
They weren't so great for casting, but with a rod like that, you could make your flies dance

 

[socorrofly]

Before choosing an outfit, I set my budget at $500.00 maximum. To include rod, reel, backing, fly line and leader. Rod and reel are listed, but backing, fly line and leader are not. The rod and reel cost just under $400.00.

Rod - TFO Lefty Kreh Finesse 8'9" 3 wt.

Reel - Cortland Sterling Mid Arbor Reel, 3-5 wt.

This outfit allows me to fish longer and is easier on my wrists, shoulders and back. I have landed a 6 pounder with this rig using soft shackle, short casts and tip up with a tight line. Plenty of other fish as well.

Hope you get a set up to your liking. Plus the fish as well - WIN/WIN!

Good Luck,
Gary

 

[Pocono]

When I was a youngster, my grandfather taught me how to fish, and he fished REALLY "old school" with "cast" of 3 wet flies, a long leader, and a 9' cane "wet fly action" rod.
It's a deadly way to fish that's pretty much forgotten.

There's an outfit in Central PA that still teaches this particular technique. It's called Wet Fly Waterguides.

I fished with Dave Allbaugh about 3 years ago on some of the better known Central PA water; Spring Creek, Penn's Creek, the Little Juniata, etc. Once you get the hang of casting a trio of flies without putting your leader into a knitting ball, it's pretty easy; down and across open casting stroke, one or two quick mends and let it drift into the center with slight intermittent lifts (at least that's the way that they do it). At several points I had multiple fish on the line at the same time and on one lucky cast, I had takers on all 3 flies. They start with 3 different flies; find out what the fish are biting on and then switch to 3 of the same fly. I still have some of their custom leaders that accommodate 3 flies.

Here's their website if you're ever in the Central PA area and want some wet fly action.

Home

The person who put me onto them was member "Greenwood". He's fished with them several times in the past. He's also a wet fly guy; particularly soft hackles.

Pocono

 

[Rip Tide]

We always fished the same 3 flies. One dark, one medium and one light.
I really don't remember what they were except that the dark one on the point was a black gnat.
I think the coolest thing was that the top fly, called the bob, was held out of the water and with the action of the rod and the other flies acting as anchors, you could 'dap' it on the surface.
You wouldn't believe how deadly that is.

 

[shimloom]

Great info here! I knew that if I asked I would get lots of great advice. I was thinking of just using one fly, however, I think the two fly or even three would just be cool. I like the idea of keeping the third fly just on or above the surface. Thanks for all the great advice!

Craig

 

[Pocono]

I think the coolest thing was that the top fly, called the bob, was held out of the water and with the action of the rod and the other flies acting as anchors, you could 'dap' it on the surface.
You wouldn't believe how deadly that is.

That is interesting! Will definitely give that one a try this season; thanks.

Pocono