When would you change the spacing of a cast of three wet flies?

[bocast]

I am wondering if and when one would want to change the spacing of flies in a cast of three wet flies.

[AaronJasper]

The spacing where, between the flies or from the butt section?

Low clear water in one situation

Wide open low gradient riffled water is another

That majority of the time my standard set up is butt section, four feet, first fly, thirty inches, second fly, thirty inches point fly.

[bocast]

The space between the flies is my concern. I use 30" between the flies.

[Davyfly]

Good question.

Many answers here all of which depend on circumstances such as .
Dry or sunk line
Depth and speed of water.
How do you wish the flies to be presented, upstream/up and across/across and down.
Is it the top dropper or mid that you wish to fish to be induced to take.
Is it the mid and tail fly.
Wade or boat fishing
River or stillwater.

OK, typically if using a dry line the overall leader length for moving water systems should be in the region of 12ft overall, may be more for certain situations and less if fishing say a small creek with little room to work with either with a long rod or a long leader.
Rarely will by droppers distances be less than 24 ins more like 30 to 36.
But there may be differences which would amount to the mid dropper being 4ft from the top dropper or the tail fly 4ft from the mid.
If l have the mid dropper 4ft from the top dropper then l know this fly and the tail fly will remain deeper in the water as l work the top dropper at long range back toward me, that also adds a further anchor effect.
If l have say the tail fly 4ft from the mid then l know that the fly has a little more freedom to animate, often this is what l would choose to use for more upstream to across techniques.
Dropper length can also make a great deal of difference.
Never less than 4 ins, 5 overall best, but l may increase the top dropper to as much as 12ins at times and or the mid dropper to a greater length, this l will do to further the effect of working the droppers as a longer length will allow for greater animation and eliminate the visual of the main leader it is attached too.
This would be related to short line techniques.

One further point l will make is that l will at times use 4 flies which is typical for a UK style wet fly cast. Downside is a small fish may cause you a big tangle, larger fish tend not to do so. In this case overall length may be around 14 to 16ft.

Same may apply also for a intermediate line, all be it as a rule the overall length is shorter.

DW

[bocast]

Thanks, Davy for the great information. I am beginning to see the great variety of presentations possible with a cast of wet flies. There are many more factors to adjust than just which flies, which line and whether to fish upstream, across or down!.

[bocast]

OK, typically if using a dry line the overall leader length for moving water systems should be in the region of 12ft overall, may be more for certain situations and less if fishing say a small creek with little room to work with either with a long rod or a long leader.
Rarely will by droppers distances be less than 24 ins more like 30 to 36.
But there may be differences which would amount to the mid dropper being 4ft from the top dropper or the tail fly 4ft from the mid.
If l have the mid dropper 4ft from the top dropper then l know this fly and the tail fly will remain deeper in the water as l work the top dropper at long range back toward me, that also adds a further anchor effect.
If l have say the tail fly 4ft from the mid then l know that the fly has a little more freedom to animate, often this is what l would choose to use for more upstream to across techniques.

Pursuing this line of questioning further, if the tail fly is 4 ft from the mid and has a little more freedom to animate, how would this affect which fly you place at that position. Would a winged wet which is more of an imitator go there? Would you place a spider or other sparse fly there? Would a fly with a bulky palmered hackle be inappropriate at that spot?

[Davyfly]

It could be any number of choices based on the situation, for example during a mayfly hatch maybe a winged version or a spider or soft hackle that had some relationship to the species.
Or a general searching pattern such as a greenwell or a GRHE.
For a turbulent water such as below a riffle then yes a palmered fly is a good choice at times.

DW

[bocast]

Thanks, Davy. Your answers about these details really help me to appreciate the complexity and scope of wet fly rigging and fishing. There is so much more to it than just tying on a cast of three and presenting them.

Would you vary the size of the fly you placed at a slightly longer spacing in the cast?

Or, more generally, how do you choose the sizes of the flies in a cast of wet flies? Does your choice of fly size depend on clarity of water and quality of sunlight and time of day? Do you ever use flies of different sizes in the same cast and why?

( I am referring to fishing one species or set of specie, such as trout fishing. I am not referring to changing fly sizes for salmon, steelhead, smallmouth, etc.)

Would I be wrong to stick with size 14 flies in each position in the cast of three while learning wet fly fishing for trout?

[Davyfly]

Bobcast.

Absolutely there is way more to it than just tying on a cast of 3 or 4 flies, very much one of the mysteries of wet fly fishing.
yes my choice of flies is determined by many factors such as.
Time of the year
Water temperature
Known available food source
Periods of time fish are likely to be active feeding on that food source
Relative angle of the sun to the horizon.
Time of day.
Depth and speed of water.
Wade of boat fishing.
Species of trout.
How to present the flies, up/across/down
Method or retrieve.
X factor of leader line used.


In all probability one of the most important reasons is knowledge of the water you are fishing as trout preferences differ for each even if the same species is the chosen food source, all be it there may be some common interest.
For example a caddis emergence. You could choose here one of many flies which may include, silver invicta, hares ear, march brown, wickhams, green peter,
odds are one of these will take fish if the right size is used and it is fished correctly. On the other hand we do not know how a fish sees what it doe's
What we assume is that under given prevailing conditions based on experience that a given number of fly patterns will likely work, if you like go to flies.
On the other hand you may find there will be days that none of the above will work. And you wonder why, you know the fish must be able to see them.
Therefore there can be only two reasons, the flies used or the means of presentation or both.
Now you have to figure it out.

I remember a time on the Usk when there was a good caddis hatch and fish were seen feeding in the surface. After about a hour with no serious hook ups l chose a very different approach from the winged wet fly rig l had set up and the method of fishing those. Bear in mind what l was doing had worked 100s of times before, for some reason these browns showed no interest, why l am not sure.
I decided to set up with 3 soft hackles and fished them dead drift, and that was the answer that day.
Over all if you are faced with a hatch and fish are seen to be taking emergers, duns, spinners, you will not go far wrong with dead drift spiders and soft hackles of the rigth chosen flies of correct size.

Size 14 and 12 flies are a overall good bet, other times maybe 16s and even 18s and at times way larger, 10s and 8s.

If there is one big mistake angler make, regardless if they are dry fly, nymph, streamer or wet fly fishing it is to continue to fish the same section of water over and over again with negative results. Fish will wise up and show no further interest no matter how long you remain in that zone, granted a new fish may move in and you catch it, by and large it is not the most positive way to continue.

Wet fly fishing is a means that should proceed with covering water either by upstream, across or down presentations 3 or 4 casts and move.

Davy






Just some of the reasonings.

Yes, l will have frequently flies of different sizes for the same leader set up, here again based on many of the aforementioned reasons.

[bocast]

Relative angle of sun to horizon is one of the factors which govern your fly choice.

Can you give some bracketing examples of how relative angle impacts fly choice?

That is, how would a low relative angle, a high relative angle and one in between manifest in your fly choice strategy?