How To Fish The Dry Fly on Your Favourite UK Stillwater! (Step-by-Step for Beginners)

[@Loyalist-ul6qm]

Top man rhys thanks for all the help mate it's appreciated tightlines.

[@JamesBasil-e3c]

Wow! Thanks Rhys Must videos just show them catching fish with no technique. Bur youve nailed it Ive been frustrated witu amazing rises at barrows bristol and wondering why i dont get the takes... But now i get it! There are different stages so use different flies accordingly. I was getting disheartened thinking i just had bad "luck" but now ive learned more details and its increased my confidence! Why dont other fishing instructors explaon this? Thank you again and keep up the good work

[@LaylatheBoxerDog]

Hi mate. New sub. I fish the Lady Bower often. 5 years now in fly fishing. I'm good at coarse but my days, catching trout is like trying to make the Mrs happy. One day they take huge green buzzers, other FryFlys, other days match the hatch and nothing. It's the love for the research, weather, time of year, temps, sun/no sun, and wind. Thats the part I love! Believe it or not (I'm self-taught) Your video especially this one had helped more than I want to agree with so thanks, pal!

[@davidbrattain1446]

Great video. As an American, I fished Ireland all morning with an Elk Hair Caddis and caught fish until noon. Size 14 was the most productive. Easy to tie and to fish on still water. The takes were amazing!

[@RhysFishes]

Fantastic David!

[@timwarner705]

Valid, succinct. Something of a rarity on U-tube. So many presenters become so entranced by the sound of their own voice that, by the time they get to the point, they and the rest of us have forgotten what it was!

[@RhysFishes]

Thank you Tim

[@nathandoyle9859]

Best video I’ve seen so far Jesus why is it so hard for people to make it simple , thanks very much Reece, I’ll be sure to check out the rest. I’ve only picked fly fishing up after years of rod and reel this video definitely helps . Goodman.

[@RhysFishes]

Glad it was helpful Nathan. Tightlines 🎣

[@MrTomomahony]

best video ive seen ,you make sound so easy,cant wait to get out next week and give it a gothanks

[@jamesmcgill9316]

Thanks for the good information.

[@ArmandsSprogis]

Totally new to flyfishing. So far done only dropshots and soft lures. Will look up some beginners stuff in your library :) Great videos.

[@djjorgearaujotv]

Now makes sense to me. Many thanks.

[@SingingAngler]

Hi Rhys! Thank You for the outstanding explanation. I try to reach the same in my videos, however, since English isn’t my native language it takes me much more time)) QUESTION: Could You please write down names of those fly patterns? Thank you, tight lines and be blessed!

[@thecosycamper7088]

Great video, very helpful fir these hot months. New subscriber. Thank you 👍🏻

[@RhysFishes]

Thank you Cosy camper

[@philipnicholas9371]

Absolutely first class tuition. Thank you!

[@RhysFishes]

Thanks Phil

[@stuartlowe2280]

Superb. Please keep them coming.

[@RhysFishes]

Cheers Stuart!

[@michaelarundel8129]

Bloody brilliant mate. You are without doubt a very good instructor and great teacher. I notice you use the term hopper, in Australia a hopper is a grass hopper, or a big hopper is a yellow winger. When we fish these hoppers normally on a windy day where they have been blown onto the water. We normally with a net catch these with a net on in the grass and will throw a few on the water and wait till a trout comes up and smashes them hard on the surface. We then cast a dry fly hopper pattern hard onto the surface and wait for the eruption on the water. Great fun as normally you are high on the bank and can see the fish target the grass hopper fly.

[@RhysFishes]

Sounds great Michael! We aren't lucky enough to get such a hatch of grass hopper for fish to feed so heavily on here.

[@sldrose]

@@RhysFishes, In Aus, we also have a similar technique at the peak of the hatch using a milly midge (similar profile to the shipman’s buzzer). We figure8 retrieve 2 shipman’s on a ginked leader. The movement seems to replicate both hatching midge and a midge ball as they cluster together and get blown like tumbleweeds across the surface. I was shocked that the figure8 retrieve with 2 emergers was more effective than the static presentation. I’d be curious to know if it works the same/better/worse on your hatches. Cheers!

[@paulcannell7188]

nice to see someone other than a Seppo talking about fly fishing 😊

[@phillipbeharall6271]

Excellent professional informative and you've taken the mystery out of it thank you i've liked and subscribed 👏👏👏👏👏

[@Pikeandslippers]

Hugely useful. Thanks and tight lines

[@admanzw]

Man, your videos are packed full of great info! Thanks to you I now know what a wind lane is!

[@johndoh539]

As a complete beginner that was a brilliant video. Please keep them coming. So many fly fishing videos lack information on the flie s being used and how to fish them. thanks

[@RhysFishes]

Happy that it was useful to you John!

[@quickdraw94]

Brilliant video Rhys, good simple strategies with great explanations - sometimes anglers can over complicate their advice to others but I think you nailed it with this one! Hope to see more of the same from you in the future. Tight lines 🎣

[@RhysFishes]

Thanks Paul. Glad you found it helpful!

[@markrickard2373]

Hi Rhys, first class video again. Had a cracking day on the dries with my boat partner last week in Brenig 24 to the boat between us. Keep them videos coming. Always full of tip top advice.

[@RhysFishes]

Thanks Mark. Great to hear Brenig is fishing well. Many grown on fish about?

[@markrickard2373]

@@RhysFishes Every fish to the boat was fin perfect & hard fighting.

[@dueareview]

great video mate cheers

[@brianburns1411]

Cheers m8 as always very educational 👍

[@RhysFishes]

Cheers brian

[@scottishbhoy67]

Hi Rhys, amazing as always, your foam daddies, where do you get this from?

[@RhysFishes]

I don’t bother tying them Sean. Fario and fulling mill shop bought ones are top class 👍

[@rhyspercey3880]

Thank youh for the tips, I don't often use dry flies but now I'll have to give it a go using your method

[@RhysFishes]

Good luck Rhys!

[@shaunfishes101]

Well done Rhys. Gold star for you mate. Nice to have some one who knows what there on about. Take care.

[@RhysFishes]

Thanks 👍

[@yazoosdr]

Hi, I'm new to dry flys and iv all ways wondered if it's worth getting a Double Taper line for a better tuernd over.? Grate video bye the way I'm learning a lot, thank you.

[@RhysFishes]

A double taper won't turn over your flies as well as a weight forward would. The purpose of a double taper is a more subtle presentation. Most WF lines these days are supple enough that you can deliver a smooth presentation so I wouldn't over think it.

[@yazoosdr]

Thank you ,loving your new vid.

[@stephenparnham5489]

Hi Rhys, just wanted to say thank you for the videos you do. Has really improved my catch rate, using a variety of methods that I had never tried before.

[@RhysFishes]

Great to hear. Tightlines 🎣

[@judithkelly2556]

Fantastic video as always Rhys

[@RhysFishes]

Thanks Judith!

[@shannonyork5300]

Rhys, I'm a new Subscriber from Portland, Oregon. I've watch now 6 of your videos----very well done! In this video you specify Fluorocarbon for your dry fly leaders. Why Fluorocarbon? Thank you. Cheers,

[@RhysFishes]

Thanks and Welcome Shannon. Co polymer has it's day occasionally and will keep the flies above water significantly better than fluorocarbon will. However, far too often on the waters I frequent trout will spook at the sight of co polymer on the surface. Whereas the benefit of fluorocarbon is that it will cut into the surface film rather quickly and almost be unseen by a cruising trout. On clouded windy days it doesn't matter that much. But in the UK the majority of our lake dry fly fishing happens at the height of summer when there's little to no wind and a blazing sun. So fishing Fluoro yields better results in such conditions. Hope that helps!

[@shannonyork5300]

@@RhysFishes Rhys, thank you for your reply. Alternatively, use Fuller's Earth or similar to degrease co-polymer to avoid the sinking effect of Flurocarbon continuing to pull the dries down? BTW, I know it makes it harder to film, particularly if you are alone, but I would love to see some instructional videos from you about Loch Style fishing. I recently purchased (ordered from the UK) a Wynchwood International Comp Paradrogue and expect to be using it more and more for my stillwater fishing. Loch style fishing (beyond the competition scene) is finally beginning to gain some interest in the U.S. and Canada.

[@tvine6051]

Fantastic video rhys I'm sure this is the kind of knowledge anglers want 🎣

[@RhysFishes]

Thanks for the feedback T Vine

[@MrTomparvin]

Solid content, cheers pal!

[@Rainbowtroutman]

Excellent, straight forward advice Rhys. Always enjoy the videos. Keep them coming 👌

[@RhysFishes]

Cheers Darren!

[@slippinjimmy222]

Brilliant video. I'm very new to fly fishing and I have been watching all of your videos, they've helped so much. I fish in southwest wales, llys y fran, puddleduck and will be hopefuly getting up to Hayscastle soon. Sorry if this sounds stupid.... but when it comes to the 6lb leader in your first cast, are you attaching the 6lb fluoro directly to the fly line? I've seen so many videos now where people use tapered leaders then add tippet to it as well. I'm just really confused about this. Thanks for all of your content!!

[@RhysFishes]

You can use a tapered leader if your brand new to fishing and struggling with casting but there’s no real need for it if you’re comfortable with casting. Straight through 6lb fluoro, direct to the fly line is what most competent anglers will do. Tightlines 🎣

[@severemalkie]

Rhys, any chance of a full rig run down please ? I.E. rod length and weight etc.

[@CeriwynJones-kl6lk]

Hello rhys just a quick question when fishing drys when tying on a fly im getting like a pigs tail/kinks 2 3 inches from the fly.the fluorocarbon will stay on the surface after applying mud.i might be using the wrong knot thanks

[@RhysFishes]

Use the double Davy knot if you’re not already. It will create a very small knot on the fly, also ensure your moisten the leader as this is normally the cause of kinks

[@michaelgreen5515]

Thanks Rhys

[@RhysFishes]

Thanks Michael

[@kristoferradzinsh4397]

Hi Rhys, great informative video! Got a question - would you use a tapered or level leader for these 2 dry fly rigs? I know all the subsurface lure/bung fishing rigs are with level ones but didn't pick which ones are used here.

[@RhysFishes]

I would use a tapered leader if fishing from the bank (usually because I will scale from size 16 all the way to size 20) depending on the fishery. From a boat I wouldn’t bother with a tapered leader.

[@robertvivian8100]

Hi Rhys some great videos mate one question what's the name of the midge tip line you use cheers mate Robert from Caerphilly tight lines.

[@stevenforrest8395]

Hello Rhys. Started to dry fly fish but have issues with the leader still visible after applying leader sink. Should i buy leaders to increase my chances?. The next issue i have is to buy copolymer leaders or fluorocarbon.

[@RhysFishes]

Fluorocarbon in most cases will cover you and will sink by itself. Copolymer is useful in some dry fly instances but as a general rule, stick with a quality branded fluoro like Airflo, cbc or rio

[@ryanpritchard643]

Great video ! Excellent advice

[@RhysFishes]

Thanks Ryan

[@TripFishingMyLife]

Love it **👍

[@johnty63]

Another tremendous video Rhys ...it’s brilliant you’re so prepared to share your tips and and not ....like a lot of fly fishermen ( not all I must add !!) keep your secrets to yourself. I’d like to suggest more videos..how can I contact you my friend?

[@RhysFishes]

Thanks Johnty, glad it was helpful. My social media is in the youtube description tab above - you can contact me there.

[@kevincounihan6197]

Great videos mate. Thanks

[@marcelchaloupka]

Would like to see a video of your fan casting techniques. If you’re leaving the fly for 7 seconds and then recasting, I would have thought all the line pickups (noise and distance on the surface) would put the fish down.

[@RhysFishes]

Fan casting only applies to boat fishing, where your covering a large expanse of water at a relatively modest pace

[@jamesgallacher7560]

Hi Rhys that's another fantastic video. I've fished for years snd never new that the fish took the buzzer shucks. I'm astonished I've never heard that before so thank you so much for that. Is there some sort of food ,energy,protein type of thing that's valuable to them. Every day z school day eh. 56 and still learning 😄

[@RhysFishes]

We never stop learning James 🎣

[@jamesgallacher7560]

@@RhysFishes Hi Rhys ,thanks for the reply buddy. 😀 your not kidding. Take care mate. Love the vids.

[@robbrown4281]

Hi Rhys. Thanks for this - newbie question though… do I need to apply gink to the emerger / emerging buzzers? Thanks.

[@RhysFishes]

When you say emerging, do you mean a suspended buzzer with foam? If so, you can apply a small amount to the foam as a helper but the foam itself will float anyway. If you’re talking about a different style of pattern, it’d be good if you could say which

[@robbrown4281]

@@RhysFishes hi - in the video you talk about upright cdc and shuttlecock emerging buzzers. Do I just need to gink the top part of those? Thanks

[@JamesBasil-e3c]

I read that you shouldn't gink cdc emergers feathers but last time I used one it kept sinking too much... I will mucilin front of line but wondering if it might also. E flouro sinking it (which I've heard somewhere)? Thank you

[@tristanoliver7471]

I prefer to switch to mono leader for dry/emergers to stop fluro pulling the flies under

[@roby8347]

Great video excellent advice mate can you try them flies and won’t the best colours to use thanks

[@RhysFishes]

Thanks rob! stick to the dark colours black/claret/brown!

[@leetaylor2072]

Hi Rhys, Great Video keep them coming. I have a question. Your leader set up, how do you tie on your droppers?. Is it a straight through method or are your droppers with a blood knot leader.

[@RhysFishes]

Hi lee. Check the video catalogue i have a video on how i tie on a dropper 👍

[@billmartin6687]

Thank you for taking the time to make videos on fishing it is very much appreciated. Can you answer a question for me please. When I fish the dry fly, trout splash at the fly ( I fish The single fly) but don't take the fly. So do I strike at the splash or wait for a pull on the line ? Cheers. Stay Safe

[@RhysFishes]

A splashy rise normally means 1 of 2 things. 1) They're swiping at the fly to potentially drown it (a common sight when trout are feeding on crane fly). They'll then come back round and swoop up the drowned fly. 2) They're slashing at adult hatched midges/buzzers. The take is normally aggressive as they try and snatch the insect before it leaves the water. With 1)it's a case of trial and error, some fish will hit and some will take. With 2) I'd suggest lifting the rod a moment after the swipe. This in turn will give the fly a chance to be eaten by the fish and will cushion the blow of a very aggressive strike on your light leader.

[@patrickstratton4630]

In most lakes here in Hampshire we can only use a single fly

[@tichest]

Just wow !

[@raymondward3918]

good tips again rhys nice vid thanks mate

[@RhysFishes]

No probs Raymond. Not long till ellerdine is open again!

[@raymondward3918]

@@RhysFishes yes can not wait .off to eyebrook on sunday .eny tips rhys

[@cameronstevenson5894]

Aggh so thats how you know what flys to team up together by trying to match the hatch or by what food is in the water

[@vicenteochoa2950]

👍

[@mikejames663]

Interesting.