Wet / Dry Combo: Our Favourite Flies
Our picks for all-round freshwater angling success
We have collections of our (and our customers’) favorites for nymphs and wet flies and dry flies elsewhere. This selection is for those who enjoy both styles of fishing. Do check out our assortments as these are put together from the ongoing feedback we receive, and are designed to make your choice of patterns even easier.
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TUNGSTEN
$3.77Original price was: $3.77.$1.37Current price is: $1.37.$2.74 per 2-flies
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TUNGSTEN
$3.77Original price was: $3.77.$1.37Current price is: $1.37.$2.74 per 2-flies
Select options -
TUNGSTEN
$3.77Original price was: $3.77.$1.37Current price is: $1.37.$2.74 per 2-flies
Select options
Dry Flies
We’ve picked three solid ‘hair wing’ / Comparadun patterns. These imitate the early adult stage of Mayfly or Caddis. The Cahill Light in particular is such a standard fly in so many ‘best of’ collections that it would be noticeable by its absence.
Nymphs, Beadheads and Wet Flies
Our choices here include four world-famous patterns. We’ve covered the Prince Nymph and the Copper John elsewhere, as well as the Hare’s Ear and the Pheasant Tail, but the Pheasant Tail’s ‘Flash Back’ variant is well worth a mention. The base pattern is one of the indispensable nymphs, but the addition of reflective material to the top of the body makes it even more attractive. The pupae of aquatic insects (most notably Caddis) use an air bubble to float to the surface, and many anglers feel that the reflective material is a convincing imitation of the iridescence of that bubble.
We recommend the March Brown as a wet fly for early Mayfly hatches and much more besides. Fishing wet flies as well as dry during a hatch can be a revelation for even seasoned anglers, and the March Brown are the first large Mayfly hatches of the season in the US. However, whilst they do not mind wet weather, March Brown do prefer rocky rivers. This means that, although they are widespread, their hatches are not always the most accessible. Luckily this fly is also a great ‘search’ pattern and can pass for other aquatic insect larvae as well as other small river creatures. Definitely one to try.
Crystal Buggers
This Wooly Bugger (aka Woolly Bugger) descendant is a fly we feel all anglers should have in their box – there might be times when little else will tempt a bite. Reflective materials wound around the body and through the tail add some eye-catching shine to the pattern as the marabou (Stork feather) ‘breathes’ and undulates underwater. We also have a brassy beadhead variant for even more flash as well as some extra weight – perfect for fast-flowing, poor visibility water courses swollen with muddy melt or rain water.