Hi all, brand new to fly fishing so am still trying to get my head around many things! Please forgive me if this is a stupid question:

The one and only time I have been out so far I used a dry fly with a floating line – my question is are most fly fisherman either dry fly fisherman, wet fly fisherman or does everybody tend to use both depending on the conditions? Is using a dry fly only like sending a football team out with a goalkeeper and 10 centre halves?

I acquired my kit so have a rod and 2 reels – 1 with floating and one with intermediate line, should I get used to floating line with the dry fly then move onto the intermediate with the wet fly? Am I right in thinking that the floating line is meant for dry and inter/sinking meant for wet?

Any help or guidance would be greatly appreciated.

Welcome to the forum.

You can fish both wet and dry with a floating line. The depth your wets fish at will depend on their weight and the length of your leader. Using an intermediate will allow you to fish much deeper.

__________________
Eddie
"We look to Scotland for all our ideas of civilisation."
Voltaire

Hi Robbiejam;

It's all about catching fish so you use whatever works. I always carry three box: one of dries, one with nymphs and wets and a small one with streamers and wooley B*ggers. I then switch back and forth depending on where I'm fishing, what the fish seem to be feeding on and my general mood. As I tend to fish relatively shallow areas I always use a floating line whether I'm fishing dry, wet, streamer or nymph but you can't fish a dry on a sinking line. There are lots of folks on here with more experience than I have and who fish in deep lochs, reservoirs, smallwaters, etc, etc... who can fill you in on the use of the sinking line. As to fishing only dries well most folks who only fish dry do so because they've set themselves a goal or are fishing on a dry fly only river.

Take care

Terry

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Thanks guys, that clears things up!

Will stick with the floating line for now and have a go with some dries and wets to see what works best for me.

Thanks again, Rob

Hi Robbiejam ,i dont know where you live,but one of the best things that you can do is try and join a local angling club where the members will be only to pleasd to help you with your fishing. as Eddie said you can fish wet or dry with your floater ,and you may find it easier to cast with at the begining, loads of help available on here kindest regards Duncan

Hi Duncan, I'm in the West Yorkshire area. I've actually done half a day instructio at Raygill and have another half day coming up. Between the two I'm just trying to learn as much as I can so I have some specific questions to ask the instrucor at the next session. After that I'm on my own though hence starting to post on these forums, I can see plenty of questions being asked


Rob.

Robbie,take a note of everything that you want to ask your instructor,and you have certinlay done the correct thing getting lessons as its money well spent .hope you enjoy the rest of the season tight lines Duncan

Cheers Duncan!

the wet dry question depends on whats happening in front of you, if you see fish on the top or swimming in and around the surface use dries, if no fish are showing on the surface fish wets on a floating line working the first 2 metres or so. if nothing is happening use your intermediate and keep working down till you hit the fish. good luck..

So if I was using a wet fly on a floating line, how would I get the fly the 2m down you suggest? Is it the design and construction of the fly that makes the difference between floating and sinking? (I feel really stupid asking this )