Dry flies probably account for more fish than all other trout fly fishing techniques put together. Dry flies are therefore an important weapon in the fly fisherman’s arsenal and probably the most difficult element of dry fly fishing tackle to get right. The aim of this website is to provide advice to all dry fly fishing enthusiasts regardless of experience or ability.
Trout Fly Fishing Techniques
Choosing the right trout flies, fly fishing tackle and trout fly fishing techniques can be difficult and over the years it has almost become a black art! Fishing flies is difficult enough without adding to the pressure so I have devised a series of dry fly and trout fly selection tables based on the experiences of many fly fishermen over the last 20 or so years and account for most trout fly fishing techniques. These dry fly selection tables are located within the Google Gadget on the right hand side of each page on this website. Please feel free to add this Gadget to your own website or desktop. You can click on a dry fly photo at any time to purchase that fly from Sawyer Nymphs. The dry fly fishing technique itself is a different matter. There are numerous fly fishing books that provide descriptions and diagrams on various fly casting and dry fly fishing techniques but these can be difficult to master from a book. My strong recommendation is to get some lessons from a qualified dry fly fishing instructor. Please contact me for details of a recommended instructor near you.
Wild Brown Trout
Dry Fly Fishing
The astute fly fisherman will of course match the hatch when he starts dry fly fishing, but as most of us have to travel some way to pursue our fly fishing interests, these dry fly selection tables should be a useful starting point. I have grouped the dry flies into ten groups – these are displayed on the tabs above. Throughout the site there are links to articles and advice. Please use the tabs at the top of the page and the embedded links to navigate the site.
Please revisit this site on a regular basis as the dry fly selection tables, tips, articles and advice will all be updated as new information is received. There will also be frequent reviews on fly fishing tackle. Feel free to add your own observations, advice and tips in the comment blogs on each page. Climate change has been making some unusual things happen in the aquatic insect world so hopefully any new trends will be reflected here. For articles on all aspects of fly fishing please visit Sawyer Nymphs and follow the links at the bottom of each page.
Fly Fishing Books
There are some excellent fly fishing books for beginner and expert alike. Although they can’t match a dedicated lesson on dry fly fishing techniques, they are still an enjoyable read and provide some excellent dry fly fishing tips and will show pictures and diagrams on how to set up fly fishing tackle correctly. The illustrations on this website are the work of Thommy Gustavsson. Thommy is a master flyfisherman and editor of Scandinavia’s biggest fly fishing publication flugfiske i norden. The illustrations are reprinted in the fly fishing book Frank Sawyer’s Nymphing Secrets. Although dedicated to trout flies such as the pheasant tail nymph, killer bug, Sawyer Swedish and Bow Tie Buzzer, the book gives a good insight to the field craft and skills involved with all fly fishing techniques.
Dry Flies
Dry flies and trout flies are very easy to tie and can add something different to the dry fly fishing experience. There is something special about catching a trout on a dry fly you have tied yourself. See the dry fly tying section for details.
Alternatives to Dry Flies and Trout Flies
Although this site is dedicated to dry flies, trout flies and dry fly fishing techniques, it is essential for fly fishers to master other techniques such as nymphing. A mixture of dry flies, trout flies and nymphs in the fly fishing tackle bag will cater for all eventualities. I would recommend:
Dry Flies – Mayfly Dun, Mayfly Spinner, Midge, River Olive Dun, River Olive Spinner, Sedge Pupae, Terrestrial trout flies, Lake Olive Dun, Lake Olive Spinner.
Fly Fishing Nymphs – Pheasant Tail Nymph, Killer Bug, Bow Tie Buzzer, Sawyer Swedish, Grey Goose.
Thank you for visiting Which Dry Fly?
