North Country spiders / wets can be deadly, although I have to be honest not something I've ever done seriously, it's becoming a bit of a lost art. I think Fraser is spot on though I think it probably lends itself far more to rivers with higher fish populations... perhaps on some of the NZ rivers with higher fish populations it would be worth a try.
I've seen some YouTube vids on the lower Mataura where it looks as though it could be worth ago.
Ziffle... Oliver Edwards gives a crash course in a range of wet techniques- https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=4KQT0Iox9e4
Across and Down
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Re: Across and Down
I use wet flies a lot, both up and down stream techniques
I think they are a great fish catching tool, largely ignored by NZ anglers - to their detriment.
I wouldn't say they are a lost art or even becoming that way except maybe here. Check out the flymph forum and also the soft hackle and NC wets themed FB pages. Wets and soft hackles have quite a following in many places....
I think they are a great fish catching tool, largely ignored by NZ anglers - to their detriment.
I wouldn't say they are a lost art or even becoming that way except maybe here. Check out the flymph forum and also the soft hackle and NC wets themed FB pages. Wets and soft hackles have quite a following in many places....
- SteveO
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- Location: New Plymouth
Re: Across and Down
Yep
Fish them dead drift upstream............. then let them swing............. hang ............. and figure eight retrive.
Suggestions from this forum to read books from Nemes and Hughes set me on the path. Pretty sure that they were from a reading list published in the old forum by Johnno.
Cheers SteveO
Fish them dead drift upstream............. then let them swing............. hang ............. and figure eight retrive.
Suggestions from this forum to read books from Nemes and Hughes set me on the path. Pretty sure that they were from a reading list published in the old forum by Johnno.
Cheers SteveO
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Re: Across and Down
There sometimes are a few books on TM ... search in Books - Flyfishing. I think there is or was a copy of Sly Nemes book on there, also Dave Hughes' book as well.
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Re: Across and Down
Guys I'm enjoying your comments on this. I'm 60 now and remember in my earlier years as a fisherman (in my 20's, 30's) myself and my good fishing buddy used to regularly fish back down stream with traditional wee wets and very often do better than we had on the way up. I guess the ability to cover a whole lot of water very easily is part of the reason it can be so successful and I liked it as it's a relatively stress free way to end the day. But we seem to have moved away from it and I don't know why.
- fraser hocks
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Re: Across and Down
Id suggest that the reason is more of a focus on hunting fish, rather than being an incidental catch.
Not saying that across and down isn't fun and takes a level of skill, but id say the average angler these days wants the challenge and that's what stalking a fish and presenting to is about. Not to say I wouldn't swing wets, as I obviously do, but If I had a choice between stalking a fish iv sighted with dryfly or swinging wets, the decision takes less than a nanosecond
Not saying that across and down isn't fun and takes a level of skill, but id say the average angler these days wants the challenge and that's what stalking a fish and presenting to is about. Not to say I wouldn't swing wets, as I obviously do, but If I had a choice between stalking a fish iv sighted with dryfly or swinging wets, the decision takes less than a nanosecond
Bucking trends in fly fishing since 1970!
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