Dry fly identification is the process of choosing a dry fly that match the insects that are present on the water’s surface. By identifying the type of insects that trout is eating, anglers can select an appropriate dry fly. Dry flies is flies that will float on the surface tension of the water.
Because trout live beneath the water’s surface, they can view the dry fly that is floating on the water’s surface. For dry flies to be effective, they must have features that allows them to remain buoyant on the water’s surface. Dry flies feature stiff hackle fiber and upright wings that allow them to remain on the water’s surface.
How to Pick the Right Dry Fly
If dry flies do not have these features, they will sink beneath the water’s surface. The different types of wings on dry flies indicate the type of water conditions and the type of insects that lives in those waters. For example, upright split wings are suitable for calm pools in which dry flies can mimic mayfly dun.
Parachute wings have a vertical post that allows them to remain effective in riffles with choppy water. Comparadun flies dont have hackle collars and are instead useful in glassy spring creek. Spent wings on dry flies are flat against the water’s surface and are useful when the evening spinner fall.
The type of wing that dry flies feature depend upon the speed of the river’s current. Additionally, the type of wings should also match the movement of the insects on the water’s surface. Dry flies come in different patterns that are used in different scenarios.
For example, the parachute Adams is an all-purpose dry fly that work in riffles and can mimic a variety of insect. Elk hair caddis dry flies have a swept back wing that traps air and are effective during evenings when these insects emerge. Griffith’s gnats are small dry flies that mimic midges and are highly buoyant on the water’s surface.
Attractor flies, such as Royal Wuffs and Stimulators has bold designs that provoke trout to strike at them even when there are no insects emerging from the water. The size of the hook used in dry flies should match the size of the insect that is being mimicked. If the hook is too small, the fish will be missed.
However, if the hook is too large, the trout will not recognize the dry fly. Floatation depend upon the materials used to construct the dry fly. CDC feathers contain oily barbs that allow them to trap air bubbles.
CDC feathers help delicate dun flies to stay afloat. Elk hair and deer hair has hollow shafts that allow the flies to remain buoyant, even when the hair becomes wet. Additionally, stiff dry fly hackle help to support the weight of the dry fly.
Foam is used for terrestrial flies because the foam do not sink. You should apply floatant to your dry fly; however, you should not apply too much floatant to the dry fly, as this can gum up the hackle. Finally, shake your dry flies to keep them dry between drift.
Hatch matching is a technique fly fisherman use to determine which dry fly to use based off the insects that are being observed. The insects can be observed while they are in the air, on the rocks, and within your net. For mayflies, the dun phase of the mayfly will require either parachute or CDC dry flies during the middle of the day, but spinners will require flat-wing dry flies at either dawn or dusk.
Caddis flies will be common during the evenings, while stoneflies will be common along Western river during the summer season. Midge flies are present throughout the year. Additionally, you should also keep an eye out for emerger, as trout will eat these flies before they become full duns on the water’s surface.
Understanding the rise of the trout will help to indicate which dry fly to select. A sipping ring rise suggest that the trout are eating tiny insect, which will require the use of a smaller hook. A splashy explosion rise suggest that the trout are eating caddis or stoneflies, which will require you to skate your dry fly across the water’s surface.
A head-and-tail sequence rise indicate that the trout are eating emergers located beneath the surface film of the river. These rise forms must be observed to select the correct dry fly. Thus, if you do not observe the rise forms, it is impossible to match the dry fly to trout behavior.