The world of dry-flying is almost a holy of holies. It
is the world of the purists and the true trout fishing experts. It's adherents
tend to frown on any other means of angling for trout and, considering the
traditions and history of the are, they deserve a lot of understanding and
support. This is the case not only in Britain.
In Canada, for example, I was once corrected and
rebuked by a warden on the bow river in Calgary for wet-fly fishing there they
call it ‘streamer’ fishing.
There will come a time sooner or later when you will
be fishing ‘dry’ and I would like to warm you now that the art of upstream
dry-flying is a difficult one to acquire and takes a lot of practice. Yet – and
I must say this, too - it is the most rewarding, inspiring method I know for
catching trout.
Some people who are reading this might even suggest
that it is where I should have begun, that the dry-fly is the only real method
of fly fishing, and indeed it is more productive, and certainly more
challenging. They may be right. Anymore who sets out to teach others how to do
anything must begin and continue on the basis of his own experiences and I must
say that I had to progress towards dry-fly fishing from ‘downstream wet’
fishing.
As briefly and as clearly as I can, I would like to
explain what happens.
First, you must remember that fish face upstream when
feeding. This means that if you are standing behind them, either in the water or
on the bank, they cannot see you. And if you remain stock-still , like a heron,
the chances are they cannot feel or hear you either. This gives you a tremendous
advantage.
Next, what you require to do if you want to catch a
trout which you can see feeding (
or at least see the signs of it ) is place one single fly upstream of it, let if
float down and the trout mistakes it for a real insect and snatches it.
Sound simple? Believe me, it is not. And here is why: