Smuts - dry or wet ?

[Brit in a Bothy]

At times in the past I had found that trout were feeding on 'smuts' (tiny black things !) so I decided to tie some up and researching the reed smut, came across 'Goddard's smut'.

The concept is obviously a good one but looking at the recipe I came to the conclusion that if it were fished as a dry fly, because of the relatively unsupported body it would simply hang vertical in the surface film, off the hackle ? This, perhaps erroneously, led me to believe it should be fished as a wet fly, sub surface.....like a spider....question is...which is it ?

Would appreciate it if someone could put me on the right path ?

Nigel

[Brit in a Bothy]

Hmm, obviously not many people have ever fished the Goddards smut.

It looks as though it is back to the good old Griffiths gnat, unless anyone has a better idea ?

Nigel

[articwolf]

Originally Posted by Brit in Bahrain

Hmm, obviously not many people have ever fished the Goddards smut.

It looks as though it is back to the good old Griffiths gnat, unless anyone has a better idea ?

Nigel

here is the recipie for it...just an easy way of tying a black gnat ..AW

Here is Goddard’s Smut recipe:
Hook: Fine dry 18-22
Thread: Fine black
Body: Three black ostrich herl
Hackle: Two turns black cock hackle.

[Brit in a Bothy]

AW - thanks for that but the Goddards smut still looks like a black spider (just tied one up) rather than a 'dry' which makes me think it should be fished 'damp' or wet like a spider, rather than dry.

Anyone got any experience with this fly ?

Nigel