Upstream Wet Fly

[ssj]

I've been fishing upstream wets for more than ten years......and am really bad at it. I like to say that I might be pretty good at it in twenty or so years...if I live that long.

[bocast]

https://wetflyswing.com/wet-flies-with-davy-wotton/

I thought it was a very informative podcast for those looking into fishing wets. Davy Wotton and this forum were my teachers in wet fly fishing. I'm curious as to whether the hordes buying ten foot or eleven foot 3 and 4 wt "euro-nymphing" rods ever stop to apply those rods to deliver a cast of 3 wet flies. That would boost the ranks of wet fly fishers.

[letumgo]

Thank you for the podcast link. I'm downloading it now, and will listen to it later today.

[mooney4]

Loved reading this whole thread from start to latest post!! Thanks for the Wetfly swing podcast post too!. Happy New Year everybody!!

[Fishnkilts]

As a child, my grandfather taught me to fish the wet flies upstream, just like Oliver does, with twice the rod length of line out of the tip.
I have fished both styles, upstream and swinging downstream. After years of doing so, I have come to the conclusion from my own experience that:
1. You will catch fish using both techniques.
2. I have lost way more fish swinging flies.
3. I have more fun fishing upstream, (just personal preference).
4. I believe I have better line control fishing upstream.
5. Better hook sets fishing upstream than I do downstream. I do believe in that theory due to the amount of fish I lose hooking them downstream.

In the fast moving freestone rivers and creeks I fish, I will always fish wets upstream. I have found that if I can keep the fish up from me, which is easier said than done, I can bring them to my hand. Once they get below me, then I'm not only fighting the fish, but the current as well. And so now the odds are in favor of the fish unless I can turn them towards the bank.
In slower moving water I prefer casting upstream at a 45deg. angle and letting the fly just pass me by a few feet, then cast back up again. But I will swing the flies in this type of water too, just not very often.

Now in all fairness, I have not listened to Mr. Wotton, so I thank you for the link. I have heard good things about him, but I never could find much on him.

[letumgo]

After listening to the podcast above (https://wetflyswing.com/wet-flies-with-davy-wotton/) I needed to tie up some of Davy Wotton's three fly cast leaders. I needed to listen to the description many times to understand the construction. I've drawn a diagram of the leader, based on Davy's description:

DAVY WOTTON LEADER FORMULA

BUTT SECTION

• 3 Feet of 20 Lb Test Clear Amnesia

• 2 Feet of 15 Lb Test Clear Amnesia

• 1 Foot of 10 Lb Test Clear Amnesia

LEADER/DROPPER SECTION: Tyed with 4 pound or 6 pound mono.

• 18 to 24 Inches of 4 Lb mono

• 25 to 30 Inches of 4 Lb mono

• 25 to 30 Inches of 4 Lb mono

At one point Davy mentions that the leader segments should be equal lengths.

DROPPER LENGTHS:

• Top Dropper (first fly) = 5 to 6 inches long (minimum)

• Middle Dropper (second fly) = 4 to 5 inches long (minimum)

• Point Fly (tail fly at far end/tip of leader)

I made up a few leaders this afternoon. Looking forward to testing them out this spring.

[Fishnkilts]

After listening to the podcast above (https://wetflyswing.com/wet-flies-with-davy-wotton/) I needed to tie up some of Davy Wotton's three fly cast leaders. I needed to listen to the description many times to understand the construction. I've drawn a diagram of the leader, based on Davy's description:

DAVY WOTTON LEADER FORMULA

BUTT SECTION

• 3 Feet of 20 Lb Test Clear Amnesia

• 2 Feet of 15 Lb Test Clear Amnesia

• 1 Foot of 10 Lb Test Clear Amnesia

LEADER/DROPPER SECTION: Tyed with 4 pound or 6 pound mono.

• 18 to 24 Inches of 4 Lb mono

• 25 to 30 Inches of 4 Lb mono

• 25 to 30 Inches of 4 Lb mono

At one point Davy mentions that the leader segments should be equal lengths.

DROPPER LENGTHS:

• Top Dropper (first fly) = 5 to 6 inches long (minimum)

• Middle Dropper (second fly) = 4 to 5 inches long (minimum)

• Point Fly (tail fly at far end/tip of leader)

I made up a few leaders this afternoon. Looking forward to testing them out this spring.

A huge THANK YOU for doing this.

[Mike62]

The leaders are nice, but I think you should frame that diagram and hang it on the wall over your bench. I love the little rod down in the lower left-hand corner!

Upstream v. downstream; I don't seem to have a lot of emotional investment in either discipline. I practice both on a regular basis, happily. I've never been interested in quantifying my catch rates so I couldn't say which direction works out better for me; I hate numbers! (maybe that's why I'm a farmer) Up or down -they're different animals.

I picked up a good copy of Lawton's 'The Upstream Wet Fly' a while back and I really enjoyed all the historical perspectives in it.

[DUBBN]

In my opinion, Wotton has over thunk the leader system. Yep, "thunk" is my new word.

[ronr]

https://wetflyswing.com/wet-flies-with-davy-wotton/

I thought it was a very informative podcast for those looking into fishing wets. Davy Wotton and this forum were my teachers in wet fly fishing. I'm curious as to whether the hordes buying ten foot or eleven foot 3 and 4 wt "euro-nymphing" rods ever stop to apply those rods to deliver a cast of 3 wet flies. That would boost the ranks of wet fly fishers.

bocast I've been using a Cortland 10'6" 3wt Competition nymphing rod for a few years now and almost exclusively swing soft hackles with it. I will use one, two, and three fly setups and find Wotton's 20" separation to be a good guide for placing the droppers. I will use the same rod to tight line nymph or even fish dries when absolutely necessary, but I have plenty of action swinging soft hackles except in the middle of winter. But, at times, if fish are rising to a small hatch in winter a swung soft hackle fished as a dry will do the trick.