Advice on some fundamentals and behaviours

On Thursday, August 2, 2012 10:34:13 AM UTC+1, M wrote:
I'm still new to flyfishing. My casting is going well and I'm catching fish on dry and wet fly, which is a real pleasure.



I'm puzzled at the way I'm catching fish on wet fly though and I'd appreciate some experienced insight.



I should probably first describe the fishing I'm doing and the fish I'm catching... I'm fishing river for wild brown trout. So far I'm catching small fish no more than 7" in length. I live in hilly country (South mid-Wales) though most of the stretches are quite broad, running through wide, flat river valley flood plain. The river bottom is pebble, and in places sandy. Flow is brisk on the runs, especially in flood, and slow or steady in the pools. Depth on the runs is ~ knee deep, sometimes more or less. Pools can be deep, 6 to 12 feet.



Back to the fishing. The only time I catch on wet fly is when I'm retrieving at speed. I have never yet caught by casting up stream (and taking up the slack as the fly returns), or casting downstream and paying out line. With trout this size though, it's quite possible I'm getting takes but never see them? Would you expect to fish on the retrieve, or should I be trying something else?



Thanks for your thoughts

Mark

I should have said the only time I catch on wetfly is when Im retrieving the fly at speed back upstream.

Don't discount the possibility that trout have inspected, taken & rejected your wet fly on its dead drift downstream. It takes experience, skill and sometimes a bit of luck to detect strikes on wets/nymphs fished upstream.

A wet fly that is slowly swung "down and across" is a fun way to pick up some aggressive feeders, particularly when there is sedge activity. Cast across and slightly upstream from you, allow the fly to sink and dead drift several yards, then mend as necessary to slow its swing below you. Takes can happen anywhere along the swing. If no takes at the end of the swing, allow the fly to dangle momentarily, try a slow twitch retrieve for 12-18", then allow the fly to drift back and dangle again before picking up and casting again.

If you want a better chance at the better trout in your stream, you need to present your fly over better holding water. Wide, shallow runs over sandy and small cobble bottom is more suited to the smaller fish you've been catching. The larger trout have taken residence where overhead cover, bottom structure, and water depth/speed are favorable. Study your stream for seams, variations in flow, feeding lanes, foam lines, undercut banks, submerged rocks, etc. In an otherwise featureless stream bottom, even something as simple as a shallow depression in the cobble might be the choice lie.