Although fly fishing purist recoil in horror at the thought of taking trout on a subsurface fly, there is no question that fishing below the surface with wet flies produces more hook-ups than dry-fishing. Wet fly fishing simply put, places the fly where trout feed more - below the surface resulting in more strikes. Techniques for fishing subsurface flies vary but one of the simplest forms of fly fishing is the dead drift, both effective and easily mastered. With this technique, beginning anglers will quickly learn how currents affect both the fly line and the fly itself. Using the dead-drift technique, is very easy for the fly fisherman to cover vast amounts of water increasing the chances of more hook-ups.

Dead-Drifting The Wet Fly

Using the dead drift technique, the angler can approach the water form either across the stream or from downstream. Both techniques are effective but I enjoy the approach from downstream more if I need to cover a great deal of water. Trout face the current upstream, searching for food as it drifts downstream which makes this approach ideal since the fish are facing the opposite direction of your approach.

Quietly entering the stream from below the area you have chosen to fish, slowly start casting at a forty-five degree angle toward one side and work the water all the way to the other side. Casting upstream, let the line drift with the current back toward you taking up slack in the process. However, do not take up too much slack too quickly since you want your wet fly to “dead- drift” much like aquatic larva do when caught in the current. The key is making your fly appear as natural as possible. By mending your line and taking up excess slack, you avoid drag which would otherwise make the wet fly appear unnatural.

After you have thoroughly worked the water from right to left or left to right, move up a few yards and begin working the water in the same manner. Using this method will place your fly in the strike zone much more than any other technique while allowing the angler to cover much more water. It is best to mend your line a bit to the left or right so the current doesn’t carry your line over fish as it drifts down current.

Wet Fly Fishing Cross Stream Approach

Another method is the cross stream approach using the dead drift wet fly. Enter the stream from one side quietly and begin casting upstream toward the opposite bank. Be sure to present your best cast and do not let the line pile up, laying the tippet and wet fly down smoothly. Once the fly is submerged, gently mend your line in the upstream direction above the wet fly. The purpose for mending the fly to the upstream side of the fly is to enhance the dead drift without the line tugging on the fly creating a unnatural drift which could reduce the number of hits to your fly.

After mending the line to the upstream side, let your wet fly drift freely in the current. It should be noted, trout streams vary in their current speed and depth which may require added weight to get the wet fly down into the strike zone. Ideally this method is best used in a run, through riffles which tail out into a pool. Trout love tail outs of a run and hang out in the deeper water of pools ready pounce on any food sources that are caught up in the current as it terminates into the pool. This technique works very well in the run as well with many strikes coming as the line and wet fly rises as it reaches the end of the drift. The termination of the drift forces the wet fly up and creates an undulating effect similar to aquatic insect movements, enticing trout to strike.

Fly fishing is both relaxing and thrilling but can be frustrating for the beginner fly angler. Subsurface wet fly fishing is the simplest form to master and yields far more fish than other techniques.