What Are Wet Flies?

Often, a beginner to fly fishing may hear terms that confuse them or that are not very clear at first. One of those terms is “wet flies.” What is a “wet fly” exactly?

In the sport of fly fishing, “flies” are used in the same way that lures or live bait is used in other forms of fishing. The fly is what is attached to the end of a leader and is what the angler hopes will entice a fish into striking and hooking themselves upon.

There are generally five categories of flies and these include, Terrestrials, Dry Flies, Nymphs, Streamers, and Wet Flies.

The term “wet flies” can be a bit ambiguous and often nymphs are included in this description. At first, it would seem that any fly that gets wet is a wet fly. Most certainly nymphs are fished sub-surface (as opposed to dry flies, which are meant to float on the surface of the water). So why would there by a difference between a “wet fly” and a “nymph?”

Probably, the difference is really not that important in reality, but it is helpful to understand what some anglers and fly tiers are referring to when they seem to differentiate between wet flies and other flies that are fished below the surface. Streamers are also certainly fished below the surface like nymphs, but technically are not considered “wet flies” in the sense of what some may mean.

Perhaps understanding what dry fly fishing refers to might be helpful. Dry flies are those imitations of adult insects that hatch on the surface of the water and include Mayflies, Caddis, and others. Many species of fish will come to the surface when these insects are going through their metamorphosis from the nymph state into the adult state. This often referred to as a “hatch” in fly fishing terminology.

However, many of these adult insects, during their struggle to become adults, will not do well and before they can escape the surface of the water and fly away, will drown.

Drowned adults still make good food for fish, and when they are seen drifting with the current in a river, or drifting with the waves in a lake, fish will take them. So a wet fly in some fly anglers’ jargon refers to the dead and/or drowned state of an adult insect.

It is not all that important to be precise when discussing wet flies, nymphs and streamers, when fly tying, but it is good to know how some anglers and fly tiers differentiate between these fly patterns and what they may be referring to when they mention “wet flies.”

Knowing about the differences in fly patterns and how they relate to what a fish might be eating can make your fly fishing more enjoyable. As well, when you become familiar with a variety of fly patterns, you will probably enjoy tying them up yourself! Why not learn more about this sport and some of the various fly fishing techniques that you can try in order to become a more successful angler?