Fly fishing for wild brown trout on the dry fly with Gordon Mackay
Fly fishing for wild brown trout on the dry fly is a truly exhilarating experience. It's a test of skill, patience, and a fair chunk of luck. But when it all comes together, and you land that trophy trout on a fly you tied in the way you want with materials you trust, it's a feeling that's hard to beat.
The whole plan starts with sitting at the tying table, choosing a pattern for something I hope will happen, and choosing the best materials for the job. I know that's where a lot of the confidence comes from when I cast to that rising trout, and for me that boils down to choosing materials dyed in colours that look as natural, float well and have a bit of life to them when they’re sitting static on the surface of the water waiting for a fish to decide if it’s good enough to eat — the Vicuna ‘Dry Fly Dubbing’ ticks every one of those boxes for me, to the point where it has become the dubbing material I use in 99% of my dry flies.
Like many fly anglers, my favourite way to catch wild brown trout is on the surface with a dry fly. The most memorable fish I catch on the dry fly are usually the reward of a quickly formulated plan, hatched as quickly as the claret duns that are now being plucked from the surface by the head of a very large hill loch brownie.
With trembling fingers, I attach the fly I tied two nights ago for just this job and check the knot while trying to remember which direction that head was moving the last time I saw it. The head appears again for another mouthful and disappears again. I make my cast 10 feet ahead of the last rise, and it lands perfectly, actually staying afloat! Seconds pass, and I think I've messed up by forgetting to put more mud on my leader. Suddenly, there's a disruption in the water, and all hell breaks loose on the perfectly calm surface — fish on!!!
Moments later, I'm looking into my net at the most beautiful wild trout in the world. The hook's already out, and I know it's time to say goodbye and let him go. I'm left sitting on the bank with a photo for Instagram and the words "I love it when a plan comes together" on my lips.
by Gordon Mackay
